Moderator: Rafael Lalive

Rafael Lalive, Professor of Economics, University of Lausanne
Rafael Lalive – Professor of Economics at the University of Lausanne, specializing in labor market policy, family policy, and social economics.
Rafael Lalive has held a position as Professor of Economics at the University of Lausanne since September 2006. His main research interests are twofold. On one hand, he works on the economic effects of reforms to public policy. Specifically, his research has focused on the effectiveness of active labor market programs in helping job seekers find jobs, on the role of financial incentives in unemployment insurance, on the effects of parental leave policies on fertility and return to work of mothers of newborn children, on policies for disabled individuals, and on the effects of environmental policies. On the other hand, he is interested in social economics, i.e. the importance of social interactions for education decisions and the role of social learning.

Adrian Gerber – Federal Delegate for the Professional Integration of Refugees
Adrian Gerber has been appointed by the Minister of Justice and Police and the Federal Council as the delegate for the integration of refugees into the labor market. He holds a doctorate in history and previously headed the Integration Division at the State Secretariat for Migration, where he was involved in developing Switzerland’s integration policy.

Christina Gräni, Company Relations Lead, Powercoders
Christina Gräni, a former graphic designer, co-founded and led an agency in Fribourg for seven years after working in Berlin and New York. In 2016, she launched a humanitarian project in refugee camps in Greece – an experience so profound that she sold the company to focus entirely on social impact. For the past six years, she has been with the non-profit organization Powercoders, recruiting and integrating refugees and migrants into the IT sector.

Katrina Lancaster, Helen of Troy Limited
Katrina Lancaster is the Human Resources Director – EMEA at Helen of Troy, based in Switzerland. She brings 19 years of international HR leadership experience, driving transformation, post-acquisition integration, and cultural change across 48 markets. As a trusted advisor to executives, she aligns people strategy with business growth while fostering resilience, engagement, and performance.

Antonella Zadotti, Regional Manager for Professional Training, IKEA
Antonella Zadotti is part of IKEA Switzerland’s Professional Education & Integration team, supporting integration programs and apprentices. She previously worked as a Communication Specialist at IKEA. She holds a Master’s degree in Art History and additional qualifications in art therapy and inclusive education. Her career reflects a strong commitment to inclusion and education.

Andrea Girardot Kovarikova, Logistics Services, Swiss Post
Andrea Girardot Kovarikova is an experienced executive in Customer Support, Supply Chain, and Operations, with 20+ years in Medical Technology, Life Sciences, Retail, and Food industries. She currently leads Distribution at Swiss Post Geneva, overseeing regional logistics and operations.

Nabi Camara, Training & Academy Lead, Batmaid
Nabi Camara is with Batmaid, where she leads the development and implementation of the Swiss Cleaning Academy, a certified training program for cleaning professionals. As a trainer, she supports participants in their skill development and professional integration. Committed to the integration of migrant and refugee workers, she works to create sustainable and rewarding professional opportunities.

Marina Bruehlmann, Recruiting Partner, SBB
She holds a master’s degree in Work and Organizational Psychology, with several years of experience in HR in the private, public, and international sectors. Since 2018, she has been working as a Recruiting Partner at SBB/CFF/FFS.

Moderator

Madina Kukenova, Secretary and Founding Member of the Association Together

Presenters

Katel Giacometti is a lawyer by training, specialized in asylum law. She began her career in the field of refugee protection before moving towards integration policies. With several years of experience at the BCI (Cantonal Office for the Integration of Foreigners and the Prevention of Racism), she now holds the position of Head of the Asylum and Finance Unit, where she leads projects at the intersection of integration policies, professional integration, and financial management.

Laurine Jobin, project manager at asile.ch, focuses on the obstacles to the professional integration of people under the asylum system. She is currently developing content for the asile.ch website, which aims to counter common misconceptions while serving as an information platform for employers and job coaches.

Moderator

Hélène Bayeux, Founding Director of Alter Start, a social incubator that supports people in precarious situations towards entrepreneurship.

Experts

Christophe Barraud, Business Development Coach
After studying robotics at EPFL, Christophe joined Mobsya and quickly became its Executive Director. There, he transformed the Thymio robot into an international success, with more than 57,000 units distributed. Since 2020, he has put his experience at the service of GENILEM, supporting entrepreneurs in the creation and growth of their projects, helping them to develop in a smart and sustainable way.

Zuzanna Bolle, Project and Business Creation Manager
After studying Literature and Journalism at UNIL, Zuzanna joined the events department of the CVCI. At the same time, she founded her own company active in e-commerce and photography. Passionate about entrepreneurship, she quickly set up within the CVCI a new support service dedicated to young business founders. As demand grew, the service expanded rapidly and became a key entry point to the local ecosystem. With more than 15 years of experience, Zuzanna provides advice on legal obligations, administrative procedures, social security, VAT, etc.