Chairwoman
Susanne Seifert
A native of Salzburg, she studied business administration at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. She started her professional career at IMS Health, a global market research company in the pharmaceutical industry, and then moved directly into the pharmaceutical industry, where she worked for almost 15 years, most recently as sales manager.
Three years after the birth of her twins, she took over the management of the Austrian Franchise Association, whose fortunes she guided for six years as Secretary General, before moving to Germany in 2016 and bringing her expertise to AVATARA Marketing- und Vertriebsberatung GmbH Munich as a senior consultant.
Decentralized organizational structures and franchising in particular have characterized my everyday professional life for more than 10 years and yet have lost none of their fascination. As Managing Director of the Austrian Franchise Association, I have become acquainted with franchising in all its facets and know about the advantages and also the weaknesses of this form of distribution. It is important to me to see a franchise system as a whole unit, without the mental separation into giver and taker.
It is of utmost importance to me to approach all participants, their concerns and interests in an integrative way and to be open to the most diverse forms of business and interests.
For this reason, I did not hesitate for long when I was offered the honorary chairmanship of the BFW. With the BFW, we create a home for all those interested in franchising and will accompany and support the members in their entrepreneurial development.