5 minutes from the Federal Palace: how the Romandy economy gained a political voice in Bern

As the umbrella body of six cantonal associations, the Fédération des Entreprises Romandes (FER) represents more than 47'000 companies in French-speaking Switzerland and is the only French-speaking, cross-sector employers' organisation consulted by the Federal Council on legislative projects. To anchor that weight physically in the federal city, FER established its own political representation in Bern in 2024 — with a delegate for federal politics on site. For the necessary infrastructure in the heart of the parliament quarter, Peak opened its own offices at Hotelgasse 10, a five-minute walk from the Federal Palace.

Establishing a Romandy organisation in the German-speaking federal city is more than a question of location: it takes trust across the language border, access to existing networks in politics and administration, and a presence that is taken seriously from day one — not only in physical terms but also in communications, from the official opening to ongoing reporting from the federal parliamentary sessions.

Access also succeeded because Peak founder Yannic Reber grew up bilingual — German and French — an advantage that created trust between the Romandy organisation and the German-speaking location from the outset. Peak not only provided the premises but also supported the communications and orchestration of the official opening, with representatives from politics, associations and business on site. Since then, Peak Studio has accompanied FER continuously through the federal parliamentary sessions: with photography, video and social media coverage, including a produced video statement by Federal Councillor Beat Jans.