Tanja Pichler is the new president of the Museion Foundation

Born in Bolzano and raised in an entrepreneurial family, Tanja Pichler studied Industrial Engineering for Construction at Graz University of Technology. She began working in the family business during her studies and went on to hold a range of positions over more than two decades. She initially worked in the technical office, later in project management, sales, as well as in communications and sustainable corporate development at executive and board level across various companies of the family holding, both in Italy and abroad.

The group primarily operates in the construction sector, realizing architecturally sophisticated steel structures and facades for major projects across Europe and worldwide. Over the past decade, the company has also developed turnkey commercial real estate projects offered for rent or sale. The family holding additionally owns and operates the Sheraton Messehotel in Bolzano. Through her professional activities, Pichler worked across Italy and the DACH region and spent periods living in Switzerland.

Today, she lives in Bolzano’s Gries district with her husband and their four children. After leaving the family business, she founded together in 2024 and now works as an independent entrepreneur, mentor, and board member for several companies and institutions.

Design, architecture, art, and culture have been part of Tanja Pichler’s life since childhood and have grown into a central personal passion. For her, contemporary art holds a particular power to inspire.

This belief has shaped her increasing engagement in the cultural sector. Over many years, she built a network within the cultural field and became increasingly involved in supporting cultural initiatives. In 2022, at the invitation of Peter Paul Kainrath, she became President of the Transart Festival, a role she has held since then. In 2024, she also joined the board of Vereinigte Bühnen Bozen, where she works with artistic director Rudolf Frey on the community project PLUS. For Pichler, artists are voices of our time, and she sees their work as an essential contribution to social dialogue and new perspectives.

Through her engagement, she seeks to contribute to strengthening and networking cultural institutions, while also encouraging companies and private individuals to support them. In her new role at Museion, Tanja Pichler also intends to further develop the museum’s role as an open place for encounter and exchange.

With her election as President, Tanja Pichler takes on a key role in shaping Museion’s strategic development, bringing her experience at the intersection of sustainable entrepreneurship, innovation, and culture to the institution.