Support for the victims of the Crans-Montana fire

Foundation Board

The Foundation Board is chaired by Doris Leuthard, former President of the Swiss Confederation. Other members are individuals recognised for their expertise and commitment, particularly in the fields of medicine, victim care and personal support.

The members of the Foundation Board are:

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  Professor Mette Berger

  Member of the Foundation Board

  An FMH (Swiss Medical Association) accredited specialist in anaesthesiology and intensive care medicine at the University of Lausanne, Professor Mette Berger was head of the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) Burns Centre until 2020. She is an international expert in clinical nutrition and the management of patients with severe burns and has contributed to several major guidelines within scientific societies such as the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM). Her expertise spans emergency medicine, burns care, nutrition and immunity, and has a direct impact on patients’ recovery.

• 

  Gian Lorenzo Cornado

  Member of the Foundation Board

  Gian Lorenzo Cornado, who represents the families of the Italian victims, served as Italian Ambassador to Switzerland from 2023 until 29 June 2026. He had previously represented his country at the United Nations and international organisations in Geneva from 2018 to 2023. During his career, Mr Cornado served, among other roles, as Chief of Staff to the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italian Ambassador to Canada, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the Italian Embassy in Washington, and Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations in New York.

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  Anne-Carole Dufour

  Member of the Foundation Board

  Anne-Carole Dufour acts as the representative of private donors on the Foundation Board. A qualified nutritionist, she manages both family and professional projects with dedication and a strong sense of responsibility. She uses her communication and organisational skills to assist the Foundation with empathy, dedication and discretion, in order to support its work and the care provided to beneficiaries.

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  Professor Anne-Christine Fornage

  Vice-Chair of the Foundation Board

  Anne-Christine Fornage is a Full Professor in the Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration at the University of Lausanne. She specialises in private law and has held the posts of Deputy Director of the School of Law and Vice-Rector for External Relations and Scientific Communication. She is also Chair of the Swiss Federal Consumer Commission. In addition to her legal expertise, she brings more than 10 years’ experience on foundation boards to the Foundation.

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  General Jacques Hébrard

  Member of the Foundation Board

  General Jacques Hébrard studied at the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Lausanne and represents the families of the French victims. He helped set up the French National Gendarmerie’s forensic science laboratory, of which he was the director. He also set up and headed the Judicial Division of the National Gendarmerie. Since 2018, he has been the national coordinator for assistance to victims and the families of victims of disasters with the Interministerial Delegation for Victim Support.

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  Doris Leuthard

  Chair of the Foundation Board

  A former Swiss Federal Councillor (2006–2018) and former President of the Swiss Confederation (2010 and 2017), Doris Leuthard currently holds several board positions in the energy, infrastructure and services sectors. She is committed to issues relating to the energy transition, sustainability and governance, and sits on various strategic bodies in Switzerland and internationally. Her political and institutional experience is a major asset to the Foundation.

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  Professor François Sarasin

  Member of the Foundation Board

  A Swiss emergency medicine specialist, Professor François Sarasin is an honorary professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Geneva and was Head of the Adult Emergency Department at the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) until 2023. He has trained many generations of doctors and contributed to the development of emergency medicine, the management of major crises – particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic – and the strengthening of multidisciplinary collaboration at HUG.

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  Roberto Taibo

  Member of the Foundation Board

  Roberto Taibo, who represents the families of the Swiss victims, is also head of sales at an international data centre company. He draws on his expertise in management within complex environments to help organise discussions and monitor situations. He is also involved with the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation, and is a former Red Cross volunteer and a retired firefighter.

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  Nicola Thibaudeau

  Member of the Foundation Board

  A mechanical engineer, Nicola Thibaudeau served for more than 20 years as CEO of a Swiss company operating in the field of micro-precision systems, specialising in the design and manufacture of mechanical components and solutions for the watchmaking industry, microtechnology and other cutting-edge sectors. She has served on various boards of directors, particularly in the banking and insurance sectors. She was elected to the executive committee of the municipality of Orsières (Valais) in 2025.

Executive Office

The foundation’s Executive Office is responsible for:

• analysing requests for support
• allocating grants in accordance with the Foundation’s articles of association and regulations
• short, medium and long-term operational management
• monitoring and coordination with all stakeholders

The Executive Office sits at the heart of the organisation and facilitates communication and coordination with families, donors and the authorities to ensure a coherent, compassionate and timely response.

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  Christian Cardon de Lichtbuer

  Director of the Executive Office

  With a 20-year career at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) behind him, Christian Cardon de Lichtbuer has honed his expertise and leadership skills in complex humanitarian crises, from Gaza to Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As a manager of multidisciplinary teams, he has led large-scale humanitarian responses and been responsible for security management in areas of armed conflict. He holds a Master’s degree in journalism and until recently, was the ICRC’s chief spokesperson.