Advisory Board

Our Advisory Board encompasses leading figures from business, technology, research, and education. Thanks to their extensive experience, strategic vision, and passion for innovation, they are perfectly placed to support the Applied AI Center in promoting responsible and effective AI applications. Our members include Priska Burkard, Thomas Bergen, Kilian Eyholzer, Sarah Hauser, Philipp Späti, Frank Schön, Andreas Klopp, and Marcel Aregger. Together, they provide guidance for the AI Center’s continual development and help to bridge the gap between science, business, and society.

Priska Burkard

Priska Burkard, Co-Founder & Managing Director, TechFace

Priska Burkard is a strategist and consultant for leading companies on the topic of inclusive, responsible AI and technology. With over fifteen years of experience in finance IT and product management, she has a knack for linking companies with varied and often overlooked tech talents to build trustworthy, human-centered, AI solutions for resilient, future-proof tech teams.

Thomas Bergen

Thomas Bergen, Co-Founder / CEO, getAbstract

Thomas Bergen, husband to Maria Salvador, father to Raul Alexander, Maria-Teresa and Thomas-Alejandro, and entrepreneur. He founded getAbstract (1998) and Amphasys (2012) with his friends. He maintains a role in both companies.

Kilian Eyholzer

Kilian Eyholzer, Chief Transformation & Technology Officer, Victorinox AG

Kilian Eyholzer has been the Chief Transformation & Technology Officer with Victorinox since 2022, where he oversees digitalization, IT, and data & AI. Since earning a PhD in Business Information Technology from the University of Bern, he has worked as a consultant, in ecommerce, and in corporate development. He is a guest lecturer at various university-level institutions.

Sarah Hauser

Sarah Hauser, Dean of the Lucerne School of Computer Science and Information Technology

Dean of the HSLU School of Computer Science and Information Technology with extensive leadership, teaching and research experience in IT, information security and cryptography. Prior to that, she was the head of bachelor’s and master's programs, a consultant, and a software engineer. She has an Executive MBA from the University of Zurich and an MSc ETH in Computer Science.

Philipp Späti

Philipp Späti, Director Technical Sales, CTO & Member of the Management Board, IBM Switzerland

Philipp Späti is Director of Technical Sales, an IBM Distinguished Engineer and a member of IBM Switzerland’s executive board. He supports major clients in digital transformation and has many years of experience in technology, architecture, and innovation leadership.

Frank Schön

Frank Schön, Senior Vice President Materials & Methods, Dätwyler Group

Since May 2026, Frank Schön has been heading the Group Function Materials & Methods at Dätwyler. Before that, he was the CTO and a member of the executive board, and held various leadership positions in research, development and innovation. He earned his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Freiburg and has an MAS in Business Administration and Engineering from the HSLU.

Andreas Klopp

Andreas Klopp, General Manager, Roche Diagnostics International Ltd

Andreas Klopp brings together extensive experience in software development, project and portfolio management, business strategy and transformation with a passion for team and leadership development. After holding various positions with Siemens in Munich, he assumed several roles in R&D, portfolio, and strategy and transformation with Roche and is now the head of the company’s Diagnostics division at Rotkreuz.

Marcel Aregger

Marcel Aregger, VP Information Technology, Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG

Marcel Aregger is VP Information Technology with Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG and, in this role, in charge of strategy, digitalization and global IT. He develops and steers IT services across continents, supports the building of an international production network and heads cyber security in the areas of IT, OT (digital factory), and aviation safety. He also boosts innovation in customer experience, on the digital shop floor and in aircraft-adjacent solutions (connected aircraft).