I am honored to share that I have been named a Digital Shaper 2026 in the Mentors category. The Digital Shapers initiative, organized by BILANZ, Handelszeitung, and digitalswitzerland with the support of Huawei, recognizes 100 of Switzerland’s most influential digital minds each year across ten categories.
What Are the Digital Shapers?#
The Digital Shapers is one of Switzerland’s most prestigious recognitions in the technology and digital transformation space. Every year, a jury selects 100 personalities who are shaping the country’s digital future. The ten categories for 2026 are: AI Acrobats, Androids, Cloudriders, Defenders, Energizer, Fintechies, Frameworkers, Health Techies, Quantum Leapers, and The Mentors.
The award ceremony, the Digital Shapers Gala, took place on March 24, 2026, at the Folium in Zurich.
The Mentors Category#
The Mentors category honors those who share their knowledge and experience to empower the next generation of digital leaders. Mentors are the advisors, trainers, coaches, and community builders who ensure that digital transformation is not just about technology but about people.
This resonates deeply with my belief that sustainable progress requires humans remaining integral to technological systems. Technology alone does not create transformation. It is the combination of people, platforms, and purpose that drives real change.
A Journey of Over 20 Years#
This recognition reflects a journey that has spanned more than two decades at Zuhlke Group, where I currently serve as Global Chief of Cybernetic Transformation and Partner. Looking back, several milestones stand out:
- Community building: As President of DevOpsDays Zurich and co-organizer of the Zurich DevOps Meetup (3,000+ members), I have always believed that shared learning accelerates transformation.
- Teaching: As an instructor at HSLU (Hochschule Luzern), I work with the next generation of technology leaders to give them the skills they need.
- Knowledge sharing: With over 400 YouTube videos, numerous publications, and talks at conferences worldwide, making complex topics accessible has always been a core part of my work.
- Writing: My books on the Cybernetic Enterprise provide a practical framework for organizations seeking to become future-ready through continuous learning, AI-augmented intelligence, and fast feedback loops.
What Drives Me#
My work centers on the idea that the future belongs to organizations that can learn, adapt, and evolve. The Cybernetic Enterprise is more than a concept. It is an operating model where technology, people, and processes form a continuously learning system. AI is not a replacement for human judgment but a partner that amplifies it.
This award is not just a personal milestone. It is a validation that the topics I care about, Agile,DevOps, Platform Engineering, AI, Cybernetic Transformation, and community-driven knowledge sharing, are making an impact.
Thank You#
I want to thank everyone who has been part of this journey: my colleagues at Zuhlke, the DevOps community in Switzerland and beyond, my students at HSLU, and all the conference organizers and co-speakers who create spaces for knowledge exchange. This award belongs to all of us.