PhD in Physics/Nanotechnology

Gianluca obtained his PhD in Physics/Nanotechnology from EPFL Lausanne. He held various positions in the concentrated solar power and photovoltaics industry – among them he was Head of Research at Airlight Energy and Managing Director of Dsolar. His achievements include several patents and scientific publications, and he is the recipient of the EPFL Prix Prof. René Wasserman 2011. He co-founded Synhelion in 2016 and now holds the position of CEO, together with Philipp. Gianluca is a passionate jazz soprano saxophone player and performs regularly at concerts and jazz festivals.

PhD in Mechanical Engineering/Solar Thermochemistry, EMBA

Philipp holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich since 2014. In 2018, he completed his Executive MBA at the University of Strathclyde. Philipp has more than ten years of experience in high-temperature solar chemistry and reactor engineering. For several years, he served as Operating Agent – Solar Chemistry Research for the International Energy Agency’s technology program SolarPACES. Prior to joining Synhelion, Philipp co-founded the ETH spin-off company Sunredox, which was acquired by Synhelion in 2018. He now holds the position of CEO, together with Gianluca.

PhD in Mechanical Engineering/Solar Energy

Philipp performed his PhD research in Mechanical Engineering at ETH Zurich in close collaboration with a concentrated solar power company. He joined Synhelion in 2017. Philipp has more than ten years of experience in the design, modelling, engineering, and experimental testing of high-temperature solar receivers and the optical alignment, characterization, and operation of solar concentrators. He is a passionate tennis player and participates in tournaments and team competitions.

lic. oec. HSG, CFA, Advanced Federal Diploma Expert for Accounting and Controlling

Thomas is a seasoned financial professional with a broad range of experience in Switzerland and abroad. With over two decades of financial expertise including positions as CFO, he significantly contributed to major transactions, including the sale of a large telecom company, and worked as a director at Credit Suisse in Zurich and New York. Before joining Synhelion, he served as the CFO of Bergbahnen Flumserberg and the publicly traded Poenina Holding until its merger with Burkhalter Group. He holds a Licentiate in Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen as well as an Advanced Federal Diploma as Expert for Accounting and Controlling and is a CFA charterholder. He loves spending time in the mountains. Alternatively, he enjoys water activities, both below and above the surface.

MSc in Energy Engineering

Patrick graduated with a Master of Science in Energy Engineering from RWTH Aachen University. He worked as a project engineer for the research institutions Solar Institute Jülich (SIJ) and German Aerospace Center (DLR) in the field of heliostat development and played a key role in the design and construction of Synlight, the largest artificial sun in the world. Together with Prof. Dr. Bernhard Hoffschmidt, he founded Heliokon GmbH in 2016, which has been part of Synhelion as Synhelion Germany GmbH since 2021.

Dipl.-Ing. Mechanical Engineering + Dipl.-Ing. Engineering & Business

Simon holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering with focus on aerospace technology and a degree in Engineering & Business from RWTH Aachen University. Before joining Synhelion in 2019, he worked for several years as a research engineer at the German Aerospace Center, where he gained extensive experience in the techno-economic assessment of renewable energy technologies and CSP-related software development.

Hans Hess is an accomplished entrepreneur, manager, investor, and engineer. Over the course of his career, he has been chairman and board member of several industrial companies and Swiss organizations, such as Swissmem, economiesuisse, and the ETH Board. He was CEO of Leica Geosystems AG, which he successfully listed at the Swiss Stock Exchange SIX. In 2006, Hans Hess founded his own company, Hanesco AG, which provides international management services and invests in Swiss companies. Hans Hess holds a Master Degree in Material Science from ETH in Zürich and a Master Degree in Business Administration from University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Former banking executive

Chairman of Dreieck Fiduciaria SA

Daniel Rüdisüli is a seasoned investment advisor and finance expert. He is co-owner of the multi-family office Swiss KMU Partners AG, which is dedicated to sustainable and future-oriented investments with attractive returns. Daniel’s core activities are the establishment of individually tailored family office structures as well as accompanying families into a successful, stable, and safe future.

Dr. Stephan Feldhaus is the CEO of SMS Concast AG, part of the SMS group, which is a global leading partner for the metals industry. Over the course of his career, he has held several management positions within the SMS group. He is an award-winning scientist and holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from RWTH Aachen University.