«The real action is with our customers»

Text: Bruno Habegger

Renato ‘Renny’ Petrillo is taking the helm at Baggenstos. At 41, he brings leadership experience from the IT industry: he played a key role in building UMB and, as Head of Customer Services, led a 300-strong team. 

Renny, you also coach junior football. Is Baggenstos your new team?

(laughs) Yes — being a CEO is also about developing talent, team dynamics, motivation, leadership, strategy and tactics, and handling pressure — and at the end of the day only one thing counts: scoring goals, success. Our core market is SMEs, and that’s where we intend to win. To do that you need a vision, strong leadership and a shared objective. My first task is to inspire the team so we make progress together.

Renato Petrillo lives with his family in the Zurich Oberland region and loves sport and exercise — “I spend almost every spare minute on it.” Physical activity helps him switch off, whether badminton, climbing, football or fitness. As CEO, he’s not here to merely steward a 100-year legacy; he wants to position Baggenstos for the next 100 years from a position of strength in a demanding market.

What challenges do you see in the short term and in the medium to long term?

A major challenge is finding good people — the war for talent will stay with us for years. Medium and long term, we must prioritise the right services and technologies and react quickly to market change. We also need to stay focused. Our goal is to offer our customers innovative, scalable and high-quality solutions to their challenges so they can focus on their core business.

What is your vision for Baggenstos?

My vision is to become the leading IT partner for Swiss SMEs. We specialise in Microsoft cloud services. That enables our customers to realise their full digital potential within a familiar software environment. And we reduce IT complexity — so customers can concentrate on their core business. I see significant potential in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and managed services. And of course we intend to strengthen and expand our existing capabilities in cloud platforms, modern work and consulting.

Renato Petrillo represents a modern type of CEO — communicative and agile. In his view, the idea of management behind closed doors is outdated; instead, he is available and responsive across channels — for colleagues, customers and partners. He’s there when you need him. He doesn’t want his leadership style put in a box; it adapts to the situation.

What attracted you to Baggenstos? You’re coming from a large company you helped shape.

At my previous employer we were nearly 900 colleagues — what appealed to me most was returning to an IT service provider in the SME environment. I’m impressed by the know-how and capabilities at Baggenstos. And I admire how Baggenstos has held its own over the past 100 years. I’m excited to help set the course for the next 100.

To do that, Baggenstos must build on its strengths and add to them — in a market shaped by political scepticism about Big Tech and by the question of whether the cloud creates lock-in. My view is clear: SMEs achieve the agility they need in challenging markets only with a cloud — sometimes complemented by local installations — and with a partner who supports them closely through rapid change.

Incoming CEO Renato ‘Renny’ Petrillo (left) with predecessor Michael Kistler.

Do we even need to take these debates seriously?

Of course — but the economic reality is clear: SMEs need IT infrastructure at predictable prices. Treating IT as a commodity frees up capacity for better customer relationships and innovation. That’s why the cloud will continue to set the pace, and Microsoft technology remains the standard — especially as Microsoft is doing a great deal to address current needs for better processes, stronger privacy and tighter security.

Why will Baggenstos still exist in 100 years?

Because over the last 100 years we’ve transformed ourselves from a typewriter repair shop into one of the leading cloud service providers. Constant change is in our DNA. That will continue to drive us to embrace new technologies and trends that simplify our customers’ working lives and help them meet market demands. We also place great value on our relationships and partnerships with customers; they notice and appreciate that. Their day-to-day challenges are our most valuable source of insight — they help us stay on the ball.

A hefty dose of humour is part of Renny Petrillo’s CEO toolkit — he enjoys poking fun at himself, but turns serious when it’s about customers. They are at the centre of his actions every minute, true to his maxim that twenty minutes doing beats twenty hours debating. Consequently, he dislikes meetings without an agenda and a clear goal.

Good thing you have Microsoft 365 Copilot now — it takes care of agendas and minutes for you.

Yes, sure. My answers to this interview also came from AI (laughs). Seriously: many people still haven’t grasped the opportunities AI offers. I’m convinced we’re underestimating its impact on us and our work today. That’s why I’m already trying to use AI in my daily routine — to make my job easier and to advise customers better.