WISF Salon: Members' Summer Event

About the Event

Join Women in Sustainable Finance International (WISF) for an evening of meaningful connections and conversation.

We are most honoured to welcome Dörte Bachmann to our salon. Dörte is Head of Sustainability at Aargauische Kantonalbank (AKB), where she coordinates sustainability initiatives and works with various departments on the bank's sustainability strategy. Before AKB, she was Head of Sustainability at SV Group, a food service and hotel management group, where she ran the sustainability strategy and management system. Earlier in her career, she worked as a research assistant at the Sustainability Office at ETH Zurich, contributed to campaigns for the Swiss nonprofit foodwaste.ch, and worked on life cycle assessment as a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich.

Description

How does a biologist end up working in a Swiss bank? Dörte Bachmann's career did not follow a straight line. She trained as a scientist, worked in research at ETH Zurich, moved into the food and hospitality sector, and now leads sustainability at a cantonal bank. Each step looked unusual at the time. Together they tell a story about how careers in sustainability are built in practice rather than in plans.

In this salon, Dörte will share her personal path. What pulled her from biology into business. What she carried with her from science into corporate roles. What it felt like to enter banking from the outside, and what she has learned about working across very different cultures. The conversation will appeal to anyone thinking about a career change, a sector change, or a less linear path into sustainable finance.

Agenda:

6:00 pm – Doors open

6:30 pm – Welcome by Dr. Marta Ra

6:35 pm – Key Note by our distinguished special guest Dörte Bachmann

6:50 pm – Q&A

7:00 pm – 2025 in Review

7:10 pm – Your feedback

7:25 pm – Wrap up

7:40 pm – Apéro & Networking

9:00 pm – Doors close

Leave with honest reflections from Dörte on building a career in sustainability across science, hospitality, and finance.

As a members-only event, a private invitation will be sent, including the location and link to RSVP. If you are not a member yet and are interested in attending this event, we invite you to join our movement here, and an invitation will follow.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to this evening with a group of like-minded leaders.