Free as a bird for the next chapter of life

It’s official: at the end of July 2026, IP telephony pioneer Othmar Frey will step down after nearly 15 years as CSO of Baggenstos. At 62, he is heading into retirement, though the passionate beekeeper certainly won’t be idle. Here, he reflects on his 15 years at Baggenstos and the future of the cloud.

Your farewell party, attended by Baggenstos employees and former colleagues from every stage of your career, was clearly a moving experience for you.

Othmar Frey: Yes, everyone who shaped me and my career was there. It started with my colleagues from Siemens, followed by almost the entire Webcall team from the 90s…

…your IP telephony start-up…

…all the way to many former and current Baggi colleagues. They challenged me, and together we achieved so much. I am truly grateful to everyone for the collaboration, the friendships we formed, the crazy projects, and all the 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 offerings were hardware care contracts. Together, we transformed the company into a Microsoft technology boutique and migrated our large customer base to the Microsoft Azure cloud—it was called Bipos back then, then Office 365, and today it’s Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure. Today, the largest share of our business comes from managed services, service and software licenses, and Azure consumption—in other words, recurring revenue. The rest consists of project services for transformation initiatives and major clients who want to leverage our Microsoft expertise.

What attracted you to Baggenstos?

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

Leaving a major company like Swisscom couldn't have been easy, right?

It was a gut decision, and it caused quite a stir because no one understood why I would walk away from the career opportunities at Swisscom. The work was becoming increasingly focused on internal politics, and my customer focus was being pushed into the background. But I did learn how to make money with managed services there—by the minute. When Baggenstos acquired Netcom and brought on my office neighbor, Michael Kistler—who later became CEO—that was it. I was invited to a weekend workshop with Thomas Baggenstos and Michi at Lake Aegeri. Full of energy, we mapped out the future setup for Baggenstos/Netcom. Baggenstos was a family business with substance and a wealth of promising opportunities.

The cloud had fascinated you long before that.

Absolutely. I founded Webcall in 1998, which was later acquired by Swisscom. I was never a fan of running hardware myself. I was always interested in applications and processes that provide real added value to the customer. Server maintenance wasn't one of them.

But making calls with Outlook!

(smiles) Yes, that was the turning point. With Webcall, we eliminated the desk phone by integrating internet telephony into Microsoft Outlook. We implemented e-phone, the product from media-streams 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 first being established in the business world. In every customer presentation with the mandatory live demo, the same question came up: "Can you hear me?" And the answer was usually: "Yes, but..."

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

I do. With that new tile interface. A lot has happened since then. Windows is still the leading desktop platform and is currently evolving further with strong cloud and AI integration.

And now you’re heading into retirement.

(laughs) Yes, the only thing you can truly regulate is early retirement. I say that as someone with a degree in control engineering—computer science didn't even exist as a major back then. At Siemens in Zurich, I wrote software that already incorporated AI, which we used to optimize energy consumption in office buildings.

You’re a true pioneer!

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

You predicted it: the last housing customers were moved out just recently.

Yes. It has been a long and 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 as well, allowing sensitive data to remain on-site at all times.

What was the most important factor in the success of Baggenstos?

The people. It takes trust to move your infrastructure to the cloud. And a competent partner who can closely integrate cloud solutions with business needs. That trust was there from the very beginning. This is largely due to the employees at Baggenstos, who have supported our customers closely for years. I am very grateful for their expertise!

AI can do that too: as a pioneer, what do you say about the new era 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 is changing, 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.

What will change for you after you retire?

I will be free as a bird. Seriously: I will be focusing even more on fascinating bees. For the past two years, I have been on the central board of BienenSchweiz. We advocate for the needs of all bees—wild and honey bees—as well as for well-trained beekeepers and for greater public awareness and knowledge regarding the needs of bees. In my role, I am driving digitalization forward. The association has been in the cloud for a long time. 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?

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

And outside of the beehives?

I will be passing on my expertise through courses and training, and I am also involved as president of the audit committee in my municipality.

What are you looking forward to most?

Being free to decide 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 had.

About the interviewee Othmar Frey

Othmar Frey, 62, is retiring early 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.

‍

Interview: Bruno Habegger

A farewell tour of gratitude featuring memories, conversations, and a special journey‍

‍‍