Born in Zurich in 1978, Florian Keller grew up between bookshelves and concert stages. He studied German Language and Literature, Art History, and Philosophy at the University of Zurich — a combination that continues to shape his perspective on music and culture.

Florian began his career as a jazz journalist during and after his studies, and has been active as an event organizer since 2011, always seeking out spaces for intense listening experiences outside the mainstream. He joined the unerhört! festival in 2015 and took over as its director in 2022. From 2015 to 2019, he also served as a member of the Popkredit Commission of the City of Zurich.

Florian has always favored the zigzag path over the streamlined one. After completing his studies — and successfully stepping away from a PhD — he worked independently as a writer, worked at Galerie Eva Presenhuber (including at the 2013 Venice Biennale for Valentin Carron’s Swiss Pavilion), and at ECM Records. He joined Intakt Records in 2016 and has held a management role since 2022.

When he’s not thinking about music or buried in a book, Florian can be found plotting whimsical adventures for his family or perfecting the next meal from a thoroughly splattered Italian cookbook. He lives in Zurich with his son Finn and his wife, Fiona Ryan.

Ariane Pollo was born in Zurich and completed her studies in film and screenwriting in Berlin in 2006. In 2015, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education, Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Zurich, and went on to work as deputy managing director of the Swiss Filmmakers’ Association ARF/FDS, as well as contributing to the Corona emergency aid project for Suisseculture, the Swiss umbrella organization of professional cultural associations.

Since November 2022, Ariane has been the steady hand at the helm of Intakt’s daily operations — keeping everything running smoothly, managing orders and subscriptions with care, supporting our customers, and wrangling our systems. She’s the glue that holds us together, keeping the team focused, the priorities clear, and our ambitions both big and beautifully grounded.

Outside of Intakt, Ariane is a stage-shy singer-songwriter who loves cats, oatmeal, summer mornings, bullet points, and music that speaks to you without telling you anything.

Fiona Ryan was born in Ireland and studied Multimedia and Communications at Dublin City University before spending ten years in Brooklyn, followed by time in Ecuador and Colombia. She has worked as a textile and graphic designer, as well as in marketing and merchandising, and ran her own business creating sustainable cycling apparel for nine years.

Since moving to Zurich in 2018, Fiona has been an integral part of Intakt Records, carving out a role as designer and writer, and leading the rebuilding of our website and marketing structure.

Outside of Intakt, Fiona is the graphic artist and designer for the Taktlos Festival and continues her work with textiles, while also playing bike polo and raising a little punk with her husband, Florian Keller.

Elia Aregger was born and raised among the mountain peaks of Uri in Altdorf and moved to Zurich in 2022. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music (Jazz Guitar) from Hochschule Luzern in 2021 and completed his Master of Arts in Jazz Performance there in early 2025, studying with the likes of Kalle Kalima, Dave Gisler, Nils Wogram, Kristin Berardi, Heiri Känzig and Samuel Leipold.

Since July 2024 Elia has been part of the Intakt Records team—first as an intern, then stepping into a marketing and communications position three months later. He’ll deepen that expertise with postgraduate studies in digital marketing beginning in autumn 2025.

Alongside his work at the label, Elia remains active as a freelance musician, composer, and producer—leading his own trio, collaborating widely, and touring and recording with numerous bands.

When he’s not immersed in music, you’ll likely find him knee-deep in a river, casting a fly rod he built by hand. Elia is committed to a sustainable scene and brings Intakt’s musical and sociocultural vision to life—guided by the same improvisational spirit that shapes his playing, his thinking, and his time by the water.

Anja Illmaier has been part of the Intakt Records team since 2010. She later joined the unerhört! festival, and since 2017 has headed the festival office of the Taktlos Festival. She is also the main contact for the Friends of Irène Schweizer association.

Originally trained as a bookseller, Anja completed her MAS in Cultural Management at the University of Basel in 2017. She served on the board of Sonart, the Swiss association for music professionals, for several years and completed her training as an accounting clerk in 2024.

Anja is happiest outdoors — hiking, tending her vegetable garden, or wandering in the forest — and always has a book nearby, waiting to be read. To her, music sparks questions, challenges ideas, and brings people together in unexpected ways.

As the mother of a son and partner to a freelance musician, Anja knows the art of balancing good planning with a touch of improvisation — and takes pleasure when things come together in the end. Perhaps that’s what fuels her love of numbers.