Free as a bird for the next chapter of life

The end of July 2026 marks the finish line: IP telephony pioneer Othmar Frey has shaped Baggenstos for nearly 15 years as CSO. Now, at 62, he is retiring. However, the passionate beekeeper won't be idle. Here is his look back at 15 years at Baggenstos and his thoughts on the future of the cloud.

Your farewell party with Baggenstos employees and former colleagues from all your previous workplaces was very moving for you.

Othmar Frey: Yes, everyone who has shaped me and my career in the professional world was there. Starting with my colleagues at Siemens and later almost the entire Webcall team from the 90s...

...your IP telephony start-up...

...right up to many former and current Baggi colleagues. They challenged me, and together we achieved many successes. I thank them all from the bottom of my heart for the collaboration, the friendships that were formed, the crazy projects, and the many stories and experiences we shared.

You joined Baggenstos in 2012 – what was the company like back then?

When I started, Baggenstos was focused on one-off hardware and software sales, installing server infrastructure and client management—everything was on-premise. Our only service was hardware care contracts. Together, we rebuilt the company into a Microsoft technology boutique and transformed our large customer base to the Microsoft Azure cloud—it was called Bipos at first, then Office 365, and today it's Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure. Today, the largest volume comes from managed services, service and software licenses, and Azure consumption—in other words, recurring revenue. The other part consists of project services for transformation projects and major clients who want to benefit from our Microsoft expertise.

What attracted you to Baggenstos?

The opportunity to shape the realignment into a managed service provider and the consistent focus on Microsoft technologies, solutions, and services.

Leaving the major Swisscom organization couldn't have been easy, right?

My gut feeling was conflicted because no one understood why I didn't want to pursue the career opportunities at Swisscom. It was becoming increasingly about internal issues, and my focus on the customer was being pushed into the background. But I learned there how to make money with managed services—by the minute. When Baggenstos acquired Netcom and took on my office neighbor Michael Kistler, who later became CEO, that was it: I was invited to a weekend workshop by Thomas Baggenstos and Michi at Lake Aegeri. Full of energy, we forged the new setup for the future of Baggenstos/Netcom. Baggenstos—a family business with substance and many promising opportunities.

You’ve been fascinated by the cloud for a long time.

Sure, I founded Webcall in 1998, which was later acquired by Swisscom. I was never a fan of running hardware myself. I’ve always been interested only in applications and processes that offer real added value to customers. Server maintenance wasn't one of them.

But making calls with Outlook!

(smiles) Yes, that was the turning point. With Webcall, we got rid of the desk phone by integrating internet telephony into Microsoft Outlook. We implemented e-phone, the media-streams product at the time, for our customers. That made me a Microsoft fan. The early days of internet telephony weren't easy, though. Back then, many people thought VoIP or internet telephony was impossible or just a gimmick. It was the era when the internet was becoming established in the business environment. In every customer presentation with the mandatory live demo, the same question came up: "Can you hear me?" And usually the answer was: "Yes, but...".

When you moved to Baggenstos, Windows 8 was just hitting the market. Do you remember?

That’s right. With the new tile interface. A lot has happened since then. Windows is still the leading desktop and is currently evolving again with strong cloud and AI integration.

Now you’re heading into retirement.

(laughs) Yes, the only thing you can really control is early retirement. I say that with my electrical engineering degree in control systems—computer science didn't exist back then. At Siemens in Zurich, I wrote software that already contained AI and which we used to optimize energy consumption in office buildings.

You’re a pioneer!

(laughs). Well, it was obvious. Cloud, IP telephony, no more hardware. More business for the customers instead of IT operations. At Baggenstos, we were also one of the first companies to commit to Microsoft’s cloud technology.

You foresaw it: the last housing customers were cleared out just recently.

Yes. It was a long, successful journey.

Now there seems to be a backlash!

No, the advantages of the cloud are too strong: no more on-site infrastructure, predictable costs, and cybersecurity that you could never afford on your own. But yes, there are discussions about dependencies. With Azure Local, Microsoft has a solution for this, too. It keeps sensitive data on-site at all times.

What was the most important factor in Baggenstos’ success?

The people. It takes trust to move your infrastructure to the cloud. And a competent partner who can closely integrate cloud solutions and business. That trust was there from the beginning. That is largely to the credit of the Baggenstos employees who have worked closely with customers for years. I am grateful for that expertise!

AI can do that too: as a pioneer, what do you say about the new age of agents?

We will enjoy the benefits of Copilot agents taking routine tasks off our hands. That makes us better at interacting with our customers. It strengthens the connection and the trust—which will remain essential for great business in the future. But yes, everything changes, nothing stands still. I believe we will always need people at the center.

Should people still study computer science today?

Absolutely. But the future lies primarily in business informatics with a focus on business process management and AI. You need a deep understanding of business processes, data models, and how these can be simplified or automated with IT support. The technology itself is no longer a barrier.

How will things change for you after you retire?

I’ll be free as a bird. Seriously, I’ll be focusing even more on my fascination with bees. For the past two years, I’ve been on the central board of BienenSchweiz, where we advocate for all bees—both wild and honeybees—as well as for well-trained beekeepers and greater public awareness and knowledge regarding bee-related issues. In my role, I’m driving digitalization forward. The association has been in the cloud for a long time now. We are currently updating our association software and ERP, and we are also further developing our use of AI.

How are the bees in Switzerland doing?

"Doing well" would be an exaggeration. Environmental conditions, the increase in parasites, and the loss of habitats and food sources are all taking a toll on bees. Climate change also presents us with significant challenges. In this environment, a great deal of research and training is required. That’s why I’m looking forward to my new role on the board of the apiservice competence center, which focuses on bee health and related research projects.

And outside of the beehives?

I’ll be passing on my expertise through courses and training, and I’m also involved as president of the audit committee in my local municipality.

What are you looking forward to most?

Being free to decide for myself what I do—and leaving behind the things that are dictated by others. After a long transition period, I will be handing over my "old" role to Ivo Gonzenbach at the end of July. I wish him the same joy and sense of achievement that I have experienced.

About the interviewee, Othmar Frey

Othmar Frey, 62, is taking early retirement to dedicate himself to his passion projects, which include bee health and public service. As Chief Sales Officer (CSO) from 2012 onwards, he was responsible for sales, sales support, and later, marketing. He holds a degree in electrical engineering with a focus on control engineering, which he supplemented with business administration studies.

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Interview: Bruno Habegger‍