Joan Minder

Zurich, January 29, 2025 – The Board of Directors of FREITAG lab. ag is transferring operational leadership of the company to Janine Weiz-Bühler. Ms Weiz-Bühler, a qualified business economist with extensive international experience in the industry, will take over management of the Zurich-based bag manufacturer from February 1, 2025. Her most recent role was as Director Brand & Product for CALIDA, where she was also a part of the Executive Management team. Prior to that, she spent several years as Managing Director of an Austrian textile firm.

Ms Weiz-Bühler said: «FREITAG is an iconic, innovative and confident brand that has always fascinated me. As a sustainability pioneer with steadfast principles, a values-based culture and a commitment to the ‹new work› approach to leadership, FREITAG is unique and, in my opinion, a role model in our industry.»

Co-founder of the company and Board member Markus Freitag commented: «Janine Weiz-Bühler impressed us with her wide-ranging leadership experience in design, product management and brand leadership, as well as her passion for the circular economy. This makes her the ideal person to drive FREITAG’s development in a goal-oriented manner that aligns with our corporate values.»

In 2016, FREITAG restructured according to the principles of self-organization and subsequently adapted the holacratic organizational model to suit its needs. As part of this, it recently implemented enhanced leadership and decision-making competencies. Janine Weiz-Bühler will execute her tasks in the newly refined leadership role of «navigator», in which, as well as being responsible for the strategic direction and overall management of the company, she will focus on enabling leadership. Previously, the corporate leadership of FREITAG was the responsibility of a five-member Company Leader Collective, whose three-year term ended in December 2024.