Denise Tonella and Claudia Coninx-Kaczynski are joining the UZH Foundation Board, bringing with them proven expertise in the fields of media and culture.
The UZH Foundation Board has elected two new members: Claudia Coninx-Kaczynski and Denise Tonella. Their appointments enhance the Board both in terms of content and personnel.
UZH alumna and lawyer Claudia Coninx-Kaczynski serves on the boards of TX Group, Forbo Holding AG, and the media and communications company Swisscontent AG. As a member of the founding family of TX Group (formerly Tamedia AG), she chaired the family shareholders’ pool from 2017 to 2023.
Claudia Coninx-Kaczynski is also actively involved in several philanthropic organizations. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Orpheum Foundation for the Advancement of Young Soloists and of Zurich Zoo. In addition, she serves on the Board of Trustees of Swisscontact, an organization focused on economic development in emerging and developing countries.
Reflecting on her election, Claudia Coninx-Kaczynski says: “I am honored to be part of the UZH Foundation, which plays a vital role in strengthening Zurich as a research hub and makes an important contribution to promoting excellence in science and innovation.”
Cultural manager, historian, and cultural scientist Denise Tonella has served as Director of the Swiss National Museum since 2021, which also includes responsibility for the National Museum Zurich.
After studying at the University of Basel and the Centro Teatro Attivo in Milan, she co-founded a film production company, launching her career in the audiovisual media sector. She has since lectured on museum and history education at the universities of Zurich, Neuchâtel, and Fribourg. Since 2024, she has also been teaching the “Antropologia culturale” module at SUPSI (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland) in Mendrisio.
Denise Tonella is active on various committees in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Museo d'arte della Svizzera italiana in Lugano and serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of the Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the German Armed Forces in Potsdam and the House of Austrian History in Vienna.
Expressing her appreciation, Denise Tonella says: “It is a great pleasure for me to actively contribute to the University of Zurich.”
Foundation Board President Christian Wenger looks forward to future collaboration — not least because of the strategic board’s diversity and complementary expertise:
“With Denise Tonella and Claudia Coninx-Kaczynski, we have gained two highly committed individuals. Together, we are strengthening the University of Zurich and working with our donors to promote Zurich as a leading research hub.”
