Meet the Experts
Driving innovation in AI and finance with Swiss precision and expertise
Lars Stauffenegger
M.A., Banking & Finance
Co-Founder
Lars leads the development of tech platforms, drawing on his expertise in data, business, and software. Rooted in finance, he has evolved into diverse roles, empowering companies to bridge business and technology. Lars holds a Master's in Banking & Finance from the University of St. Gallen, specializing in financial technology.
Santiago Walliser
PhDc, Quantitative Finance
Co-Founder
Santiago leads the development of AI and Analytics solutions tailored for data-driven strategies across industries, especially in the financial sector. By aligning business with technology, he develops strategic action plans to optimize processes through digital transformations, drawing on his expertise in AI, Alternative Data, Data Management, and ERP systems. Santiago is nearing the completion of his PhD at the University of Zurich, focusing on integrating AI and Alternative Data to enhance active investment management strategies. He advances his research during the periods not dedicated to his work at Lean FS. He holds a Master's degree with honors, awarded Summa Cum Laude (top 4.7%).
Isabel Burger
Marketing Manager HF
Head of Marketing
Isabel drives impactful digital marketing strategies with years of experience in finance and agencies. She played a key role in transforming a traditional agency into a digital consultancy. Isabel specializes in results-driven digital marketing. She holds a degree in marketing management from a Swiss higher technical school.
David Tschan
Computer Science
Head of Technology
David is a skilled full-stack developer with over 8 years of experience in software development. He specializes in SME SaaS solutions and consulting, covering the full development value chain. He contributes to high-quality web applications and digital products. David studied computer science at ZHAW.
Daniel Fink
MSc, Quantum Machine Learning
Tech Owner Leafs
Daniel designs modern portfolio management architectures and cloud services. He has over 8 years of professional experience at Siemens and TeamViewer, specializing in the Microsoft tech stack. His academic journey includes advanced research in quantum computing and machine learning and a Master's degree with honors in Simulation Technology from the University of Stuttgart.
Frederik Wetzel
MSc, Business and Economics
Marketing Leafs
Fredi, as COO, leads operational processes and strategic marketing, ensuring scalable growth for Leafs. He has founded multiple startups and specializes in AI-driven digital solutions. Holding a Master's in Marketing and Strategic Management, Fredi brings entrepreneurial expertise to drive innovation and value creation.
Anna Vasileva
PhDc, Banking & Finance
Product Owner Leafs
Anna delivers user-centric products with advanced research expertise. Backed by 3+ years in investment research, she consults, executes, and creates solutions at the nexus of portfolio management and sustainable finance. She is completing a PhD in behavioral and sustainable finance at the University of Zurich.
Lukas Hitz
PhD, Finance
Financial Engineer Leafs
Lukas is Co-Head Risk & Financial Modelling at Leafs, specializing in risk models, portfolio optimization, integrating sustainability data, and client solutions. Extensive experience in empirical financial research and teaching. Lukas holds a Ph.D. in Finance, University of Basel, with a research focus on equity market uncertainty.
Marco Fernandez
MSc, Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science
Senior AI Specialist
Marco has diverse technical degrees from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, over a decade of professional experience, and several years of international management experience in finance, IT, and artificial intelligence. His focus lies in prototyping data science and AI solutions, testing, and thorough evaluation.
Stefan Huber
PhD, Speech Signal Processing
Senior AI Specialist
Stefan specializes in modular machine learning frameworks and AI, aligning scientific advancements with business goals. With over 20 years of experience, he has led major AI and voice technology projects, designing scalable solutions for voice processing and natural language understanding. He holds a PhD in Speech Signal Processing.
Philippe Rogger
Computer Science
AI Specialist
Philippe develops and automates digital solutions that make work more efficient and secure. As a career changer with a background in the construction sector, he combines technical expertise with practical industry insight. With his interest in psychology and his focus on software freedom and data protection, he designs solutions that are intuitive, reliable, and future-proof. Philippe studied computer science at ZHAW and cybersecurity at FFHS in Zurich.
Felix Eichenberger
B.A., Business and Economics
Transformation Advisor
Felix empowers businesses with tailored AI solutions and workshops for Swiss SMEs on Generative AI. He excels in LinkedIn campaigns, market research, and strategic design for rebranding. He holds a Bachelor's in Business and Economics from Basel and advanced AI knowledge from Georgetown University.
Anton Aleynikov
MSc, Quantitative Finance
Junior AI Specialist
Anton supports the development of AI models, empowering clients to make informed, data-driven decisions. With several years of experience in financial consulting, he leverages advanced data science techniques to uncover actionable insights. Anton holds a joint Master's in Quantitative Finance at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich.
Arnisa Fazla
MSc, Artificial Intelligence
Junior AI Specialist
Arnisa supports the development of AI tools to automate natural language processing tasks relevant to business solutions. At Lean FS, she is automating portfolio reporting tools using Large Language Models. She is completing her Master's in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Zurich.
Mathis Mörke
PhD, Finance
Expert - Quantitative Research
Mathis combines expertise in finance, AI, and machine learning with hands-on experience in quantitative analysis and equity derivatives. As a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the University of St. Gallen, he bridges theory and practice, delivering cutting-edge insights. Mathis holds a PhD in Finance, awarded summa cum laude.
Benjamin Meyer
M.A., Banking and Finance
Expert - Financial Datamanagement
Benjamin brings over six years of experience as a Project Manager at LGT, specializing in private banking and asset management. With expertise in product management, business development, and client solutions, he combines hands-on experience with academic knowledge. Benjamin holds a Master's in Banking and Finance from the University of St. Gallen.
Paul Janes
MBA, Business Administration and Management
Strategic Advisor
With extensive experience automating and improving business processes, Paul provides valuable insights in terms of Business Process Management, BPMN, RPA, and Intelligent Automation. He is able to help clients better understand their existing business processes by making use of process modeling, process simulation, process and task mining, and then use this as the basis for process optimization. Paul holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship, and Masters degrees in Physics and Computer Science.
Michel Chapuis
PhD, Economics
Strategic Advisor
Michel is a senior leader with over 15 years of experience in financial services, specializing in strategy, business development and corporate venturing. As an advisory board member at Lean FS, he contributes to shaping the company's business model and refining service offerings to drive sustainable growth. By providing strategic expertise and leveraging his Industry experience, he helps position Lean FS as an industry leader and building strategic partnerships. Michel holds a PhD in Economics.
Proven Practice, Academic Edge
Our team combines hands-on expertise from renowned companies with knowledge from leading universities, including doctoral candidates and researchers, ensuring that the latest academic insights drive our solutions.