When asked to describe himself in a word or two, Kis is quick to respond: “I’m a generalist,” he says. Meaning, he elaborates, that he has a very broad professional background. Although his professional beginnings may look rather traditional — a Master’s degree in business administration from HSG St. Gallen and a subsequent career start in international management consulting — Kis says he actually does not boast a cookie-cutter résumé. “Maybe because I’m also an optimist, I don’t shy away from challenges and like to try out different things,” he says.
Accordingly, Kis has dipped his toes in a variety of professional fields. While he has extensive experience in supply chain — covering everything from planning and purchasing to production and logistics — he has also branched out into marketing, sales, business development, and process management. He has worked for large international corporations, small to medium sized businesses as well as startups. Also, Kis has tried on different roles over the course of his career, from project to line manager. When CEO Christof Gerber, a former classmate of his, approached him about a potential opportunity at Bonebridge, he didn’t hesitate. “With all these varied experiences under my belt, I have come to realize that I really thrive in environments where I get to build and improve, and where things are constantly changing,” Kis says, describing one of the reasons why he enjoys working at Bonebridge.
Another reason are his colleagues and the great atmosphere at work, Kis insists. His teammates will agree that Kis himself is a major contributing factor to the motivating work environment at our Swiss office. Because of his great sense of humor, for one, and because of his palpable and contagious enthusiasm for Bonebridge. To get a quick grasp on human anatomy and our products, for example, Kis has equipped the office at his home with a full-size model of a human skeleton. In true Kis fashion, the skeleton has a name (Wolfgang, after one of his former bosses) and has served as a prop in Kis’s selfies on more than one occasion.
As our Head of Supply Chain, Kis enjoys being in charge of the whole process involving Bonebridge products — from the procurement of raw materials to the successful application of the implants in patients. “I love being in charge of projects, in general — defining a clear endpoint and the steps required to reach it.” It is a love that also extends to his personal life: “I actually set yearly goals for myself. In 2023, for example, my project was the ‘Rigimarsch’, a fifty-kilometer hike through the night to the top of the Rigi mountain — uphill, covering an elevation of 1500 meters.” In previous years, his projects involved several half-marathons, and for 2025 he plans to participate in the Engadin ski marathon. Another ongoing project is his family’s garden at their home in Oberlunkhofen, a small village in the canton of Aargau. It is more of a low-level project, Kis claims — a constant work in progress and nowhere near perfect, but he enjoys making small improvements. As a former military cook, he is also keen to try out new recipes in the kitchen, often without a recipe and preparing meals for large groups of guests. “It’s a good combination of activities, really,” Kis says. “I love being outside and moving around to unwind, and at the same time I get to burn some of the calories I like to eat and drink.”
The most important project in Kis’s life, however, is his family — quite literally. In the speech he held at his own wedding, he told his wife: Bettina, you’re the best project I’ve ever had!” Together they have a son and a daughter: Jonas, who is eleven, and Annabel, who is nine. The fact that their children have names of Swedish origin is no coincidence: Before Jonas and Annabel were born, Kis and his wife actually lived in Stockholm, Sweden for two years. Kis says he really enjoyed the landscapes, the open spaces and the cool colors of Scandinavia, as well as the reserved but friendly people. To this day, he is particularly fond of Nordic design and the local culinary delicacies, and the family still travels to Sweden at least once a year. “I got to travel extensively back when I was younger,” Kis says. “And the love for working in an international environment and for traveling has definitely stayed with me.” Most recently, he spent a few weeks exploring Japan. So what is still on his list in terms of places he would like to see? “Definitely a multi stop trip around the world!” he says without hesitation.