Andermatt Group appoints first Chairman of the Board from outside the founding family

Corporate Governance Milestone

Andermatt Group appoints first Chairman of the Board from outside the founding family

Michel Riva Appointed as Chairman as Co-founder Dr. Martin Andermatt Steps Down

Approved at the Annual General Meeting in May 2026, Andermatt Group has entered a historic transition by naming Michel Riva as its new Chairman of the Board of Directors, marking the first time someone outside the founding family has held the position since the company’s inception in 1988. Co-founder Dr. Martin Andermatt is stepping down from the chairmanship after decades of leadership but will retain his seat on the Board to provide cultural and operational continuity. Riva, who joined the board in 2025 and formerly served as the CEO of Swiss network infrastructure firm Reichle & De-Massari, will steer the multinational biological crop protection entity as it seeks to scale its global presence. Concurrently, Graeme Gowling was elected as a new board member, while Martin Müller and Franz Bollhalder officially stepped down from their respective directorial roles.

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Michel Riva has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of Andermatt Group. Co-founder Dr Martin Andermatt is stepping down after many years in the role and will remain a member of the Board. Approved at the Annual General Meeting in May 2026, this transition marks an important milestone in the company’s history. For further context on structural growth and corporate leadership across global bio-input markets, see how the Andermatt Group appoints first Chairman of the Board from outside the founding family to steer its expanding international network at Andermatt.

Andermatt Group, headquartered in Grossdietwil in the canton of Lucerne, is reaching a landmark moment in its corporate history. For the first time since the company was co-founded in 1988 by Dr Martin and Dr Isabel Andermatt, the Chairmanship of the Board of Directors will be held by someone outside the founding family. At the Annual General Assembly in May 2026, Michel Riva was elected as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors.

What began as an entrepreneurial vision in 1988 has grown into an international company with more than 600 employees in over 20 countries. This success reflects decades of dedication, entrepreneurial courage and a steadfast commitment to clear values. With this transition in the Chairmanship of the Board of Directors, Andermatt Group AG is reinforcing the foundations for continued sustainable growth.

“I am proud of the company and its development over the past decades and I am pleased to hand over the chairmanship to capable hands that will support its further successful growth.” – Dr Martin Andermatt, Co-founder and former Chairman of the Board of Directors, Andermatt Group AG.

Dr Martin Andermatt will remain a member of the Board of Directors and continue to support the company with his entrepreneurial experience and deep connection to its culture and values.

Michel Riva takes on the Chairmanship

Michel Riva has served on the Board of Directors of Andermatt Group since 2025. In a short period of time, he has developed a strong understanding of the company and contributed meaningfully to its positive development. He brings extensive experience in corporate governance and serves on several boards. Until 2025, he was CEO of Reichle & De-Massari, a leading Swiss company in network infrastructure.

“Andermatt Group AG is a remarkable company, built on the values of excellence, integrity, passion and innovation, which are reflected throughout its corporate culture. It is important to me to preserve these values as the foundation of our actions, while continuing to build on the company’s considerable potential. I look forward to taking on this role and to shaping the next chapter of this success story together with the Board of Directors, management and all employees.” – Michel Riva, new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Andermatt Group AG.

At the Annual General Meeting, Martin Müller and Franz Bollhalder also stepped down from the Board of Directors. The Board extends its sincere thanks to each of them for their valuable contributions and dedicated service to Andermatt Group AG. At the same meeting, Graeme Gowling was elected as a new member of the Board of Directors. We wish him every success in his new role.

About Andermatt Group AG

Andermatt Group AG was founded in 1988 by Dr Martin and Dr Isabel Andermatt and has since grown into a successful multinational company. Headquartered in Grossdietwil in the canton of Lucerne, the Group now employs over 700 people in more than 20 countries. As a global network of experts, Andermatt develops biological crop protection products and biostimulants. Its portfolio helps reduce the use of chemical crop production products and supports the company’s vision: “Healthy Food and Healthy Environment, for all.”

Strategic Market Context

The structured leadership expansion at Andermatt Group corresponds with a broader consolidation trend sweeping the biological agricultural inputs market. As established family-backed entities bring in external enterprise expertise to scale multinational distribution channels, the sector is moving fast away from specialized local operations. This organizational maturation mirrors a broader corporate evolution across global agricultural inputs, including recent developments such as Bioiberica structuring broadacre tank-mix biostimulants to bypass short spray windows, and the high-profile BioPrime and Mosaic commercial alliance targeted at integrating advanced discovery-platform biology directly into foundational crop nutrition frameworks.

“Preserving founding values while opening new horizons for international biological expansion.”

Andermatt Group AG – Corporate Governance Division

Grossdietwil, Lucerne, Switzerland | Leadership Report | June 2026 | andermatt.com