Portrait

The Liechtenstein Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) was founded in 1947 and is a private association with voluntary membership based in Vaduz. As a business association, it represents the interests of its approximately 40 Liechtenstein member companies. Since its establishment, the LCCI has been committed to maintaining a thriving economy and social harmony in Liechtenstein.

Members

The membership of the LCCI includes major industrial companies in Liechtenstein, the three major banks, and several service companies. The LCCI member companies employ over 12,000 people in Liechtenstein and approximately 60,000 employees in their foreign subsidiaries located in around 70 countries worldwide. Many of the industrial member companies occupy premium and niche segments and have an international focus due to their technological leadership and specialization. Some of them are global leaders in their respective industries. The member banks operate internationally in private banking and asset management, while also engaging in commercial business at the regional level. The service member companies operate in various sectors.

Tasks

The LCCI actively contributes to the development and maintenance of attractive framework conditions and the sustainable preservation of Liechtenstein’s competitiveness as a business location. It collaborates in identifying and developing new opportunities and possibilities for the economic environment.

Furthermore, LCCI takes on the task of…

• safeguarding and representing the interests of its member companies,
• promoting a healthy national economy,
• addressing and regulating matters concerning the relationship between employers, employees, and apprentices in a consistent manner,
• promoting export trade.

History and background of LCCI

In 1946, a group of individuals interested in founding an industrial chamber came together. They worked on drafting statutes and the necessary legislative proposal for the formal establishment, as there was still a mandatory membership requirement in the trade association at that time. In July 1946, the statutes were adopted, and in the following December, the parliament (Landtag) passed the law concerning the establishment of an industrial chamber, which came into effect in February 1947.

At the end of January 1947, the inaugural general assembly of the Liechtenstein Chamber of Industry took place, during which the board of directors was elected. Gustav Ospelt (Gustav Ospelt Apparatebau, Vaduz – now Hoval Aktiengesellschaft), Jakob Wild (Jenny, Spoerry & Cie., Vaduz), Jakob Sulser (Press- & Stanzwerk AG, Eschen – now thyssenkrupp Presta AG), and Eugen Schädler (Gebr. Schädler, Nendeln – now Keramik Werkstatt Schaedler AG) were elected to the board. In 1980, the name was changed to Liechtenstein Chamber of Commerce and Industry, abbreviated as LCCI.

The LCCI values continuity and, in its first 70 years, had only five presidents, resulting in an average term of 14 years. From its founding until 1968, Gustav Ospelt from Heizapparatebau Ospelt Vaduz (now Hoval Aktiengesellschaft) served as the president of LCCI. Toni Hilti, representing Scana Konservenfabrik (now Hilcona AG), then assumed the position until 1989. Afterwards, the presidency was passed to Hoval Aktiengesellschaft. Peter Frick, an honorary member today, held the position for twelve years. In May 2001, Michael Hilti from Hilti Aktiengesellschaft assumed the presidency, and since May 2007, Klaus Risch, also from Hilti Aktiengesellschaft, has been in office.

Previous presidents of LCCI since 1947