Michel Ruefenacht

Michel Ruefenacht has a diverse work experience spanning over several companies and roles. Michel began their career at Getronics in 1999, where they held various positions including System Engineer, Pre-Sales, Consultant, Bid Manager, and later as a Product Manager, Product Marketing Manager, and Business Development. During their time at Getronics, they focused on IP-Telephony and played a key role in building and repositioning the pricing and go-to-market strategies for professional services.

In 2004, Michel moved to Avaya, where they took on the role of Head of Field Marketing for High Growth Markets. Michel was responsible for the marketing strategy and revenue growth for several regions, contributing to significant double-digit revenue growth for the company.

Michel's next role was at Fortinet in 2019, where they served as the Senior Director EMEA Business Development & Demand Center. Michel led a team of over 30 individuals and achieved double-digit growth in pipeline and sales of security solutions, including SD-WAN, Cloud, and OT/IIoT.

From 2013 to 2014, Michel was a Senior Manager at Avaya, responsible for EMEA Marketing Strategy, Planning & Operations. Michel implemented standardized processes, scorecards, and financial policies, resulting in double-digit growth in demand generation results and increased field productivity.

In 2014, Michel became the Director of Global Marketing Strategy, Planning, Analytics & Market Intelligence at Avaya, where they launched the "Market Environment packs" and introduced a global Marketing Scorecard for performance measurement.

From 2016 to 2018, Michel held the position of Senior Director Global Marketing Operations at Avaya, leading all aspects of marketing operations, including strategy, planning, resource management, data automation, and pipeline management. Michel spearheaded transformation initiatives that significantly improved KPIs and sourced bookings.

In 2020, Michel joined YesWeHack as the Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for all marketing activities and a member of the Executive Committee. YesWeHack is a Bug Bounty & VDP Platform, and Michel played a crucial role in its growth and success.

Their most recent position is Vice President Marketing at Cyber Guru srl, starting in 2022. Cyber Guru focuses on cybersecurity awareness and innovative solutions for combating cybercrime, with a particular emphasis on the human factor.

Throughout their career, Michel Ruefenacht has consistently demonstrated their expertise in marketing, strategy, planning, operations, and leadership, contributing to the growth and success of the companies they have worked for.

Michel Ruefenacht has a diverse education history with a focus on digital business transformation, marketing, leadership, and computer science. In 1992, they obtained a Federal Diploma in Electronics from Ecole des Métiers Fribourg. After that, they attended the College of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg from 1996 to 1999, where they earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Science with a specialization in electronics, computing, and telecommunications. In 2002, Ruefenacht completed the "Get on the fast track Workshop" in entrepreneurship and innovation at EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne).

Continuing their education, Ruefenacht pursued an Executive MBA at Business School Lausanne (BSL) from 2003 to 2004, with a focus on finance, marketing, and leadership. In 2006, they attended NYU Stern School of Business and completed an Executive Program in marketing. In 2016, Ruefenacht participated in the Leadership inSITE program offered by Exec Excel Group, focusing on strategy, innovation, transformation, and execution.

In 2018, Ruefenacht enrolled in the "Leading Digital Business Transformation" program at IMD, furthering their knowledge in this area. Michel also attended IMD in 2020, completing the Digital Marketing Strategies Program, which emphasized the application of digital marketing strategies.

In addition to their formal education, Ruefenacht obtained several certifications. In 1999, they achieved the Cisco Certified Network Associate Security (CCNA) certification, followed by the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) and Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) certifications in 2000. Ruefenacht also obtained the Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) certification in 2000. In 2019, they earned the Fortinet NSE 3 certification.

Overall, Michel Ruefenacht has continuously enhanced their skills and knowledge through a combination of academic degrees, workshops, and professional certifications, with a particular focus on digital business transformation, marketing, leadership, and computer science.