Last Saturday, members of the Oxford and Cambridge Club of Geneva gathered in the heart of the city to celebrate one of the great traditions of the Oxbridge calendar.

This year delivered perfectly balanced results, with Cambridge claiming victory in the Men’s Boat Race (winning by 3.5 lengths), while Oxford triumphed in the Women’s Boat Race, securing their first win since 2016 in challenging, windy conditions.

The event once again proved its enduring appeal, bringing together a strong turnout of alumni in a lively pub setting. True to form, the afternoon was filled with friendly banter, always in great respect of both sides, and above all, in the warm and convivial spirit that defines our community.

A heartfelt thank you to Ralph A. Deter for organising such a cheerful and memorable gathering!

The Oxford & Cambridge Club of Geneva was delighted to host two recent Speaker High Tea events at the Hôtel d’Angleterre, bringing together alumni and guests for engaging discussions at the intersection of media, politics, and society, always linked to and set against the backdrop of current affairs.

In February, our first session explored the theme of public media and legitimacy, in a timely conversation ahead of the Swiss federal votation on the future of the Swiss Radio and Television Network (SRG SSR). The discussion, featuring media experts Gilles Marchand and Hugo Marchand, shed light on the evolving role of public broadcasters, raising important questions around governance, trust, and democratic accountability in a rapidly changing media landscape.

One month later, we welcomed Zach Tomasovic, writer and filmmaker, for a thought-provoking session on satire in the age of political spectacle and algorithmic amplification. His intervention offered a compelling perspective on how satire continues to adapt in a world where reality often challenges the boundaries of parody.

Both events sparked lively and insightful exchanges, reflecting the intellectual curiosity and diversity of our Oxbridge community. We extend our sincere thanks to our distinguished speakers and to all participants who contributed to the success of these memorable afternoons.

On the evening of Wednesday, 12th March, a small group of adventurers set off under the moonlit sky for a magical winter walk to Restaurant Cuvaloup de Crans. Led by Peter Ransome, the journey unfolded over a scenic 5 km trek through the snow-covered landscape, filled with crisp alpine air and quiet enchantment.

After the invigorating walk, the group gathered in the cozy glow of the chalet-style restaurant, where the warmth of a crackling fire and the aroma of hearty Swiss dishes welcomed them. Over bubbling fondue and golden Malakoffs, laughter and conversation flowed effortlessly, making for an unforgettable evening.

A night of adventure, good food, and winter charm!

Against the snow-capped backdrop of Davos, the Oxbridge Alumni Soirée brought together graduates of Oxford and Cambridge for an evening of dynamic conversation and global ambition. Held on the eve of the World Economic Forum, the event showcased the power of this storied network—where academic excellence meets real-world impact.

More than just a reunion, the soirée highlighted the collective potential of Oxbridge alumni across business, policy, and technology. Discussions centered on the need for these institutions to channel their influence more deliberately in addressing global challenges. As connections were forged and ideas exchanged, the evening underscored a simple truth: when great minds come together, transformative change can follow.

Find out more and explore event highlights here

Thank you to everyone who joined the Oxbridge Club of Geneva for our Annual Wine Tasting and Game Dinner! ✨

From the exceptional guided wine tasting at Stéphane and Léo Dupraz’s winery to the exquisite seasonal game dinner at La Fontaine, it was a night filled with camaraderie, fine flavors, and cherished memories.

A special thanks to Alex for his dedication in organizing this unforgettable event. We look forward to seeing you all again at our upcoming gatherings! ✨

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Last Wednesday, we enjoyed a fantastic social drinks event at Olivier du Sacré-Cœur, with about 19 participants. The venue and service were outstanding, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. A big thank you to Philip Selby for organizing such a successful gathering!

The recent sustainability talk led by Dr. Christophe George was a successful event, with 39 attendees engaged in exploring sustainability concepts and challenges. Dr. George, who works in sustainability at EY Switzerland and is affiliated with the Cambridge Centre for Business Research, presented insights from his book, Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility: How to Tackle Environmental Imperatives in Company Law.

The session wrapped up with an engaging Q&A, where participants explored practical applications and challenges in corporate sustainability. Dr. George’s insights prompted attendees to reflect on the practical and long-term commitments essential for genuine sustainability. He has also kindly made his presentation and a summary of his new book available for download below.

Christophe_George_OCCG_10_October_2024 Presentation.pdf

Christophe_George_Book_TOC_Summary_2023.pdf

Our recent joint universities BBQ at UN Beach was an outstanding success, receiving exceptional feedback from the more than 140 participants who attended. Alumni from prestigious institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, IMD, and Bocconi gathered for a memorable day of networking and camaraderie.

The event drew participants from major global cities, highlighting its wide appeal and providing a unique platform for alumni to connect and exchange ideas in the vibrant setting of Geneva. The seamless organization, relaxed atmosphere, and outstanding catering — courtesy of Chef Reon and his team — were all praised by attendees. A special thank you goes to the dedicated organizing team, including Ludo and Christian, for making this event truly unforgettable.

Dear Member,

A big thank you to those of you who attended the April AGM & Boat Race event at the Société Nautique de Genève. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening in an iconic location with an amazing sunset. Thank you, Ian Gordon, for all the organizing as well as the professional boat race commentary.

Since the AGM, we have had the opportunity to analyze the replies to the Sentiment Survey which was launched in March/April.

Members are of the opinion that the Club does a good job of meeting their expectations, scoring 53 on the NPS (Net Promoter Score) question, which is a very strong result. Given the Club’s wide age range, the main survey finding is that we need to continue to recognize the divergent interests of the different member groups. As the rising cost of formal meals is a concern, we will endeavor to host more casual and cheaper events, while at the same time recognizing that members would like more speaker events/dinners. We will attempt to address both wishes by sourcing cheaper (but probably out of Geneva) locations.

The NPS (Net Promoter Score) is an excellent indicator of the health of the Club. Henceforth, we will survey it annually with you, the Members.

Members will have noted a recent uptick in the number of events as the summer approaches, and there will be more. So do keep an eye on the website calendar.

Those of you who are LinkedIn users will, thanks to Matthew Kilgarriff & Tom Waterhouse, shortly see a lot of Club activity as we launch a marketing campaign to attract those many Geneva area alumni who are not yet aware of our existence/activities. The campaign is already bearing fruit with a steady trickle of new members joining.

Finally, a reminder of the 75th birthday event on Thursday, 19th September to be held at the British Residence, Cologny. A rather special location by any measure. As we will need to better gauge the number of attendees, we will be sending out a poll to assess the level of interest prior to formally releasing tickets.

Meanwhile, I look forward to meeting Members at one of the many upcoming events. Do make an effort to attend.

My best wishes for an enjoyable summer.

Donald Birch

Newsletter March 2024

OCCG

First, slightly belated Happy New Year to all Oxford & Cambridge Club of Geneva Members and best wishes for your endeavours during the year ahead.  Hopefully 2024 will make more sense than 2023 managed to do for many.

This said, for OCCG 2023 was probably the busiest on record.  TwentyTwo events, almost 500 attendees and a stable membership of circa 200 alumni.  It is pleasing to see that we have a regular flow of new younger members joining the Club, so it seems that our ‘marketing’ efforts are bearing some fruit.

Of the 200 or so members, about 50% pay annual subscriptions with the balance being Life & Honorary Members.  For those of you who pay annually, please take a moment to update your membership, either by credit card or bank QR code/transfer.  Your subscription helps us to fund the Club infrastructure and to try out new event ideas.

In this regard David Lewis has kindly arranged a hosted attendance at the GEDS premier of Charlie’s Aunt on Tuesday 19^th March.  We will be briefed by John Ward, the GAOS chairman while enjoying apero prior to the performance, followed by a chance to meet the cast afterwards.  See the OCCG website for details.

If you would like to host a Club event or have any ideas for something ‘different’, do please get in touch.

This year sees the 75^th anniversary of the Club, so we will be arranging a suitable event to mark the occasion.  Planning is underway for September, details follow.

The OCCG What’sapp group is now over 100 strong and is a useful source of information for Alumni events and activities over and above the published schedule.  For example, members were recently invited to attend a very successful Oxbridge MeetUp at the World Economic Forum held in Davos.  Contact Christian Mannoni if you would like to join the Whatsapp group (you need to be a current OCCG member to qualify).

After 9 months of operation, our new Wild Apricot Club administration system has settled down and is providing an additional dimension to the services that we can offer members.  For the Committee, keeping track of events and membership is much easier and hopefully you will have learned how to use your personal Profile to best effect.

With the core platform in place there continues to be more we can do to leverage its features, particularly being more visible in social media.  Once again let me know if there are things that you would like to see.

The AGM 2024 is scheduled for Thursday 11^th April 18h at the SNG where we share the AGM proceedings with a viewing of the boat races (ably commentated by Ian Gordon) and what is usually an excellent dinner and of course good company.  We are grateful to a number of members who have offered themselves as new  Committee members and we look forward to introducing them to you in April.

A reminder that Covid is still with us, so please be mindful of the more vulnerable members of our club.  If you feel unwell, please do not attend an event.

Thank you to those of you who have made the past year an enjoyable opportunity to meet and socialise and I look forward to meeting you (again) soon.

Don Birch

President