Transformation with the Viable System Model at Ypsomed

June 11, 2025

Content

Learn first-hand how Ypsomed leveraged the Viable System Model (VSM) as a reference framework for a profound organizational transformation.

In this webinar, Michael Zaugg, Head of Corporate Services at Ypsomed, and Christoph Mahr, consultant and advisor for the VSM implementation, share their experiences with this successful transformation. They will explain why the executive team chose VSM, how the implementation was carried out, and what challenges had to be overcome.

Key topics of the webinar:

· Why VSM was chosen as the model for organizational development

· How the implementation was structured in practice

· Challenges, success factors and key learnings

· Practical recommendations for leaders driving transformation processes

Gain valuable insights from experts and get inspired to shape the future of your organization in a sustainable way!

Ypsomed: Company Overview

Ypsomed is a leading Swiss medical technology company specializing in the development and manufacturing of injection and infusion systems for self-medication. Under the mylife Diabetescare brand, the company also offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for people with diabetes.

Founded in 1984 by brothers Willy and Peter Michel under the name Disetronic, Ypsomed has over 40 years of industry experience. Today, the company is headquartered in Burgdorf, Switzerland, and employs around 2,600 people worldwide.

Ypsomed is recognized for its innovative strength and was recently named Switzerland’s most innovative company in a survey conducted by BILANZ and Statista.

Michael Zaugg & Christoph Mahr

Michael Zaugg has been with Ypsomed since 2017 and is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ypsomed Group Pension Fund Foundation since 2020. From 2011 to 2017 he was employed as Head of Talent Europe at ABB. Previously he worked in HR at Credit Suisse, was Consultant and Executive Board member at schärpartners ag (2004 to 2007), Head of HR Services at Valiant Holding (2007 to 2008) and Head of HR Recruiting at BKW FMB AG (2008 to 2011).

Michael Zaugg studied economics at the University of Basel (degree: lic.rer. pol) specialising in human resources management, marketing and environmental economics. He also holds a degree from the university’s crossfaculty accompanying study programme Man – Society – Environment (MSE) and an Executive Master of Human Resources Management from the Institute of Applied Psychology in Zurich.

For more than 20 years, Christoph Mahr has been supporting organizations and coaching people who work in them to continuously develop. Creating agile organizations that are able to shape and develop their future proactively and allow people to excel is his mission.

As an organizational consultant and dedicated coach, he supports his clients in an authentic manner and with humor. He helps individuals and organizations build and develop profound change, agile, and lean capabilities by unlocking and enlarging existing knowledge. Innovative, pragmatic, and highly efficient learning concepts are part of his repertoire.
Since 2018, Christoph Mahr has been the Managing Director of step5 AG in Zurich, where he continues to drive organizational transformation and leadership development.

Christoph Mahr studied pedagogy, sociology, and psychology at the universities of Würzburg and Freiburg (Breisgau). He has completed multiple advanced training programs in systemic organizational development and hypnosystemic coaching, further expanding his expertise in facilitating organizational transformation processes.

In addition to his professional work, he volunteers as an emergency psychologist.

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