The Committee members identify cleantech trends and strategic growth areas and draw up recommendations for CleantechAlps. This instrument gives CleantechAlps cross-sector expertise at the leading edge of innovation and a reliable presence in each canton. Below are the members of the CleantechAlps Committee of Experts.
Jean-Luc Thuliez (BE)
Having originally trained as a plastics processing engineer, Jean-Luc Thuliez became a pioneer in electric vehicle development. He was involved in the Swatch Mobile venture in the 1990s and worked under Nicolas Hayek at The Swatch Group. A serial entrepreneur, he collaborated with Volkswagen and Mercedes before founding several companies: Cree (1998), Domteknika (2003), Softcar (2011) and Aventor (2014).
François Vuille (VD)
With a PhD in astrophysics, François Vuille has worked for more than 10 years in strategic consultancy in Switzerland and abroad. Appointed delegate to the energy transition for the Canton of Vaud in 2023, he was previously Executive Director of the Energy Centre at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). He has authored and co-authored several books and articles and co-founded a number of start-ups, gaining a valuable insight into cleantech finance.
Gilles Garazi (GE)
Originally awarded a degree in geology, Gilles Garazi has been active in the energy sector for more than 15 years. He worked in federal administration and private business before joining the utilities company SIG more than 10 years ago. At SIG he began working on energy efficiency and in 2015 was appointed Director of Energy Transition, joining the senior management team at SIG.
Werner Halter (FR)
Having gained a masters in geology at the University of Lausanne and a PhD at McGill University in Montreal, Werner Halter worked as an Assistant Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ). In 2008 he left academia to take up the position of CEO of Swiss Climate SA, a CO2 emissions and sustainable development consultancy company. In 2013 he founded his own CO2 strategy consultants, Climate Services SA.
Pierre Renaud (NE)
After graduating from ETHZ with a degree in mechanical engineering, in 1985 Pierre Renaud founded the environmentally conscious engineering firm Planair. Previously Head of Energy Issues at Planpartner and then Metron and at the helm of Planair for more than 30 years, Pierre Renaud is now actively involved in a new engineering company that he founded. He is also a member of various executive boards and associations active in the energy sector.
Patrick Houlmann (JU)
An electrical engineer by training, Patrick Houlmann has been administrator and a board member of RWB Group SA since 2010. He has worked mainly in the water sector, building large-scale water purification plants. In 2010, he helped set up the energy department of RWB Groupe SA, which manages numerous energy projects in French-speaking Switzerland. Over the course of his career, he has occupied a variety of positions at companies including BKW, Solo Fours Industriels and Thermic Service. Patrick has taken an active retirement in 2023 and is regularly called upon as an expert thanks to his multidisciplinary and industrial experience.
Edi Blatter (VS)
An engineering graduate of ETHZ/Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects, Edi Blatter was previously Managing Director of the building materials manufacturer Tuileries Fribourg et Lausanne SA. After more than 14 years at the helm of the energy-from-waste company Satom SA, he took early retirement from this post at the end of 2018, remaining active as Chair of the CleantechAlps Committee of Experts.
