Olivia S. Perner, MBA
Olivia S. Perner, MBA is a Swiss communications, marketing, and public diplomacy professional with more than nine years of international experience across government, intergovernmental organizations, and the private sector. Throughout her career, communication and marketing have been the common thread connecting her work, whether leading business development initiatives in the corporate sector, managing digital fundraising campaigns for humanitarian organizations, or advancing diplomatic engagement on behalf of Switzerland. Today, she serves as Head of Public Diplomacy, Communications & Culture for the Southeast United States at the Swiss Consulate in Atlanta, where she promotes Swiss interests and strengthens Swiss-American relations through strategic communications, cultural diplomacy, educational outreach, and stakeholder engagement.
In her current role, Olivia oversees a broad range of communications activities, including social media strategy, media relations, press outreach, and public engagement initiatives. Her work extends beyond traditional communications to encompass the full spectrum of public diplomacy, including partnerships with universities, educational institutions, cultural organizations, and business leaders. She develops and manages programs that showcase Switzerland’s innovation, culture, and global impact, ranging from cultural festivals and academic collaborations to major international events. Recent initiatives have included supporting Switzerland’s presence at the Swiss-origin Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami and collaborating with local partners on FIFA-related events that highlight Swiss innovation, culture, and community engagement. The diversity of these responsibilities means no two days are alike, with her work regularly taking her from the office to events, conferences, and diplomatic engagements throughout the region.
Prior to joining the Swiss Consulate in Atlanta, Olivia contributed to communications efforts at the Swiss Mission to the United Nations in New York during Switzerland’s tenure on the UN Security Council from 2023 to 2024. She also served with UNHCR, where she led digital marketing and fundraising initiatives supporting humanitarian responses in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Horn of Africa. Earlier in her career, she held leadership and business development positions in the SaaS, cleantech, global retail, education, and testing sectors. Olivia holds a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees including a Swiss-Asian MBA and a certification in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Geneva School of Diplomacy. Recognized for her strategic thinking, cross-cultural expertise, and positive, solution-oriented approach, she is dedicated to building meaningful connections and advancing international understanding through communication, culture, and diplomacy.
• Certificate in International Relations & Diplomacy
• International Organizations Management
• HSK 2 Chinese Certificate
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW - MBA
• IU International University of Applied Sciences - BA, Business Administration/ Events Management
• Global Energy Tech Award 2021
• Employee of the year
• UNHCR (United Nations Refugee Agency) - Digital Marketing and Fundraising for Refugees
What do you attribute your success to?
I would say dedication, curiosity, and motivation, but also that my career was not linear. I was willing to make sacrifices. For example, after my role as managing director, instead of just going for the highest paid jobs or the highest positions, I was like, okay, you know what, let's do this unpaid internship and learn something new, or let's go to the United Nations in a more junior role with less salary and less responsibilities, but to see more things and to basically invest in a more long-term plan than short-term. So I would say dedication and all that stuff, curiosity, but also to not go the linear way to just go up, but to kind of see different sectors and get good fundamentals of different aspects, different sectors and stuff.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received, I actually read it somewhere, and it says: When someone tells you that you can't do something, don't listen to them, because they tell you their limits and not yours. Since I heard this quote, I really live by that, because you hear a lot of people say you can't work and study full-time at the same time, or you can't do this language certificate in two months, or you can't move abroad, or you can't do this, or you're too young to do this role, or you're too inexperienced for whatever. My experience is just that often it's like people, they cannot imagine to do it themselves, because maybe they don't have the motivation right now, or the time, or the skills, so then they will say it's not possible. That's my favorite advice because it helped me a lot to just think, like, no, I'm just gonna try it, and I'm just gonna do it because I wanna do it, and you know, if it doesn't work out, then I know it for myself. Experience-wise, most of the time it did work out.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my professional and personal life are balance, creativity, continuous growth, and well-being. I believe in maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle, which I pursue through activities such as running, fitness, and dancing, while also making time for creative expression through painting and other artistic pursuits. These interests help me stay energized, inspired, and open to new ideas, which I bring into my professional work. I also value meaningful connections and personal fulfillment, and recently, welcoming a dog into my life has added a new dimension of joy, responsibility, and companionship that I greatly cherish.
Locations
Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta
Atlanta, GA 30309