An Open Door to Ownership: Oepfelbaum Hosts WomenHack Zurich
Some companies talk about giving people ownership. Others just hand it to you and trust you’ll rise to it.
On September 30, WomenHack Zurich is heading to Oepfelbaum, a Zurich-based company working at the intersection of IT consulting and financial services – two industries where women’s voices are still too rarely heard in technical and leadership roles. We’re excited to bring our community into a space built around real ownership, genuine connection, and a team that shows up for its people. As it shifts from a body-leasing model toward real, project-based consulting, Oepfelbaum is opening its doors at exactly the moment it’s rethinking what consulting there should look like.
Why Oepfelbaum decided to open its doors
For Oepfelbaum, hosting WomenHack isn’t a checkbox on a diversity to-do list – it’s a deliberate step toward changing something they see every day in their industry. Women remain underrepresented in exactly the technical and leadership roles where their perspectives matter most, and rather than keeping that conversation internal, the team wanted to bring it into the room with the community itself – sharing what consulting actually looks like day to day, and helping more women picture themselves in the field.
“For us, it’s less about a one-off event and more about building lasting connections with the community,” the team shared. That mindset – connection over spectacle – sets the tone for the evening.
“For us, it’s less about a one-off event and more about building lasting connections with the community,” the team shared. That mindset – connection over spectacle – sets the tone for the evening.
What guests will experience inside their space
Step into Oepfelbaum’s office and you’ll find a building designed around one idea: connection. The ground floor is a large, open space built for gatherings – used as much for the company’s own internal events as for hosting the community, and a natural home for a WomenHack evening.
Above it sit two floors of open-desk workspaces, with no separation by hierarchy or team. Everyone shares the same environment – a quiet but powerful signal about how the company sees collaboration. Because many consultants spend much of their time on-site with clients, the office was designed to feel like a place to genuinely unwind and reconnect when they return. (Good coffee is part of that too.)
“What we hope guests remember most is that warm, welcoming feeling – that our office isn’t just a backdrop for events, but a space that reflects how we actually want people to feel: at ease, included, and comfortable being themselves.”
Above it sit two floors of open-desk workspaces, with no separation by hierarchy or team. Everyone shares the same environment – a quiet but powerful signal about how the company sees collaboration. Because many consultants spend much of their time on-site with clients, the office was designed to feel like a place to genuinely unwind and reconnect when they return. (Good coffee is part of that too.)
“What we hope guests remember most is that warm, welcoming feeling – that our office isn’t just a backdrop for events, but a space that reflects how we actually want people to feel: at ease, included, and comfortable being themselves.”
Building a career with real ownership – and a team behind you
What distinguishes a career at Oepfelbaum is the level of ownership consultants carry from early on. Their people work as experts directly at the client, representing both themselves and Oepfelbaum on-site – trusted with real responsibility rather than supporting tasks. For many, that’s a significant step, and exactly what makes the work rewarding.
But independence here doesn’t mean isolation. Oepfelbaum stays present in the background – whether it’s a technical question, a tricky client situation, or just wanting a second opinion, there’s always someone to reach out to.
“You get the independence and growth that comes with being ‘the expert in the room,’ combined with the security of a strong team behind you.”
To make sure growth heads in the right direction for each person, the company offers:
“You get the independence and growth that comes with being ‘the expert in the room,’ combined with the security of a strong team behind you.”
To make sure growth heads in the right direction for each person, the company offers:
– A specialist track for those who want to deepen their technical expertise
– A leadership track for those who want to grow into leading people and projects
– Ongoing support and mentorship regardless of which path you choose
Supporting people from all backgrounds
At Oepfelbaum, diversity isn’t treated as a value on paper – it’s seen as genuinely useful to the work. Clients’ challenges vary widely, and the more perspectives the team brings to the table, the stronger the solutions they can deliver. That’s why they welcome people from all kinds of backgrounds and see difference as a strength, not a formality.
The team is candid about where they are on this journey. They’re still early in formalizing their DEI efforts – and events like WomenHack are a deliberate part of that work. What already exists is meaningful, informal mentoring: two women on the management team are always open to connecting with and supporting colleagues who’d value that kind of exchange.
“Diversity isn’t just a value on paper – it’s genuinely useful in our work.”
The team is candid about where they are on this journey. They’re still early in formalizing their DEI efforts – and events like WomenHack are a deliberate part of that work. What already exists is meaningful, informal mentoring: two women on the management team are always open to connecting with and supporting colleagues who’d value that kind of exchange.
“Diversity isn’t just a value on paper – it’s genuinely useful in our work.”
What’s new and exciting right now
There’s rarely been a more interesting moment to join Oepfelbaum. The company is mid-shift – moving from a body-leasing model toward real, project-based consulting. For consultants, that means more ownership, more substance, and more long-term client relationships, rather than simply being placed.
That transition is what makes this such a compelling time to come aboard. Oepfelbaum is looking for people who want to help shape this evolution from the ground up – not step into something fully built, but genuinely influence how project work is done going forward.
And they’ve got recognition to match the momentum: Oepfelbaum was just named a Kununu Top Company for the fifth year in a row.
That transition is what makes this such a compelling time to come aboard. Oepfelbaum is looking for people who want to help shape this evolution from the ground up – not step into something fully built, but genuinely influence how project work is done going forward.
And they’ve got recognition to match the momentum: Oepfelbaum was just named a Kununu Top Company for the fifth year in a row.
Who Oepfelbaum is hoping to meet
Above all, Oepfelbaum is looking for people who want real ownership – not just a job description. Because their consultants work directly as experts at client sites, they value people who are confident stepping into that role while staying collaborative enough to lean on the team behind them. Their work spans:
– Investment Solutions
– Open Finance
– Trading & Risk
– Content Distribution
Given their move into project-based consulting, they’re especially drawn to people who love building rather than executing a fixed brief – technical experts, consultants, or those hoping to grow into leadership down the line.
“At WomenHack specifically, we’re hoping to connect with women who want to see themselves represented more in tech and consulting – and to show them that there’s real space for that here.”
Given their move into project-based consulting, they’re especially drawn to people who love building rather than executing a fixed brief – technical experts, consultants, or those hoping to grow into leadership down the line.
“At WomenHack specifically, we’re hoping to connect with women who want to see themselves represented more in tech and consulting – and to show them that there’s real space for that here.”
Come say hello in Zurich
Oepfelbaum is bringing warmth, honesty, and genuine ambition to WomenHack Zurich – a company at an exciting turning point, looking for people who want to help shape what comes next. If you’re ready to step into real ownership with a strong team behind you, this is a conversation worth having in person.
See you next week!
See you next week!