Fintech Association suffers bout of internal disruption

Hucker confirmed a rift with former board member Gaillard John Hucker

The Swiss Finance and Technology Association (SFTA), set up to represent fintech players in Switzerland and lobby for better framework conditions, has confirmed that several board members have left the organisation following a rift.

A note sent out to SFTA members said that Alexandre Gaillard, Klaus Kummermehr, Boris Battistini, Christian Dreyer, and Daniel Diemers had “mutually agreed” to step down “to allow for a renewal process to begin”. A note sent by Gaillard on a meetup platform last week suggested that the split had been anything but harmonious.

Gaillard took issue with SFTA president John Hucker, whose actions were apparently “incompatible with the association purpose” and who had allegedly turned down demands for an emergency board meeting. The former head of the SFTA chapter in the French speaking part of Switzerland also accused the Zurich-headquartered organisation of failing to support Geneva operations.

In an email to swissinfo.ch on Wednesday, Hucker said that the SFTA had “provided thousands” to supporting Geneva area projects, including the Sibos event in 2016. He said he “regularly experienced conflicts” with Gaillard. “His actions now clearly do not contribute positively to SFTA members,” Hucker added.

Both Hucker and the SFTA note to members, sent on Wednesday, rebutted media reports that the association was planning to move away from its non-profit roots. 

An SFTA general assembly will be called once operational and board roles have been redefined, Hucker stated. There are plans to complement a slimmed down board of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary with a new advisory group to connect the roughly 600 fintech members with the board.