Ever since we started, our core ethos has remained the same: to foster dialogue between generations, explains Muriel F., founder of Ma Table & Co

Muriel F., founder of the company specializing in networking and the orchestration of external relationships under the brand Ma Table & Co, as well as its intergenerational ecosystem and its program “Mastermindset in Switzerland.” On 27 March, the first Swiss plenary meeting of Mastermindset 2026, organised by Ma Table & Co, took place at the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne. Behind this event is not merely an organizer, but, above all, a truly remarkable individual. Muriel does not build business projects in the usual sense of the term. She creates living ecosystems: spaces where people meet, reveal themselves, and forge genuine connections. From the very first moments of conversation, one senses her unique energy: extraordinarily positive, subtle, and warm. She addresses her conversation partner with a gentle “cher…” or “chère…”, and this is not a formality, but a sincere and respectful gesture. She embodies a rare politeness, natural elegance, and a profound beauty that comes from within. Her journey is a blend of cultures, experiences, and transformation. Born in South Korea and raised in a Franco-Belgian-Swiss family, she describes herself as a “citizen of the sky.” For over twenty years, she has lived in the canton of Vaud, developing a unique approach to community building through the power of connection and trust. But behind this professional path lies a deeply personal story: the experience of overcoming illness, which became a turning point, opening the way to a new phase of life where art, particularly painting, plays an increasingly important role. This interview is not merely about a career. We are speaking with a woman for whom relationships are not a tool, but a calling. It is a conversation about journey, resilience, inner transformation, and the strength that emerges when people truly connect. Interview: Irina Rybalchenko Photo credits: Petar Mitrovic, Marko Stevic Video credits: Samuel Gérard, Florias Gallay, Adrien Gremaud Raphaël Hubin, CEO at LVMG SA, Swiss investment company How often do you organise events? It varies from year to year. In 2025, we organised six plenary sessions, as well as two events with partners and clients, in addition to a few private circles. In 2026, the format is changing, with around twenty private circles and three public plenary sessions. On average, this amounts to roughly one small-group meeting per month and one plenary session every two months. In 2026, however, the plenary sessions will be more spread out, with an average frequency of about one every four months. How does public interest change from one event to the next? It has been steadily increasing since 2011. On average, we have at least sixty people (depending on the venue’s capacity), but in recent months we have tended to have between 100 and 150 participants. On 29 October, we could even reach between 150 and 200 people in the room. Who can attend the events? Are there any conditions or criteria for participation? The events are primarily open to CEOs, entrepreneurs, executives, directors, as well as investors and freelancers. They are also aimed at managers undergoing a career transition. Since our inception in 2008, our core ethos has remained the same: to foster dialogue between generations by bringing together both junior and senior professionals. This concept is not limited to age, but is based primarily on authority and mastery of skills. For example, a 25-year-old may be considered a senior professional in the use of certain tools, particularly in artificial intelligence. Rainer Maria Morita, Hidden Job Market Expert, AI Leadership, Director @ Top Executive Career Transition Support Services Who is the main target audience for your plenary sessions: entrepreneurs, experts, investors, institutional representatives, or start-ups? Our plenary sessions are primarily aimed at SMEs, start-ups, scale-ups, as well as certain institutional stakeholders. Large corporations are also welcome, to ensure we remain in tune with the economic fabric of French-speaking Switzerland, which is predominantly made up of SMEs. The self-employed also form part of our audience. Finally, we regularly welcome representatives from foreign companies, such as participants who recently attended from Paris. What criteria do you use to select speakers? We base our selection on the relevance of the topic being discussed, to bring together perspectives from the field, as well as on the speakers’ areas of expertise, depending on their skills and the socio-economic sectors they represent. Bruno Ciroussel, CEO of Aitek Sovereign Cloud, Andorra What is most important to you when choosing a speaker: expertise, practical experience, or the ability to inspire the audience? What matters is their hands-on experience and, indeed, their ability to inspire and positively influence the audience. Which topics are currently generating the most interest among your audience? It seems to me that, since 2022, the topics that have been most successful in terms of registration numbers are Switzerland’s appeal, as well as subjects related to governance, entrepreneurship, and business leadership. Resilience also plays a significant role, as do topics addressing philanthropy and humanitarian aid. How do you strike a balance between expert content and real practical value for participants? By asking speakers to share their first-hand experiences, preferably those most rooted in their daily practice, for example by presenting some of their case studies without slides, so as not to focus on words and diagrams, but rather on the content conveyed directly by the speakers. Irina Rybalchenko, Director of ALL PYRENEES, a multilingual media platform, and General Director of El Periòdic, Andorra Speaking of the March plenary session, what topics were at the heart of the discussions? Societal and economic resilience – both of a personal nature and with an impact on professional life – as well as practical tools for coping with the current economic reality. Were there any ideas or case studies presented in March that particularly struck a chord with the audience? Based on the feedback I’ve received, the use of personal and professional experience – whether through testimonials or the sharing of insights – does indeed resonate with the audience, as it allows participants to relate more easily and draw connections between the presentation and their own professional lives. Would you say that the March event reflected the sector’s current issues and challenges? Partly yes, but the topic is very broad and would merit another plenary session dedicated specifically to it. Elliot Vaucher, Co-founder of Ogram, AI-native strategic intelligence, Lausanne, Switzerland What usually happens after the conference? How do participants continue to engage with one another? Firstly, participants have the opportunity to share and exchange ideas freely during the event itself. For some of our partners and clients, introductions are arranged beforehand or after the event to foster further engagement and potential synergies. Are there any concrete examples where presentations or meetings on your platform have led to collaborations? Yes, absolutely. Recently, two of our contacts were able to collaborate with a private institution and have become clients. This type of example occurs regularly throughout the year. For our company, 85% of our 2025 turnover was actually generated within just two months, even though I was off work for medical reasons for five months, from mid-September 2025 until the end of January 2026. Could you share a few stories where an interaction or meeting led to a joint project, a partnership or a business idea? Line Pillet, Director of the Institute of Entrepreneurship & Management at HES-SO Valais-Wallis, Lausanne, Switzerland Yes. Executives and entrepreneurs have found opportunities with assignments and clients, and conversely, experts and talent have also been connected with them. Some of our contacts have turned to the companies present here for support, whether in occupational pensions or for services such as marketing strategy, photography, film production, client acquisition, M&A, or consultancy. Executives in career transition have found work and assignments. In terms of the ‘knowledge market’, a wealth of informative insights circulates, enriching the Mastermindset ecosystem in Switzerland, its partners, and the new contacts joining this virtuous cycle of relationships each week. What topics would you like to explore in future editions or conferences? This will depend on how our world evolves and on certain client requests. By way of example, among the topics covered this year within our small or private circles, here are the various verticals explored: wealth management & family offices, longevity, health and wellbeing, start-up & scale-up financing, influencers, MarCom & branding, M&A, new technologies & AI, security systems, art, strategy, communication & crisis management, patronage & philanthropy, as well as ecosystems & community. Pascal Eichenberger, CEO and founder of aisance.ai, Lausanne, Switzerland In your view, how do you think the format of professional events will evolve in the coming years? They will become more immersive and experiential, while remaining hybrid – combining remote and in-person elements – and spanning public, private, and even exclusive formats. Is your aim to expand your audience or enter new professional or international markets? Yes, the aim is to continue building bridges between nations and Switzerland. Marcos Esteve, Private Banking, Geneva, Switzerland Given the sensitivity of this subject, would you be willing to share whether the health challenges you have experienced have influenced the editorial direction of your events, including their tone or the themes you choose to address? I have always been driven by a desire to share and connect with others. I was abandoned by my birth mother in South Korea when I was just two days old, and I then spent six months in foster care before being adopted by my parents in Belgium. The various health challenges I have faced have further reinforced my commitment to bringing people together and offering encouragement through these gatherings: endometriosis in 2008, followed by a double breast cancer diagnosis in 2018 and 2019, as well as two surgeries in 2024, including a double mastectomy, and, more recently, metastatic bone cancer diagnosed in late September 2025. For example, the “Hymn to Life” event on 31 October 2025 was not business-oriented, but was instead designed to inspire and offer hope through personal testimonies and stories of resilience, including perspectives on environmental and sporting challenges. Anton W. Sussland, Founder of the Sussland Group of Companies, Switzerland Without delving into personal matters beyond what you wish to share, in what ways has your faith provided support during these trying times, and subsequently in the pursuit of your projects? As I describe in part in my book L’écriture – @ma Table & Co and in the artistic statement Peintures – @ma Table & Co, my faith in God has sustained and guided me day after day, helping me rise above whatever trials I have faced throughout my life. Now, as I approach 51, this remains very much the case. Would you say that your faith and spiritual practice bring a particular value to your work today, in the way you listen, bring people together, mediate, and give meaning to the gatherings you organise? Certainly. Intrinsically, my inner life is fundamental, including in its expression and in both my personal and professional vocation. However, I do not wish to advocate on behalf of any institution or movement, insofar as, in working within the secular sphere, I only support certain individuals on a voluntary basis if they so wish. I do not, however, work for any religious organisation.     Michelle Cailler, Founder of Thémisia Gioia, Head of CDE Vaud (specialising in law), Geneva, Switzerland Ma vie intérieure me concerne, et je suis simplement heureuse si des personnes peuvent être inspirées et encouragées à trouver plus de paix dans nos contacts, dans leur propre vie, en lisant ou en visionnant mes témoignages personnels. The post Ever since we started, our core ethos has remained the same: to foster dialogue between generations, explains Muriel F., founder of Ma Table & Co first appeared on All PYRENEES.