MEET OUR SPEAKERS

Antonia‑Catharina Gartner is a seasoned technology leader at IBM with more than a decade of experience shaping the future of Data, AI, and Hybrid Cloud across Europe. As Technology Sales Leader for IBM’s Data Platform in Germany, she helps organizations build trusted, scalable data foundations that unlock enterprise‑grade AI. Throughout her career, Antonia has led high‑impact technical teams and strategic transformation engagements to accelerate clients’ digital modernization journeys. Her academic and professional journey reflects a deep commitment to pioneering what’s possible with data—combining engineering rigor with business informatics and a passion for shaping responsible, high‑value AI ecosystems. Antonia speaks passionately about the intersection of data, responsible AI, and enterprise transformation—and how organizations can turn these capabilities into sustainable competitive advantage.

Alexander Schmitt has over 15 years of experience in Voice Assistants, Voice AI research, and product development. He began his career at the University of Ulm, joining Germany’s first spoken dialog system research lab in 2007, where he pursued a PhD on AI-driven Speech Dialog Systems in collaboration with New York-based SpeechCycle Inc.

In 2012, Alex joined Mercedes-Benz, contributing to research, advanced engineering, and product development for next-generation in-car voice assistants and emotion AI. A prolific author, Alex has published over 60 international papers in voice assistant-related fields. He currently leads the development of the next-gen #HeyMercedes Voice Assistant, working with a talented team of software developers, data scientists, and product owners to push the boundaries of conversational AI.

Semen Arslan is the Global Head of AI Technology & Governance, driving responsible AI adoption and organizational effectiveness. Since 2009, she has worked across Open Source, Agile, and Lean practices, earning the Agile & Digital Transformation Award in 2017. She has delivered 25+ talks at international conferences, sharing insights on AI, culture, and modern ways of working.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Gerhard Wunder is a Professor of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence at Freie Universität Berlin, leading the Cybersecurity and AI (C-AI) Group.

Supported by Bundesdruckerei GmbH, his group focuses on AI with cybersecurity and cybersecurity through AI, hosting the Center for Trustworthy AI at the university. Prof. Wunder's research encompasses generative AI, resilient networks, privacy-preserving synthetic data, explainability and fairness in AI, quantum crypto analysis, AI engines for anomaly detection, cybersecurity architectures in IoT, AI-assisted device biometrics, and low-resource federated learning with blockchains.

His work bridges the gap between advanced AI technologies and practical cybersecurity solutions, driving progress in creating secure and intelligent systems for real-world applications. Prof. Wunder is dedicated to promoting innovation in AI and cybersecurity, making significant contributions to both academic research and industry practices.

Aura Hita Losa is a Senior Conversational AI Lead at On, where she leverages over a decade of global digital expertise and more than five years in the Conversational AI industry. As a CX advocate and seasoned marketer, Aura is passionate about advancing Conversational Automation to elevate customer-brand interactions through cutting-edge AI technologies.

Her work focuses on crafting meaningful conversations by understanding user experience (UX) and cross-cultural consumer behavior. Aura’s dedication to fostering impactful and innovative solutions reflects her commitment to transforming the way brands engage with their customers, creating seamless and personalized interactions that leave a lasting impression.

With a PhD in Algorithmic Optimization from Trier University, Lukas has established a prominent career at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Initially serving as an IT Product Manager for supply chain planning and inventory optimization software, hew now leads the AI transformation efforts in Supply Chain Management as the Digital Lead. Their current focus is on holistically rethinking business domains, encompassing a reimagined approach to technology, processes, organization, and culture. Lukas' strategic vision and expertise in AI positions him as a key influencer in the future of supply chain management at Bayer Pharmaceuticals.

Dorit Posdorf is a senior commercial leader with over 15 years of experience driving D2C, e-commerce, and digital transformation at scale. She combines a strong strategic foundation with hands-on commercial execution, having started her career in strategy consulting at Roland Berger before taking on senior leadership roles at DocMorris, flaconi, C&A, and Outfittery. As an Operating Partner, she also managed and scaled digital portfolio companies within ProSiebenSat.1.

Across her roles, Dorit has led P&L-responsible growth with a strong focus on branding, creation, CRM, retention, and full-funnel optimization. She is known for building differentiated brands while translating strategy into measurable commercial impact. Today, her work increasingly centers on applied AI and data-driven execution, with a particular emphasis on enabling effective human–machine collaboration and delivering sustainable, profitable growth rather than isolated digital initiatives.

Norman Nielsen is VP Organic Growth at idealo, where he leads the company’s organic growth strategy across international markets. Previously, he spent nearly seven years at Omio, most recently as VP Growth, building and scaling a global team of 20 marketing and tech experts. With two decades of experience, he is a recognized expert in organic growth, AI-driven automation, and international expansion.

Stefanie Söhnchen is Vice President Strategy / Lead Digital at PIABO Communications, the leading communications agency for the world’s most innovative companies. She has been a recognized expert in digital communication strategies for over a decade. Whether it's corporate ambassador programs, social media, newsletters, app and website concepts, content development, SEO, or storytelling – when it comes to strategic (digital) communications at PIABO, all roads lead to her.
With a background in multimedia journalism, Stefanie combines editorial expertise with a strong strategic mindset. Throughout her career, she has successfully supported companies across a wide range of industries – including insurance, energy, automotive, tech, beauty, and healthcare – in strengthening their digital brand presence. Her broad perspective on what drives success in both German and international markets makes her a sought-after strategic partner.
Outside the world of digital strategy, Stefanie is a passionate foodsaver and advocates for sustainability, equality, and diversity – in both her professional and personal life.

Robert van de Steeg is a Solutions Architect at Stripe, where he works with enterprises to design and scale next-generation commerce and payment experiences, including emerging agentic commerce use cases. With over 15 years of experience across Stripe, ServiceNow, and Oracle, Robert brings deep expertise in customer experience platforms, AI-driven engagement, and digital transformation. He has a strong track record of helping organizations translate complex technologies into tangible business value, combining technical depth with a strategic understanding of customer journeys. Based in the Netherlands, Robert is a frequent contributor to conversations around the future of commerce, automation, and AI-powered experiences.

Pragati Shaw is an AI Product Owner at the Würth Group specializing in AI and data-driven innovation, bridging technical development and business strategy to deliver high-impact AI products. She drives and scales AI solutions including product recommendations that personalize customer experiences, shop assortment recommendations that optimize inventory for local markets, and customized storage systems recommendations for customers with intelligent stock tracking and automated replenishment.

She previously led a cross-functional team at Digital Product School by UnternehmerTUM to develop an AI product for Würth, bringing an entrepreneurial, hands-on approach to enterprise-scale challenges.

As ElevenLabs' DACH Go-To-Market Leader, Robin strategically advises organizations on accelerating Voice AI integration. His expertise is built on a strong foundation, having previously co-founded Perian, a specialized AI infrastructure software and consulting firm. This followed his time at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where he enabled customers to build and deploy complex, scalable AI solutions. Robin brings a blend of proficiencies in product management, core AI, infrastructure, and go-to-market execution. He currently collaborates with leading organizations to define how Voice AI and conversational voice agents can fundamentally redefine customer connection and human-technology interfaces.

Clara Rizzo is a Conversational AI Lead at On, where she drives transformative AI and automation solutions for customer service teams across EMEA, NA, and APAC regions. Passionate about enhancing customer service experiences, Clara excels in understanding the unique needs of diverse teams and shaping automation strategies that align with customer experience goals.

With a strong focus on innovation, process optimization, and stakeholder collaboration, Clara is dedicated to delivering impactful solutions that improve efficiency and drive business growth. Her expertise in AI automation, project management, and team leadership makes her a valuable force in revolutionizing customer service processes on a global scale.

Felix Colaci is a Senior Solution Engineer specialized on Auth0 and Fine Grained Authorization with a decade of experience in API Management and Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM). He has a developer background and provides consulting on customer identity use cases for small to large businesses across various industries.

Ivana is a long-term Board Member, Executive Director in IT industry, currently CGO - Business Development at Atos Group, Forbes Councils Executive Member and thought leader, with over 18 years of experience leading global strategic and growth initiatives. She has been awarded 40Under40 Top Business Leader in Europe, 2025 Tech Leader of the Year, and Global Leader of the New Era. Today, she’s President of STEM Women in the Netherlands and G:100 Country Chair Netherlands for IT Services and Innovations.
As a vocal advocate for women in technology and AI, Ivana serves as a Global Ambassador and Mentor for Women in Tech and Women in AI Benelux, on a mission to empower the next generation of leaders while driving change in industries powered by AI, automation and digital transformation.
Ivana's strategic acumen and dynamic leadership style have solidified her reputation as a trailblazer in global business development while growing strong C-level relationships and sharing knowledge and expertise on digital transformation with a mission to drive innovation in the ever-evolving landscape of technology.

Paul Wachtler is the VP of Business Intelligence at Exiger, a supply chain risk management SaaS company. He has 15+ years in analytics and business intelligence, with over 7 years in leadership roles across B2B SaaS. At Exiger, he leads the global BI team and partners with C-level executives on strategic planning, operating rhythms, and decision support across Finance, GTM, Operations, Product, and Delivery. His work has helped modernize GTM analytics and improve execution, contributing to double-digit year-over-year revenue growth. Paul is known for cross-functional, impact-first leadership, with a focus on building trusted metrics and practical workflows that teams actually use.

Shahar Erez is a visionary leader with 25 years of experience in enterprise B2B, transitioning from software engineering to leading product, go-to-market, and strategy initiatives. He played key roles in developing Mercury Interactive’s APM platform (acquired by HP) and VMware’s Cloud Application product suite, while also leading investments in DevOps companies like Puppet Labs and JFrog. Shahar co-founded TheOrg and Stoke (acquired by Fiverr) before founding Arato, where he continues to innovate in AI and technology.

Laura is a Product Manager in the AI Innovations team at sipgate, where she works on technically complex AI systems for communication products. The team explores new approaches beyond language models, combining machine learning, data processing, and real-time systems to develop and test new capabilities.
In her role, Laura focuses on helping shape these technologies into reliable and scalable product solutions. With a background in product management, conversational UX, and user research, she contributes to connecting technical innovation with clear product direction and practical use cases.

Jean-Marie John-Mathews is the Co-CEO and co-founder of Giskard AI, a company focused on testing, evaluating, and securing AI systems. An AI safety researcher with a PhD from Université Paris-Saclay, his work explores explainable AI, fairness in machine learning, and the societal impacts of automated decision-making. Before founding Giskard in 2021, he worked at the intersection of data science, ethics, and public policy, including leading research initiatives at the Good In Tech academic chair and teaching quantitative methods, AI, and public policy at institutions such as Sciences Po and Université Paris-Dauphine. Jean-Marie is widely recognized for his research on AI risks—including misinformation, bias, and adversarial attacks—and for advancing practical tools and benchmarks that help organizations build safer and more trustworthy AI systems.

AI Evangelist & Product Lead AI, sipgate GmbH · Stefan Lange-Hegermann explores the question of how product development changes when code costs almost nothing anymore. Prototypes replace specifications, building replaces discussing — and judgment becomes the real bottleneck. He also works on this in practice at sipgate: as Product Lead for sipgate Flow, a platform that enables AI agents to conduct real phone calls — with phone numbers, call control, audio streams, STT and TTS via an API, without needing your own telephony infrastructure.

Martin Woodward is Director Global Legal and Global Responsible AI Officer at Randstad, where he leads the design and implementation of the company’s Responsible AI program while overseeing global tech, procurement, and IT contracting. A seasoned in-house attorney and AI law leader, Martin works at the intersection of law, technology, and digital innovation, advising on large-scale IT projects, data protection, and AI governance. He is admitted to the Dutch Bar, chairs the NGB digitisation working group, and is an active contributor to leading AI and IT law associations.

Amit Segev is the CTO at Avon AI, where he focuses on the deployment of AI agents in enterprise environments, with particular emphasis on regulated industries. His work is centered on helping organizations move from experimentation to production by building a management platform for AI agents. It helps organizations to build agentic systems that are robust, governable, and aligned with compliance, risk, and operational requirements. Amit’s perspective is shaped by hands-on work at the intersection of product, deployment, and organizational adoption. He previously led the development of Ella, a customer-facing GenAI agent in a digital bank, experience that continues to inform his approach to trust, oversight, and responsible deployment at scale.

Michael Ikemann is Head of Data & AI at Lechler GmbH, where he integrates AI, agentic systems, and data engineering into a 145-year-old industrial company. With over 25 years of experience in software engineering, his expertise spans computer vision, deep learning, autonomous systems, and agentic AI architectures. Before joining Lechler, he spent five years as Lead Data Scientist at Zühlke Group. Michael is passionate about bringing agentic AI from research into production — building systems that don't just analyze data but autonomously reason, plan, and act in complex enterprise environments.

Ardian Friedrich is a technical specialist at IBM focusing on AI governance, development and deployment of AI and business process automation based on AI. He supports customer AI projects from the idea towards the production environment and ensures that AI is not only stuck in the development phase. He is specialized on planning and implementing agentic workflows and ensures that these workflows are transparent and observable on production environments.

Adonis Celestine bio Adonis Celestine is the Senior Director of Automation Testing with Applause. With nearly two decades of software testing experience, Adonis is an automation expert, QA thought leader, and an accomplished writer and public speaker. He is the author of “Quality Engineering: The Missing Key to Digital CX” (2022), “Continuous Quality: The Secret of the Pharaohs” (2021), which won the EuroSTAR Software Testing Award, and “As the World Turns: A Predictive Test Approach with Machine Learning” (2019). He has delivered speeches and keynotes at eventsincluding TestNet, Testdag, Testcon, EuroSTAR, Romania Testing Conference, Belgium Testing Days, AutomationSTAR and many more. Adonis regularly writes for multiple tech publications and his articles have been featured in AI Journal, Digital IT News and AT Today.

"Denis Turkov is a technology advisor and ex-Spryker Chief Architect with 15+ years in e-commerce and 9 years leading platform architecture.

He has helped 30+ commerce teams, including ALDI, Siemens Healthineers, Hornbach, and Pistor, launching across 16 countries and scale systems to 300M–3B EUR GMV, with peak throughput reaching 50,000 orders per minute.

Denis specializes in building AI-ready commerce foundations by combining product and data architecture, agentic selling UX, and support automation, helping D2C manufacturing and retail brands improve conversion on complex products, increase AOV, and reduce support load. "

Jan Zubíček serves as AI Product Manager at ČSOB, Czech Republic's leading bankinsurance group and part of KBC Group, where he bridges technical capabilities with business objectives to shape and execute strategic AI initiatives. With over 20 years of experience spanning IT, data, and AI domains, he played a key role in bringing Kate to life - ČSOB's groundbreaking conversational AI assistant that has handled over 10 million customer interactions and set new industry standards for personalized banking services. His current focus is on leading the convergence of business, AI, and IT to bring the next generation of intelligent automation to banking - moving beyond conversational interfaces toward AI that acts on behalf of customers and employees across complex workflows. His expertise combines deep technical knowledge with strategic business insight, gained from working with both startups and enterprise organizations throughout his career.

Dominik is a Senior AI/ML Engineer who turns the potential of GenAI into reliable, production-grade reality. Specializing in NLP and search, he focuses on building agentic systems that move beyond the hype and into fully operational scale.

He has a proven track record of delivering end-to-end solutions across the spectrum—from the agility of startups to highly regulated enterprise environments. Dominik owns the entire lifecycle, including LLMOps and infrastructure across AWS, Azure, and on-premise deployments. By leading high-impact teams and staying aligned with business goals, he ensures even the most ambitious AI agents are built for the rigors of production.

Most recently, he worked as part of the team at ČSOB bank to transform complex organizational data into the Kate AI Assistant, an internal chatbot for employees. In this role, he was responsible for the solution design of both the data science and backend components.

Sapir Turkenitz is an AI UX Designer with ~10 years of experience building intelligent, human-centered products. She led UX for Wix’s AI Assistant from 0–1 as the first designer, shaping core interaction patterns and agent workflows at scale. Today, she is Head of AI Product Design at an AI infrastructure startup, designing tools and systems for Small Language Models and modern AI development.

Peter M. Buch is the founder of Findable, an AI-SEO platform making brands discoverable in ChatGPT and other AI search engines. A serial entrepreneur and Forbes 30 Under 30 alum, he explores how agentic AI is reshaping marketing and customer growth.

Diana Bühler is a passionate data & AI professional at IBM with more than a decade of experience shaping the future of artificial intelligence across the DACH region. In her role as Delivery Manager within IBM Expert Labs in DACH, she leads AI projects from a services perspective, guiding organizations through the successful deployment of cutting‑edge AI software solutions.
Her team of highly skilled consultants delivers impactful projects ranging from LLM‑based chatbots, voicebots, to advanced agentic AI use cases — bringing IBM's watsonx software platform to life.
With her additional experience in license sales, Diana brings a holistic understanding of the end-to-end Data & AI journey, further strengthened by her international academic background.

Stephan Ritter is a Director at Deloitte Consulting and a leading voice in Agentic Commerce transformation, specializing in the intersection of AI, customer experience, and loyalty. With over two decades of experience spanning consulting, digital agencies, and global client leadership roles, he has worked with major brands such as IKEA, Deutsche Telekom, Nestlé, and Hugo Boss to drive large-scale commerce and CX transformation. At Deloitte, Stephan focuses on helping enterprises become “agent-ready” by integrating AI-driven commerce infrastructures, machine-readable data strategies, and next-generation loyalty models. A recognized thought leader, he actively contributes to shaping industry perspectives on open commerce protocols, agent ecosystems, and the future of AI-driven customer journeys.

Felix Hoffmann is CEO of 7Learnings, where he builds AI systems that automate and optimize commercial decisions in retail, especially pricing, promotions, and demand. Previously, he led pricing initiatives at Zalando, giving him a practitioner’s view on how predictive models translate (or fail to translate) into margin, sell-through, and operational reality. Today his work focuses on decision automation: turning fragmented commerce data into decision-grade signals that AI agents can act on.