Privacy policy

1. Introduction

Witena AG (“Witena”, “Witena Executive Search”) is the leading owner-managed and internationally operating Swiss executive search boutique for board of directors and executive committess.

Witena considers privacy an important element that constitutes the foundation of building trust with its clients and candidates. We respect the privacy and confidentiality of the personal information provided to us in the context of our leadership advisory assignments, and we will do everything in our power to guarantee its protection and to act within the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the revised Swiss Data Protection Act “revDSG” to ensure their protection.

2. Data collection

Witena collects a variety of personal data necessary to provide services to its clients. The information we collect may derive from direct requests to individuals, from publicly available or third-party sources.

Typically, the categories of information we gather include: record/CV and contact information, career history, educational history, and professional experience, including interview notes or comments from third parties. Witena has the following principles governing the collection of personal and confidential information:

  • by submitting a record or any other information to Witena, the person indicates his willingness to share and have his information transferred to be considered for suitable and confidential search assignments. We will store and retain personal information in the company-owned database for present or future consideration.
  • Witena strives to establish a trustful and long-term relationship with business leaders in order to be able to consider and advise them with regard to future career options. However, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that you can revoke your consent to the data storage at any time and to demand the deletion of the data.
  • Witena is the sole owner of the personal data and uses them only for consulting purposes within the legally permissible or necessary scope.

Witena makes every effort to ensure that any information held is accurate and kept as up to date as possible.

To manage the cookies and similar technologies used (tracking pixels, web beacons, etc.) and related consents, we use the consent tool “Real Cookie Banner”. Details on how “Real Cookie Banner” works can be found at https://devowl.io/rcb/data-processing/.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data in this context are Art. 6 (1) lit. c GDPR and Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. Our legitimate interest is the management of the cookies and similar technologies used and the related consents.

The provision of personal data is neither contractually required nor necessary for the conclusion of a contract. You are not obliged to provide the personal data. If you do not provide the personal data, we will not be able to manage your consents.

3. Data release

We disclose personal information to parties outside Witena only under the following circumstances:

  • we disclose personal information to clients who engage us to recruit an individual or mandate us to identify individuals with a similar background to a required search profile. In the context of specific international executive search assignments, we may disclose selected records to the preferred collaborators of our international network and their clients.
  • in exceptional circumstances only it may be necessary for us to disclose personal information if we believe, in good faith, that disclosure is otherwise necessary or advisable to protect Witena Executive Search’s interests. If so, we will seek to ensure that we disclose only the information required.
4. Information security

Witena maintains reasonable technical and appropriate security measures to protect against unauthorised access to or unauthorized alteration, disclosure or destruction of data.

5. Your rights

You have the right to request access to your own personal information. Additionally, you have the right to request from us:

  • that any inaccurate information we hold about you is corrected
  • hat information about you will not be used or deleted in certain situations
  • that we stop using your personal information for certain purposes
  • that decisions about you are not made by wholly automated means

Many of the rights listed above are limited to certain defined circumstances and we may not always be able to comply with your request. We will tell you if this is the case.

You also have the right to ask us not to process your personal data for newsletters and other firm news of Witena.

You can exercise your right to prevent us using your information in this way by contacting us at info@witena.com.

If you choose to make a request to exercise any of these rights, we will aim to respond to you as soon as we reasonably can, but no later than one month. We will not charge a fee for dealing with any reasonable request. If you have any concerns about how we are using your personal information or have processed an inquiry, please contact info@witena.com and we will try to resolve your request.

6. Changes to this policy

Witena reserves the right to update this privacy policy from time to time.

Witena AG, Version 2.0 (July 2023)

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