About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.
TED Events
The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Vancouver, British Columbia. TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self-organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.
About TEDxZurich
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.) TEDxZurich has a focus on topics related to the city of Zurich and its surroundings, but also caters to bring ideas, knowledge and talks about broader topics.
TEDxZurich Event
TEDxZurich is a yearly returning day of wonder, inspiration and awe. We hope to connect you to our knowledge thirsty audience and uncover exhilarating, fascinating and eye-opening topics together. The event is a series of short talks, ranging from approximately five to eighteen minutes in length. In between speakers you will have the opportunity to enjoy performances, eat some eclectic food choices and wander around our creatively inspired event spaces.
Core Team
Carina Arisa Xicola
TEDxZurich Lead
Carina is a finance professional with a deep passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. Her innate curiosity, lifelong learning attitude and desire to unlock new opportunities for growth and sustainability have now led her to TEDxZurich. Carina’s journey in a range of positions within different industries has shaped her into the resourceful, resilient, and empathic person she is today. She is committed to fostering a culture of innovation, progress, and continuous development. Those around her would best describe her as the visionary, understanding person who brings the best in everything and everyone to the surface. At TEDxZurich Carina’s mission is to team up with likeminded and passionate individuals to provide a stage for those whose great ideas have not been heard in our noisy world.
Magda Kern
Speakers Lead
Magda Kern is a public speaking trainer, psychologist, and PCC coach. In 2021 she was chosen as one of the top 11 public-speaking coaches worldwide. The experience of giving many interviews, singing in Cuban musical, and in many jazz concerts gave her the push to start helping people with public speaking. By combining her business, psychological, and stage experience, she supports people in dealing with stress, preparing for their speeches in front of hundreds of people in the audience, and conducting small meetings or presentations. She has been coaching TEDx speakers for already six years. Magda joined TEDxZurich as a coach in 2021, and after a few months, she was nominated as Speakers Team Lead. After working in small enterprises and corporations, she opened her own company. She is an entrepreneur with a passion for learning new skills. Magda is a big fan of tea, swing dances, traveling, and playing the cello.
Uma Muthuraaman
Marketing Lead
Uma is a marketing and communication strategist, writer, and photographer based in Zurich. She is a huge fan of TED events because the platform amplifies important voices who are often overlooked but can be catalysts of social change. She champions brands that foster inclusivity, diversity, and human connection. With an educational background in computer science and an MBA in marketing, she has worked with many well-known brands in India, Singapore, Germany, and Switzerland. Together with her family, Uma has traveled to over 50 countries. She shares her journeys with wit and wisdom on Instagram. She is engaged in many social projects such as leading meditation & breath workshops, homeless animal adoption, and literacy projects in rural India – she calls them heart work because they fill her with an immense sense of purpose.
Doris Dario
Volunteers and Participants Lead
Doris is originally from the ski slopes of South Tyrol in Northern Italy but left her beloved Dolomites early to study, live and work all over the world. Her passion for the real language within its culture and region got her a masters’ degree in translation and interpreting and has her speaking four major European languages fluently. She has a strong background in transcreation and localisation, high cultural sensitivity and large project, account and talent management experience in the exciting world of marketing. Doris is best described as a creative mind with a human approach and a passion for intercultural communication. Her love for travelling and exploring the world through all senses has taken her to over 70 countries and when she isn’t abroad you can find her snowboarding down some Swiss mountain with her kids.
Clemens Merk
Location Lead
Due to his passion and curiosity for his vocation, Clemens decided to leave his home country of Germany many years ago. He went on to enrich his experience in the food and beverage industry in Scotland where he developed a love for peaty whiskey. His journey then took him to the Netherlands, and after that, wanting some sun, he moved to Dubai. Now he is to be found continuing the next chapter of his adventure in Switzerland. If he is not surrounded by his passion, food and beverages, you might find him lost in a puzzle or creating music with the trombone.
Stefanie Hetjens
Production Lead
Steffi’s passion is to bring human emotion and connection to everyone world-wide. Some years ago, she started her own production company for digital experiences, and she creates global events, that stretch over multiple time zones. And now, she spreads ideas with TEDxZurich. Software engineering and entrepreneurship and working for digital agencies is her professional background. Steffi lived in six countries – from the US to Japan – before she settled for good in Zurich. When Steffi needs to disconnect, she takes her bow and does archery.
Viola Klink
Finance Lead
When she’s not at the office you’ll find her in the surrounding nature (walking dogs or swimming) or diving deeper into the topics of health and continuous improvement, as well as philanthropy (i.e. performing supportive activities for the environmental protection, for the general well-being and for the public welfare).
Klára Kult
Salon Lead
Klara moved to Switzerland because of her job, where she is managing clinical research in oncology treatments. She has a very curious and inquisitive personality, broad interests, likes to connect people and share knowledge, that’s how she landed in the TEDxZurich team. TED for her is a perfect combination of the things she is passionate about: ideas, sharing knowledge and bringing people together to initiate positive change. Klara started as a volunteer translating talks, and supporting the Women and the main events, and now she is leading the Salon Team as a permanent member!
Viola Klink
Head of Legal and Finance
When she’s not at the office you’ll find her in the surrounding nature (walking dogs or swimming) or diving deeper into the topics of health and continuous improvement, as well as philanthropy (i.e. performing supportive activities for the environmental protection, for the general well-being and for the public welfare).
Associates
Charlène Guillaume
Group Discussion Facilitator
Miriam Palopoli
Marketing (Design & Animation)
Filippo Santangelo
Marketing (Growth Hacker)
Camila Méndez
Marketing (Visual Design)
Jihyun (Jay) Kim
Marketing (Visual Design)
Plengpai (Pin) Ratnajarn
Marketing (UX/UI Design)
Ralph Schmidhalter
Speakers
Erik Slabber
Speakers
Christina Haupt
Speakers
Charizze Wong
Speakers
Stefania Cattani
Speakers
Divya Shori
Speakers
Ralf Soboczinski
Production
Hugo Schotman
Production
Jacqueline Degen
Production
Marko Panjek
Salon
Sahar El Khoury
Salon
Julia Sharonova
Salon
Dana Steger
Salon
Konstantinos Miachas
Salon
Assia Gueorguieva
Volunteers and Participants
Ming Ming Khov
Partnerships
Board Members
Tim DuehrkoopTEDx License Holder
Martin Steiger
Nina Schneider
Fareena Chaudhry
Florian Bucher
Nicolas Blanchard
Hanna Brahme
Advisors
Urs Bucher
David Nydegger
Chris McCall
About
8000 Zürich
Email: info@tedxzurich.com
TEDxZurich is a non-profit association based in Zurich and recognised as such by the Canton of Zurich. Our association is exempt from direct taxes.
VAT number CHE-376.577.316 MWST