15.07.2026 · Business Insights
The real game-changer is yet to come
Philipp Schoch discusses growth, automation, customer focus, and opportunities in the Swiss real estate market.
The interview was conducted by Patrick Gunti and was originally published on July 6, 2026, on the finance and business portal Moneycab .
Moneycab.com: Mr. Schoch, you’ve been CEO of Wincasa for a year, but you’ve been with the company for about 16 years. Has your perspective on the challenges of real estate management changed as a result of your role as CEO?
Yes, definitely. My perspective has noticeably changed with the CEO role. For many years, I was very close to the day-to-day operations and the specific challenges of everyday work: processes, quality, customer satisfaction, and efficiency. This proximity helps me today to understand the reality within the organization particularly well. In the CEO role, the focus shifts more toward overarching issues. This includes strategic direction: How will property management evolve over the next five to ten years? What role will digitalization, automation, scaling, and new business models play in this?
At the same time, there’s a greater emphasis on the market and competition—that is, how we position ourselves and respond to structural changes such as increasing regulatory requirements or shifting customer expectations. And finally, the transformation of the organization is also coming even more into the foreground: How do we continuously develop Wincasa technologically, culturally, and in terms of leadership? My perspective is different today, but staying close to the day-to-day business remains central to me and is an important foundation for making good decisions.
What priorities did you set in your first year?
In the first year, the focus was primarily on setting the course for the future. Two key areas were central to this. First, the development of Strategy 2030: a clear focus on growth, automation, and the performance of our business—combined with new opportunities in additional markets or segments. Second, the optimization of our organization: we clearly aligned and implemented our structure along our core segments of residential real estate and commercial real estate, and institutionalized this approach within the Executive Board, in some cases with new leadership. We are thus creating the strategic and organizational foundations for the next stage of development.
Wincasa has recently secured several major contracts, such as the comprehensive management of the entire real estate portfolio of the Publica pension fund. What makes the difference in tenders today?
Today, the difference lies less in the “what” and more in the “how.” Clients expect good management from all major providers. In my view, three things are crucial: First, the team. A pitch isn’t just about concepts—it’s about the people behind them. Trust and competence must be palpable. Second, transparency. Today, you no longer win bids just in the conference room, but also by how openly and tangibly you present your own way of working. Third, credible execution. For the Publica account, the owners spent two days at our locations and experienced our teams, our culture, and our tools firsthand. That’s exactly what makes the difference.
“Mandates are deliberately distributed among multiple providers to ensure comparability and actively manage quality. This leads to constant competition—not only during the bidding process but also throughout the ongoing mandate.”
Philipp Schoch, CEO of Wincasa
Has competition among the major real estate service providers intensified in recent years?
Yes—competition has changed, but not in the way one might expect. Property management remains a service centered on delivering genuine added value for properties as well as for tenants and occupants. That’s why the market in Switzerland isn’t primarily driven by price—even though substantial price increases would be virtually impossible to implement at this time. In my view, the intensification of competition stems primarily from institutional owners, who are increasingly relying on multi-provider strategies. Mandates are deliberately distributed among multiple providers to ensure comparability and actively manage quality. This leads to constant competition—not only during the bidding process but also throughout the term of the mandate. At the same time, owners’ responsibilities are growing: multiple service providers must be actively managed and coordinated with one another. It is crucial that there remains room for innovation and that the interaction between owners and service providers continues to evolve.
What growth targets are you pursuing in the coming years?
Essentially, the goal is to systematically expand our existing business while simultaneously increasing our value creation. We pursue growth on three levels: First, in our existing business—with both current and new clients—by further expanding our services across the entire real estate lifecycle. Second, through the further development of our business model—with additional services and new offerings, some of which go beyond traditional property management. This also includes the continuous expansion of collaboration within the Implenia Group. By making greater use of synergies and strategically pooling our expertise, we can further develop our service offerings and tap into additional potential. The combination of our expertise in real estate management with Implenia’s construction and development expertise is unique in this form on the Swiss market. And third, by entering new markets and taking targeted growth steps outside of our organic business. In this way, we are laying the foundation for sustainable growth in the coming years.
“The combination of our expertise in real estate management with Implenia’s construction and development expertise is unique in this form on the Swiss market.”
Is scale a competitive advantage in real estate management—or does it make it harder to stay close to customers?
Size is clearly an advantage in our institutional environment, but only if it’s used correctly. It enables us to invest strategically in digitalization and automation, specialization, and integrated services across the entire real estate lifecycle. That’s precisely where a structural competitive advantage arises—one that smaller providers often cannot match. At the same time, the challenge is to maintain close customer relationships. That’s why we combine economies of scale behind the scenes—namely, processes, platforms, and specialized teams—with a clear focus on customer proximity on the front lines: local teams in manageable units, personalized support, and direct points of contact at the branch.
Accordingly, we have purposefully refined our branch structure in recent years and deliberately built smaller, focused teams on the ground. Especially when dealing with leanly organized real estate owners, we must continually demonstrate that, despite our size—with 33 locations and over 84 billion Swiss francs in assets under management—we can still provide direct and personalized service.
The real estate industry has been talking about digitalization for years. Where do you see the greatest progress today?
We see the greatest progress today on two levels. First, in interactions with tenants and owners: Digital portals for tenants, owners, and contractors, self-service options, and partially automated communication are now a reality. They are clearly changing expectations—toward greater speed, availability, and transparency. Second, in day-to-day operations: Many processes that can be standardized—from leasing to handling inquiries—are increasingly being automated. This not only leads to efficiency gains but, above all, to higher quality, consistency, and reliability in everyday operations.
At the same time, digitalization in property management is still relatively new and not yet fully developed in many areas. Every day, there are cases that deviate from the “ideal scenario,” and that’s where we need to improve. And with artificial intelligence, the next wave of technology is already on the horizon—a development that, in my view, will transform the industry even more profoundly than traditional digitalization.
“The real game-changer is coming in the next few years: AI will automate processes even more thoroughly while also making them more personalized.”
What do you expect?
Artificial intelligence already plays a role today—but the real impact is still ahead of us. Currently, we see AI primarily used to automate and support standard processes: in handling tenant inquiries, in communication, in structuring data, or in utility billing. This helps us respond more quickly and relieve employees of specific tasks. AI is also used in the creation of ESG reports for our clients as part of energy data collection.
The real game-changer is coming in the next few years: AI will automate processes even more consistently while also making them more personalized—in other words, combining scalability and personalization, which is often seen as a contradiction today.
Which processes at Wincasa are different today compared to five years ago?
Today, we work largely in a fully digitized work environment. Traditional tenant files or property folders in the office are a thing of the past—everything is available digitally and transparent at all times. A good example is our contractor platform: Several hundred jobs are managed digitally there every day—from placing the order to paying for the service. This has significantly improved both speed and quality. Core processes such as the invoicing workflow and tenant communication have also undergone fundamental changes. Invoices are now largely processed electronically, and communication increasingly takes place via digital channels—the traditional phone is no longer the dominant channel.
Where does digitization provide the greatest benefit for property owners and tenants?
For property owners, the greatest benefit lies in improved management. They now have significantly greater transparency into the activities of their property managers. This enables a more active, data-driven, and overall more professional approach to property management. For tenants and occupants, the added value is particularly evident in everyday life: concerns can be reported more quickly and easily via digital platforms, and the status of their resolution can be tracked at any time. The onboarding process—from the property tour to the signed lease—is also faster and less time-consuming.
What expectations do tenants have today that didn’t exist ten years ago?
In the residential sector, a key driver is certainly the trend toward working from home. People today spend significantly more time at home and are more aware of their living environment. As a result, noise and neighborly relations in general have come more into focus. At the same time, we’re seeing that issues that used to be resolved directly between neighbors are now more often brought to the property management company. In such cases as well, the expectation for quick resolution and professional support is significantly higher today. In general, tenants today expect faster response times, greater transparency, and easy access—similar to what they’re accustomed to in other areas of life.
“We’re seeing that issues that used to be resolved directly between neighbors are now more often brought to the property management company.”
Where do digital solutions reach their limits in a business that is so heavily people-oriented?
Standardizable processes lend themselves very well to digitization—and that’s precisely where significant added value is created. However, many situations in property management cannot be translated into rules or algorithms: conflicts between tenants, individual life circumstances, or complex decisions require experience, tact, and personal responsibility. Especially when it comes to issues like neighborly relations, goodwill, or individual cases, customers expect solutions that are not only quick but also fair and transparent. Digital solutions are an important enabler—but they cannot replace the human element.
Wincasa has broad insight into the Swiss rental housing market. How do you assess the current situation?
We’re currently seeing very high demand coupled with limited supply. In many cities, this is leading to a significant imbalance in favor of demand and correspondingly low vacancy rates. However, the market isn’t the same everywhere: While major urban centers are under heavy pressure, we’re seeing greater stability and slightly higher vacancy rates in some outlying areas. A key factor remains the structural shortage of new construction. Regulatory requirements, objections, and rising construction costs are slowing down new projects and further exacerbating the situation.