Franziska Bitzi

Franziska Bitzi is the President of the Conference of Municipal Finance Directors and serves as the chief financial officer for the city of Lucerne, Switzerland. Known for her expertise in managing municipal budgets, she has successfully navigated significant financial discrepancies, achieving a remarkable surplus in 2024 despite prior projections indicating a potential loss. Bitzi advocates for realistic budgeting based on concrete data, resisting claims that her city’s financial planning is overly pessimistic. She emphasizes the importance of accurate forecasting, particularly as cities face challenges in balancing budgets amid rising economic pressures.