DPD: ‘Where do your strengths lie and what would you say is a weakness?’
Marco: ‘My biggest strength is my highly analytical way of thinking. I am good at keeping track and can identify correlations without forgetting about the overriding objectives. My vice, or my weakness in other words, is that I am not always punctual. Using my full agenda as an excuse doesn’t make this weakness any better😉.’
DPD: ‘What are your hobbies?’
Marco: ‘Football is definitely a hobby of mine. I first played in a club at four years of age and I now coach the next generation of players. Spending time on the football pitch is a great way to unwind and I like to give something back after benefiting from it for years myself. Besides football, I spend lots of time with my family. It does not matter whether it is a board game, outdoors with our dog or travelling to new or familiar places.’
DPD: ‘Has any one situation (business or private) had a particular effect on you?’
Marco: ‘The birth of my children certainly shaped me the most, in a private sense. I was 20 years old when my son came into the world. While my friends were still enjoying long nights, my nights were long in a different sense of the word😉. Besides that wonderful event, I would say that my parents’ values have had a strong impression on me. They taught me values – such as that people and togetherness are the main focus and that family is very important – from the ground up. My everyday life shapes me, I very much like to keep moments in mind and reflect on them regularly. It is often the little things in life that make a difference.’
DPD: ‘What has been your best experience? Something that will put a smile on our faces’
Marco: My best experience so far was when FC Basel won the championship in 2002. It was very emotional for me personally. I was born in Zurich and grew up there, and I love the city, yet my heart has been red and blue since birth. When I was a child, my father started taking me to the matches (I later went with my cousin and colleagues) and we had a season pass for years – we would always pay a brief visit to my grandmother in Basel in the early days. So many emotions, so many defeats and then a night of celebrations on Barfüsserplatz after x years in the Challenge League.’
DPD: ‘Do you have a bucket list? If you do, what is at the top?’
Marco: ‘No, I do not have a bucket list. I do my own thing and remember every moment I experience. I think it is important to live in the moment and be happy, because things too often do not go to plan. That being said, I would like to see Hong Kong, ride a jet ski and take a motor boat test.’
DPD: ‘What makes you go bananas?’
Marco: ‘When it is nice and hot and there is a cold beer at the top of the banana tree😉.’
DPD: ‘What is the most important thing in life to you?’
Marco: ‘To climb to the top of the banana tree and drink the cold beer. Jokes aside, my family and my environment are what matter most to me in life. Nothing beats spending time together with friends and family – most of the time, it doesn’t even matter where you do it. It is often said that health is important in life, although it is largely undervalued, especially when everything is going well for you and everything around you.’
