Annual Report 2024 - Avenir Suisse

Foreword

Michel M. Liès, Chair of Board of Trustees (left), Daniel Daeniker, Chair of Support Foundation (right), Jürg Müller, Director Avenir Suisse (center)

2024 was a year of renewed momentum for Avenir Suisse. New faces joined the team, new topics shaped the discourse, and new formats made our ideas even more visible. This fresh start was no coincidence. It reflected a deliberate evolution, both in our thinking and our approach.

Despite this dynamic, our focus remains unchanged. Avenir Suisse continues to stand for Swiss-style liberalism: independent, fact-based and solution-oriented. Building on this foundation, we analyze economic and social challenges and develop reform proposals with a long-term perspective.

In 2024, we also addressed key issues for the future: the role of the Swiss National Bank, the financing of social security systems and the tension between immigration and relations with the EU. We also highlighted new perspectives and developed solutions in specific political fields – for example, with our analyses on real bracket creep, which led to parliamentary motions in various cantons and at federal level. In addition, we strived to tailor each idea to the most appropriate format, whether it be studies, podcasts, videos, or debates.

Because today, offering quality content is no longer enough to make one’s voice heard. Attention is a scarce resource and public debate is fragmented. This makes it even more important to position our liberal voice clearly and effectively. Doing so requires not only expertise, but also creativity, courage and a strong presence.

This annual report shows how Avenir Suisse lived up to this ambition in 2024. It presents our vision, backed by in-depth, independent analysis. Our goal is to help Switzerland build a strong future.

Key Figures

Finances

Personnel expenses fell from CHF 4,197,717 to CHF 3,473,865 compared to the previous year. This decrease is primarily due to staffing changes that were not immediately replaced in the 2024 reporting year. Individual tasks were temporarily outsourced in the short term, contributing to an increase in infrastructure and operating expenses from CHF 731,750 to CHF 862,605. Programs and research expenditures amounted to CHF 191,561 (previous year: CHF 307,301) reflecting a decrease largely driven by the growing number of digital publications, which helped reduce printing costs. On the other hand, expenses for communications rose from CHF 82,414 to CHF 100,011, partly due to the increased use of new formats.

Overall, the planned budget of CHF 5.5 million was underspent due to the reasons mentioned above. The resulting savings will now be allocated in 2025 to selected additional activities related to Avenir Suisse’s 25th anniversary celebrations. Over the next three years, from 2024 to 2026, the average budget is expected to remain at CHF 5.5 million.

Communications

Growth through focus: more visibility, more impact

With the strategic realignment in the second half of 2024, we set the course for anchoring our topics more firmly in public debate and boosting engagement among our target audiences. Early successes are already visible: our media presence has increased with 14% more clippings and 9% more guest contributions. In addition, key topics such as retirement planning, taxation, and transportation attracted growing interest.

Our digital channels also experienced strong growth. On LinkedIn, the number of followers increased by 26%, and interactions surged by 133%, a clear sign of increased interest in our content. Although the total number of newsletter subscribers declined slightly, we improved the quality of interactions and engagement: open and click-through rates increased across all newsletter formats. Notably our English Newsletter saw a significant boost, with a click-to-open rate of +8%. Our website also hit a new record with over 950,000 page views.

Our audiovisual formats reached a broader audience, too. In 2024, we deliberately shifted the focus from videos to podcasts. This decision paid off: the number of podcasts plays and downloads increased by 88%, while the number of followers on Apple and Spotify rose by 29%.

As a result, our voice became significantly more prominent in public debate in 2024 — and remains as relevant and visible as ever.

Support Foundation

The Support Foundation is charged with securing the long-term financing of Avenir Suisse through targeted fundraising. In 2024, 10 new donors were acquired, and 47 existing donors renewed their commitment. A total of 132 companies and private individuals contributed to the organization’s funding, ensuring a well-balanced representation across sectors. Members of the Donor Group make either one-time or recurring contributions to support the think tank’s work.