Scope: Pan-European (DACH, France, Italy, Benelux)
Type: Full-time | Equity participation | Board-level appointment
Search status: Retained & exclusive mandate
Overview
We are supporting the formation of a new Switzerland-based robotics venture focused on the deployment and integration of advanced robotics solutions into industrial manufacturing and logistics environments across Europe.
The business is backed by a well-established industrial investment group with significant existing exposure to manufacturing and automation-heavy operations. The initial phase will focus on identifying, piloting, and scaling practical robotics applications within real production environments, with a strong emphasis on measurable operational impact.
This is a founding CEO appointment with full responsibility for building the organisation from the ground up.
The Opportunity
The CEO will define and execute the strategy to establish a leading European robotics deployment and integration platform, combining advanced AI-enabled robotics technologies with real industrial use cases.
The role requires a balance of commercial leadership, operational execution, and deep credibility within industrial automation environments.
This is not a research or pure technology leadership role. The focus is on real-world deployment, customer adoption, systems integration, and building a scalable commercial organisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and execute the go-to-market strategy for robotics deployment across European industrial sectors
- Build and lead the organisation across commercial, technical, and operational functions
- Establish strategic partnerships with robotics technology providers and industrial ecosystem partners
- Develop and scale customer relationships across manufacturing, logistics, and production environments
- Lead pilot programmes and transition successful use cases into repeatable commercial offerings
- Drive fundraising, investor engagement, and long-term strategic planning
- Represent the business at senior industry and customer level across Europe
- Build a high-performance leadership team and organisational structure
Essential Experience
- 15–25 years’ experience in industrial automation, robotics, or capital equipment sectors
- Significant P&L or business unit leadership experience (regional, divisional, or equivalent)
- Proven track record delivering complex automation or robotics solutions into industrial customers
- Strong commercial background with responsibility for revenue, key accounts, or large-scale deployments
- Experience operating across European markets (particularly DACH, France, Italy, Benelux)
- Prior exposure to industrial robotics, automation systems, or systems integration environments
- Background with established robotics or automation organisations or integrators
- Experience scaling industrial technology businesses or building new business units
- Familiarity with AI-enabled automation, collaborative robotics, or advanced manufacturing systems
- Strong network within industrial manufacturing, logistics, or production environments
- Previous entrepreneurial or venture-backed experience
- Strong builder mentality with hands-on leadership approach
- High credibility with industrial and manufacturing stakeholders
- Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, early-stage environment
- Strong commercial instinct and execution focus
- Able to bridge industrial requirements with emerging robotics technologies
- Willingness to be based in Switzerland with regular European travel
Competitive base salary aligned with senior Swiss industrial leadership benchmarks, combined with a significant equity participation package reflecting founding executive status. Performance-linked incentives tied to commercial milestones, deployments, and company growth.
Process & Timeline
This is a retained and exclusive search mandate.
- Longlisting and confidential outreach: underway
- Interview process with investors/founders: Starting from 25th May
- Target appointment: Q4 2026
