December 15, 2025

Four business units and new regional management in Western Switzerland

Gruner is adapting its organizational structure in western Switzerland and will form two new business units in the Infrastructure division on 1 January 2026. This move reflects the strong growth in French-speaking Switzerland. With four business units in French-speaking Switzerland in future, Gruner will be even closer to its customers, giving the geotechnical, water and environment business areas greater visibility and thus ensuring long-term development.  

With the reorganisation of infrastructure in western Switzerland, four Gruner business units in western Switzerland will focus on their respective core competencies from 2026 onwards: 

• Transport and Infrastructure Western Switzerland’ under the leadership of Emmanuel Everbecq 

• Engineering Structures and Structural Design Western Switzerland’ under the leadership of Alexandre Vela Giro 

• Civil Engineering and Geotechnics Switzerland’ under the leadership of John Eichenberger 

• Hydraulic Engineering and Environment Western Switzerland’ under the leadership of Thomas Michaud 

John Eichenberger, 41, graduated from EPFL in 2008 with a degree in civil engineering and holds a PhD in geomechanics (2013). He began his career at Gruner in 2013 and is currently head of the underground works and geotechnics department. He is also recognized throughout Switzerland as a level N3 expert for several earth dams. 

Thomas Michaud, 42, graduated from Polytech'Orléans in 2007 with a degree in civil engineering, geosciences, and the environment. After three years at an engineering firm in Peru, he has been working in Switzerland since 2010 and joined Gruner in 2019. He is currently head of the Water and Environment department for the Alps region. 

With the growth of the market and this organizational change, Emmanuel Everbecq will take on the role of Regional Director as of January 1, 2026. He brings proven management skills and in-depth knowledge of the infrastructure construction market and will, in addition to his role as head of the “Transport and Infrastructure French-speaking Switzerland” business unit, be responsible for the administration of the four business units in French-speaking Switzerland within the Infrastructure division. 

"The expansion enable us to respond more specifically to our customers' needs"

Juri Schuler, head of the Infrastructure division, is very satisfied: "With this new organization, we are focusing our company even more on the future. The expansion to four business units will enable us to act more quickly and respond more specifically to our customers' needs. We are very pleased that Emmanuel Everbecq is taking over regional management in French-speaking Switzerland and will be involved in implementing this important transformation process. We would like to thank him very much for his outstanding commitment." 

We would also like to express our special thanks to Alexandre Vela Giro, who, in collaboration with Emmanuel Everbecq, has worked tirelessly over the past few years to lay the solid foundations on which the new organization can now continue to build. 

We warmly congratulate John Eichenberger and Thomas Michaud on their new roles as business unit managers and wish them and their teams every success and enjoyment in their new positions.