Katharina Schneeberg

“We’ve always done it this way.” If that’s the answer to why things are done the way they are, we should talk.

I believe in neither innovation theatre nor chance. What interests me is how organizations truly shape the future, through AI, clear decision-making, and the courage to challenge the status quo. Because innovation rarely fails due to a lack of ideas or technology; it usually fails because of habits, silos, and resistance to change.

My areas of expertise are AI strategy, innovation management, digital transformation, and change. I am less interested in the next hype cycle and more in understanding how technology, leadership, and organizational culture must work together to make transformation successful. I take clear positions, provide orientation in complex times, and firmly believe that the future does not begin with the next tool, but with a decision.

On stage, I share hands-on experience, practical examples, and sometimes uncomfortable truths. Clear in my views, approachable in my style, and bold in my thinking, I am driven by one goal: helping people and organizations move from discussion to action.

Learning has never been an end in itself for me. I have always been driven by the desire to understand new things and turn what I learn into action. That mindset shaped the very beginning of my career at CTS EVENTIM, where I completed a dual study program that combined academic learning with hands-on experience. Theory and practice went hand in hand: learning, applying, questioning, improving. That cycle has guided me ever since.

After starting out in the live entertainment industry, my path led me through a variety of roles in e-commerce and customer experience management. Those years taught me how customer needs become tangible solutions, how strategies translate into operational processes, and how ideas evolve into products that create real value.

At the same time, one thing was always clear to me: growth does not stop with the next title or position. Whenever I felt that I was no longer learning, evolving, or making an impact, I deliberately sought out the next challenge. This mindset gradually shifted my focus from operational execution toward innovation, transformation, and artificial intelligence.

Today, I serve as Head of Innovation & Technology at the German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW). In this role, I work at the intersection of business, technology, and digital transformation. My areas of focus include AI strategy, innovation management, change, and helping organizations navigate the opportunities and challenges that come with emerging technologies.

What fascinates me most is how my own role has evolved over time. While I used to build products, processes, and projects, my work today is often about bringing together people, perspectives, and ideas. I moderate discussions, guide transformation processes, create orientation in complex environments, and help establish the conditions in which innovation can thrive. To me, this is perhaps the most meaningful form of leadership: not providing every answer, but creating the space where new answers can emerge.

As a speaker, I talk about AI, innovation, transformation, and modern leadership. I am less interested in big promises and more interested in practical questions: How do we create progress? Why do transformation efforts fail? And what does it take for people and organizations to develop the courage to challenge the status quo and explore new paths?

I bring clear perspectives, practical experience, and a strong belief that the future does not simply happen, it is created by those willing to shape it.