When you step into the company’s headquarters on Zurich’s Mythenquai, you immediately sense: this place is about more than numbers. Light-filled offices, open architecture and over a hundred pieces of contemporary art. Works by Olafur Eliasson, Fischli/Weiss, Leonor Antunes, or Sol LeWitt are as much part of the building’s visual identity as its global outlook.
Opened in 2017, the headquarters is more than just an office building. It embodies the conviction of Swiss Re that art and business can enrich one another – through inspiration, shifts in perspective, and dialogue. With over 15,000 employees world-wide, Swiss Re ranks among the world’s leading reinsurance providers. It supports clients in managing risks – from natural catastrophes to cyber threats and geopolitical uncertainty.
What sets Swiss Re apart is the intersection of scientific analysis, technological innovation, and a deep commitment to societal impact. That same ethos extends into its approach to nurturing emerging talent.
Graduate Programme Excellence
At the heart of Swiss Re’s talent strategy is its international Graduate Programme, led by Sandrine Strickler. Since 2018, she’s shaped the programme with a clear philosophy: “It’s not just about filling roles. It’s about building relationships.”
The 18-month programme, recently named a Top Company for Graduates to Work For (2025/26) by TheJobCrowd, includes rotations across teams, international experience, and focused training in both technical and soft skills. With shining eyes, Strickler says:
“We see how our graduates grow, take on responsibility – and stay with joy and purpose.”
Swiss Re doesn’t look for standard résumés. It seeks curious, communicative personalities, regardless of whether their background is in finance, data science, natural sciences, or tech. What matters is a willingness to learn, grow, and take ownership. In this context, Strickler explains: “Some students have no clear idea what the transition from university to corporate life looks like. We support them – with honest feedback and an open ear.”
Practice-Oriented Theses: Selective, but Valuable
While internships are more common, Swiss Re also supports thesis projects – when the topic, timing, and team are a good fit. One example involved a biochemistry student who investigated sustainable battery usage. The project led to an internal paper with actionable insights. For Strickler, this is the benchmark: “A thesis shouldn’t gather dust in a drawer. It should create value for both the company and the student.”
The key, she says, is mutual commitment: meaningful supervision takes time, and students should bring both relevance and curiosity. Platforms like Studyond can help match the right students with the right projects – and scale those collaborations more effectively.
From Lunch Break to Strategy Team
A real-life example of how entry into Swiss Re can unfold is the story of Dominik Schläfli. A casual Lunch & Meet event introduced him to Swiss Re. He applied to the Graduate Programme – and now works in the company’s Strategy Division.
His own Master’s thesis, written in cooperation with a company, analyzed contactless credit card payments. The dataset was exclusive, the insights practical. Schläfli recalls positively: “With a good dataset, the thesis becomes half as hard. What matters most is that the topic is relevant to both sides.”
Schläfli believes thesis collaborations hold great potential: “A project that would never happen otherwise can spark new insights through a student’s thesis.”
For that to work, he says, three ingredients are essential: Structure, genuine interest, and a three-way partnership between university, company, and student. Schläfli summarizes: “The university brings the methodology, the company brings the business case – and together, they create real innovation.”
Outlook: Swiss Re and Studyond
Swiss Re demonstrates how talent development can thrive in reinsurance – through structure, openness, and genuine relationships. Both Sandrine Strickler and Dominik Schläfli emphasize: the academic-to-professional transition is more than a formality. It’s a critical turning point.
And thesis work? It’s an underrated format for innovation, knowledge transfer, and talent engagement. When done right, it brings together three perspectives: students, companies, and universities. As Strickler sums up:
“I think Studyond is a fantastic platform. It can become the go-to place where meaningful thesis work happens – with value for everyone involved.”