Interview with Andrea Tranel, CFO Brack.Alltron

Brack.Alltron sought opportunities to refinance expiring financing in the medium term. The focus was on reliable partners, flexibility, useful implementation deadlines, and conditions appropriate to the market and situation. After a broad evaluation of the possible financing options, a solution was developed and implemented using a syndicated loan with various facilities. This ensured financing security well in advance of the end of the existing contracts. IFBC advised Brack.Alltron on this project.

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Andrea Tranel, CFO of Brack.Alltron, provides insights into the current developments and challenges in Swiss online retail as well as the Brack.Alltron Group's recent experiences in the area of corporate financing.

What are the current challenges in Swiss online retail?

The trend from brick-and-mortar to digital commerce in Switzerland is continuing this year. Market revenues are increasingly concentrated on a few large online platforms. This trend will continue in 2026. While growth in digital commerce is continuing overall, it is more pronounced in the non-ICT sector than in the traditional ICT segment. It is also striking that the previously rapid growth of the large international platforms, led by TEMU, is continuing at a high level but is slowing down. In the retail and B2B hardware business, the mandatory Windows 11 update with its higher hardware requirements also provided a boost.

What developments can be expected in the coming years?

Digital commerce will continue to gain in importance in the future, but the dynamics will change. The market position of the large online platforms is likely to consolidate further, but at the same time, international providers are likely to become more firmly established locally – for example, through targeted adaptations to the Swiss market. For international market participants, these developments will be accompanied by additional regulatory requirements.

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After a period of restraint in the consumer electronics segment, an upturn is expected in this area, while growth potential in the non-ICT sector remains above average. In addition, a profound change in digital customer engagement is emerging: online traffic is increasingly shifting from traditional search engines such as Google to AI-based systems such as ChatGPT – a development that is bringing new rules to visibility and brand management in e-commerce.

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"The Brack.Alltron Group was able to convince its financing partners primarily through a robust and diversified business model."

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How did you manage to convince financing partners of the Brack.Alltron Group's business model?

The Brack.Alltron Group was able to convince its financing partners primarily through its robust and diversified business model. With four sales channels and the strong Brack and Alltron brands, the company is excellently positioned in the Swiss market. The wide range of products from its own warehouse in Switzerland, combined with award-winning service, represents the group's performance promise. Modern, highly automated e-commerce logistics with potential for expansion and a stringent growth strategy in the current market environment are further key arguments for the confidence of the financing partners.

How do you assess the current market environment for corporate financing?

The current market environment for corporate financing is challenging. In this case, both the size of the financing and its mortgage collateral played a key role – only a few domestic banks still have the expertise to arrange such financing. For foreign banks, this situation is not a common form of financing in the Swiss market, which limits competition for the lead bank. This makes the strong participation of Swiss cantonal banks all the more gratifying, as it once again demonstrates their central importance as a pillar of the Swiss economy.

What are the key findings from the financing process?

One important conclusion from the financing process is that timing is everything. In the current market environment, the timing for refinancing was not ideal, but thanks to careful preparation and clear prioritization, good solutions were achieved. The long-standing partnerships with the participating banks, on which the company could rely, were particularly decisive. The process impressively demonstrated that even under challenging conditions, good results are possible through professionalism, focus, and a clear vision.

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"As this was not the first joint project, IFBC was deliberately chosen as a partner who knows the market and its players inside out."

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How was IFBC able to support the process structuring, communication, and negotiations?

The collaboration with IFBC proved to be a valuable success factor. As this was not the first joint project, the choice was deliberately made to work with a partner who knows the market and its players inside out. The collaboration with Thomas Vettiger and Claudio Meyer was characterized by a high level of expertise, professionalism, and a partnership-based approach that also conveyed a sense of shared success. Together, we structured the options for action, designed the process, and defined the strategic direction. During the negotiations, IFBC actively supported us in exploring what was feasible and comparing it with benchmarks. In addition, further analyses were prepared that went beyond the pure financing process and thus ensured a holistic view.

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Andrea Tranel has been leading Finance at Brack.Alltron since January 2023. As CFO and Head of Controlling for several national and international companies in various industries in Switzerland and abroad, she has helped shape the further development of these companies. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Meier Tobler Group AG in Schwerzenbach, Zurich. Andrea Tranel studied economics at the University of Hohenheim and completed the Advanced Management Program in General Management at Harvard Business School.