In addition to leading biathlon, Keel, who was the managing director of the Swiss branch of Toko AG, a ski wax company, will be responsible for setting up the Lenzerheide elite performance centre.

"I am very happy to get to know the athletes, the support teams and the entire Swiss biathlon family and to start working with them," said Keel.

"It is a great honour for me, but I am also aware of the great responsibility to continue driving the upswing in Swiss biathlon and to create the best possible framework conditions for the biathlon teams."

Keel is completing a degree in sports management at the University of Applied Sciences in Graubünden.

He will report to the Nordic director Hippolyt Kempf, who had taken over Swiss-Ski's management of biathlon on an interim basis for the last three months following Segessenmann's departure.

Switzerland has been crowned as the best nation twice in the biathlon events at the Winter Olympic Games, in 1924 and 1948 - the sport was only classed as a demonstration event at the latter edition, so the medals are not official.

The country is ranked 14^th on the all-time biathlon medal table, with one gold and one silver medal.

Biathlon is set to be contested at Beijing 2022 at the Hualindong Ski Resort from February 5 to 19 next year.

 A total of 11 events will be on show, including five men's, five women's and a mixed relay.