Viktoria Schmidheiny

I was born in Vienna in 1956. Together with my elder sister and younger brother, I grew up in a harmonious environment. Our family’s background is in manufacturing, and from a young age we were taught traditional values such as honesty, modesty and consideration for others.

After leaving school I went on to study medicine at the University of Vienna, where I received my medical degree in 1982. I then gained my initial experience as a doctor working in various departments at Vienna General Hospital, and trained as a specialist in two separate disciplines – oral and maxillofacial surgery, and dental medicine. Seeing at first hand the most severe examples of facial illness and the impact this can have on people’s well-being fundamentally shaped my understanding of my profession. As a doctor, I take a holistic approach to treating patients, always seeing the person as a whole – body, mind and spirit.

For some twenty years I had a general practice for oral surgery together with my first husband, initially in Vienna and then in Salzburg. Our two children Flora and Laurenz, who are now adults, were born during this time.  

From an early stage in my 30-year career as a doctor, my interest in people and holistic healing stretched beyond medicine. As such I was keenly interested in the Viennese psychiatrist and neurologist Viktor Frankl’s work on logotherapy, and subsequently took courses in this field and existential analysis.  

I met my current husband, Stephan Schmidheiny, in 2011 through a stroke of good fortune. We immediately found a common bond in our outlook and our love for the beautiful and good things in life, and were married in 2012 in a ceremony attended by our nearest and dearest.

Through Stephan I have met a whole range of interesting people and visited some amazing places, but am still at my happiest out in the great outdoors, and surrounded by our friends and family. Playing music, painting and the silent awareness of Zen meditation allow me to recharge my batteries. Meanwhile, engaging in our philanthropic projects has brought me a fresh sense of fulfilment.

When I met Stephan, I found not only a life partner but also a person who combines responsibility with a remarkable capacity to shape and build. His work as an entrepreneur, pioneer of sustainable development and philanthropist has had an impact far beyond Switzerland, connecting people and ideas across continents.

Over the years, many shared interests and projects have emerged. We are united by our love of art and culture, our enthusiasm for new ideas, and our conviction that meaningful development always begins with people.

Since 2017, I have served as President of the Board of Avina Stiftung. My work focuses particularly on health, sustainable nutrition and the promotion of forward-looking initiatives. Together, we support people and ideas that contribute to a healthy, sustainable and liveable future.

The many encounters with committed individuals around the world, as well as the time we spend with family and friends, continue to enrich our lives.

As different as our life journeys have been, they are united today by a shared belief: confidence in the human capacity to take responsibility, find meaning and help shape the future.