ISC Executive Services

Founder-led boutique relocation consultancy

ISC Executive Services is a boutique relocation consultancy founded and led by Irina Cueni, a consultant with more than 20 years of experience in Swiss relocation, immigration procedures, and settlement guidance. The firm positions itself as Switzerland's Premier Boutique Relocation Consultancy, serving international professionals, executives, researchers, and families relocating to Switzerland. Cueni's career evolved from hands-on relocation support to broader advisory services spanning immigration, work and residence permits, schooling, housing, insurance, taxation, and Swiss citizenship guidance. She emphasizes that relocation is both logistical and deeply personal: arrivals are managing excitement, anxiety, practical decisions, and emotional transitions simultaneously. The firm's philosophy emphasizes personalized, founder-led consulting rather than transactional services, reflecting recognition that one-size-fits-all approaches often miss crucial nuances in individual situations.

Cueni's own relocation from abroad to Switzerland informs the firm's approach. She highlights that different arrivals have different constraints and needs. Many start with a consultation to clarify their own requirements before engaging a full package. Some need only targeted advice on specific decisions; others need comprehensive coordination. The firm emphasizes flexibility in engagement, allowing clients to access professional expertise at the level appropriate to their situation and budget, which is particularly valuable for those uncertain about relocation complexity before committing to services.

Flexible engagement models and services

The firm explicitly offers flexible engagement models suited to different client needs and budgets. Clients uncertain about their full requirements can book expert consultations or document reviews addressing specific questions: relocation-strategy assessment, rental-contract analysis, work-permit eligibility and category selection, residency questions, Swiss citizenship planning, and tax implications of international moves. This modular approach allows arrivals to access professional guidance at discrete decision points without committing to full-service coordination. For those needing broader support, tailored relocation packages combine professional coordination with access to Cueni's trusted network. Specific service areas include housing support (reviewing rental contracts, understanding Swiss lease terms, coordinating searches), work and residence permit guidance (explaining categories, timelines, documentation, and canton-specific variations), schooling selection and enrollment, administrative support (managing registrations, utilities, insurance), and practical settling-in assistance spanning language schools, cultural orientation, banking setup, and social integration.

The firm acknowledges that different arrivals need different support levels. A corporate executive with an employer HR team may need only permit guidance and housing support. A researcher on a postdoc needs education on work-permit categories, salary requirements, and housing costs. A self-directed relocator might want rental-contract review and school research. A spouse navigating a career transition within Switzerland needs employment guidance and social integration support. This diversity of client types and needs reflects Cueni's understanding that international arrivals are not a homogeneous group, and cookie-cutter approaches often fail to address what actually matters to each person.

Corporate and specialized services

For corporate clients, the firm provides discrete support for companies and HR departments managing international hires. Services include pre-assignment tours and candidate-experience support (helping departing employees and families envision the move before committing), permit guidance and documentation (explaining categories and timelines), relocation coordination (selecting and managing moving companies, arranging temporary housing, coordinating school enrollment), and selective corporate events (MICE: meetings, incentives, conferences, events) that facilitate team building or client engagement in Switzerland. This is particularly valuable for multinationals with limited Switzerland expertise: companies can outsource relocation support for individual transferees without establishing permanent Switzerland HR infrastructure.

The firm also serves professionals navigating career transitions within Switzerland. Those facing job loss, dismissal, or unemployment receive guidance on RAV (Regional Employment Centre) registration, unemployment insurance implications, residence-permit implications of job change, and practical next steps for career transition. Early-career researchers and academics exploring postdoc, PhD, or research opportunities in Switzerland receive feasibility guidance, permit timelines, expected costs, and funding-source coordination. Each specialization reflects Cueni's understanding of the specific challenges different groups face in international relocation.

A personalized approach grounded in experience

Cueni emphasizes that relocation is not merely logistical but involves building a new home, belonging to a community, and adapting to new social and professional norms. She highlights that while many start with consultations to clarify their requirements, the outcome often leads to additional support once arrivals understand the complexity they face. The site provides access to practical guides, checklists, and carefully vetted partner recommendations covering key aspects of work, life, and settling in Switzerland. A sample relocation strategy call (the most popular offering) includes personalized online assessment, housing strategy and market overview, permit and administration overview, timeline and budgeting guidance, and focused Q&A with actionable next steps. Pricing information is limited (a sample "Relocation Strategy Call" is available via Stripe payment), but costs appear negotiated case-by-case rather than published in fee schedules.

The firm explicitly targets clients who value their time: professionals and executives with limited bandwidth for relocation research, families navigating school timelines and relocation simultaneously, self-directed relocators who want expert guidance at key decision points without committing to full-service packages, and organizations seeking professional support for international placements. This positioning reflects recognition that different arrivals have different constraints: some need full coordination, others want tactical advice, and some seek document review only.

Limitations and gaps

The site does not publish standard pricing or service packages; costs appear to be negotiated case-by-case. No information appears about typical engagement timelines, how many clients Cueni serves annually, or how many specialists and partners comprise the network. It is unclear whether Cueni personally delivers all consultations or whether the network includes additional consultants, what their backgrounds are, or how cases are allocated. The firm claims 20+ years of experience but does not specify client count, breakdown by specialization, or geographic focus within Switzerland beyond the mention of Swiss-based consulting. There is no disclosure of professional credentials or licenses held by Cueni or network partners, nor is liability insurance mentioned. Response times for initial inquiries and availability for urgent relocations are not specified. The site does not clarify whether certain cantons or regions receive different attention, or whether the firm has minimum engagement values. For a boutique firm, the heavy dependence on one founder raises questions about capacity during peak seasons or when complex cases require the most attention.

Who ISC Executive Services serves

ISC Executive Services suits English-speaking professionals and families who value personalized guidance, have time to plan (or flexibility to adjust timelines), and want a founder-led approach informed by lived relocation experience. It works well for those uncertain whether they need full-service relocation or just tactical advice, corporate HR teams managing selective international placements, researchers with specific timelines and permit questions, and those seeking targeted document review rather than full coordination. It is less suitable for arrivals in urgent time pressure with minimal flexibility, those relocating on extremely tight budgets, or those seeking commodity services with published pricing and standardized packages; the boutique model assumes higher costs than large relocation firms with standardized offerings.