Dr. Barbara Frei-Spreiter named as the new CEO of RUAG International
Emmen - Dr. Barbara Frei-Spreiter will be overseeing RUAG International and its space division Beyond Gravity in her new role as CEO with effect from April 7, 2026. She is set to succeed André Wall, who is departing of his own volition and will remain with the company until the end of the year to ensure a seamless transition.
The Board of Directors of RUAG International Holding AG, a technology company that operates in the defence industry as well as the aerospace sector, has named Dr. Barbara Frei-Spreiter as the new CEO of RUAG International and Beyond Gravity. She will step into her new role on April 7, 2026. The Swiss national and Zurich resident will succeed André Wall, who last year announced his intention to retire at the end of 2026. Until then, he will work alongside Frei-Spreiter to ensure a “smooth transition”, as detailed in a statement.
Born in 1970, the new CEO studied mechanical engineering, earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and holds an Executive MBA from IMD Lausanne. Her professional career has seen Frei-Spreiter previously work for the energy and automation group ABB as well as the electrical engineering group Schneider Electric, where she most recently served as a member of the Executive Committee and was responsible for the global Industrial Automation division, which generated revenue of 7022 million euros.
Moreover, Frei-Spreiter has amassed board experience, in addition to being well-versed in the fields of governance, compliance and stakeholder management. According to the statement, these are “topics that are central to RUAG International and Beyond Gravity as companies owned by the Swiss Confederation”. Daniel Frutig-Meier, designated Chairman of the Board of Directors of RUAG International, sums up that Frei-Spreiter “brings exactly the qualities we need for the stabilization, transformation, and further development of Beyond Gravity in the challenging space industry environment”.
Beyond Gravity is said to combine an international focus with strong roots in Switzerland, according to comments made by Frei-Spreiter regarding her new employer. “At the same time, the space industry is evolving rapidly – toward greater industrialization, standardization, and speed”, she explains. Frei-Spreiter goes on to state that she will be looking to capitalize on the company’s more than 60 years of experience in the space sector “to further strengthen the company’s financial and operational foundation and to drive the next development steps."
