Transformation on Romano Roth

Europe Only Survives AI If We Act, You Too

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Artificial Intelligence does not decide Europe’s future. Human decisions do. In this talk, I show what you can do differently starting tomorrow: which skills to build, how to choose AI tools, and how to reduce dependencies. No moral finger-wagging, just straight talk.

Zühlke Banking Talk: The Road to the AI-Native Bank

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Banks spend 93% of their AI budget on technology. Only 7% goes to people. And then they wonder why 95% see no impact on their P&L.

On March 31, 2026, I gave a keynote at the Zühlke Banking Talk in Schlieren on why the future of AI is “cybernetic” and what it takes to become an AI-native bank. The evening brought together perspectives from academia, a major German bank, and practitioners from Swiss financial institutions.

The AI-Native Bank: Why AI's Future Is Organisational

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

How to build adaptive, AI-native organizations where people, technology, data, and AI models work together efficiently.

$30 to 40 billion invested in generative AI globally. 95% of companies see no impact on their P&L. Only 5% create real value. Companies spend 93% on technology and only 7% on people. What is missing is not the next tool. What is missing is the ability to steer and adapt.

How to Build a Future-Ready Organization

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In this LeanPub podcast episode, host Len Epp and I have a deep conversation about my book “The Cybernetic Enterprise: How to Build a Future-Ready Organization.” We cover everything from my career journey at Zühlke, to why the future is cybernetic rather than just AI, to the practical steps of enterprise transformation. If you have ever wondered what it takes to build an organization that can continuously adapt, this conversation covers the essential ideas.

The Cybernetic Enterprise: turning industrial AI hype into lasting value

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 22:00:00 +0000

AI is everywhere, but clarity, strategy, and real impact are often left by the wayside. We live in the era of what Romano Roth has dubbed ‘AI idiots’, an era of flashy demos rather than genuine long-term value. But a smarter way forward is possible. Discover the Cybernetic Enterprise and the business value it offers for industrial organisations.

Cybernetics Is the Future: Why AI and DevOps Alone Won’t Get Us There

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 21:25:27 +0000

“AI won’t fix your broken processes. DevOps won’t save your business. But Cybernetics might.”

At DevOps Pro Europe 2025 in Vilnius, I had the privilege of delivering the opening keynote to a packed hall of engineers, architects, and leaders navigating the ever-accelerating evolution of enterprise technology. My message was direct:

Continuous Security with DevSecOps and Platform Engineering

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Imagine a world where security is seamlessly integrated into your development workflow from ideation until production, so that development teams can completely focus on feature development while building secure applications. That is exactly what I presented at the OWASP Chapter Meetup Switzerland. In this talk, I show how platform engineering transforms modern application security and makes DevSecOps a reality at scale.

The Cybernetic Enterprise is Coming: Are You Ready?

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 23:00:00 +0000

In August 2025 I will release my new book, The Cybernetic Enterprise: How to Build a Future-Ready Organization.

It is the product of two decades spent guiding enterprises through DevOps, platform engineering and, more recently, AI-driven transformation. Today I want to give you a deeper look at what the book delivers, and why it matters right now.

What Does Good DevOps Look Like?

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the Ship It podcast, Gerhard Lazu and I have a deep conversation about what good DevOps looks like in practice. We talk about the real challenges companies face during transformations, how to deal with middle management resistance, technology choices, and where the industry is heading with AIOps and hyper automation.

DevOps Institute Podcast: DevOps Is NOT Dead

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I joined Eveline Oehrlich, Chief Research Officer at the DevOps Institute, on the Humans of DevOps podcast for a conversation about whether DevOps is dead. Spoiler: it is not. But the reality in most companies is that we have not progressed as far as many people think. In this episode, we talk about what a Chief of DevOps actually does, why companies still struggle with walls of confusion, how platform engineering enables scaling, and my prediction about digital factories.

DevTalk Podcast: The State of DevOps

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the DevTalk podcast, my colleague Kerry Lothrop and I have a conversation about the state of DevOps. We have known each other for many years at Zühlke, and Kerry wanted to pick my brain on what DevOps really means today, where companies struggle, and where the industry is heading.

DevOps Transformations: My Lessons Learned

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

DevOps transformations look simple on paper. Take an existing environment, add the Spotify model, throw in SAFe, sprinkle some Team Topologies, add DevOps and platform engineering, stir well, add as many tools as possible, and stir again. What happens? It crashes. And people say “DevOps is bullshit.”

Overcoming Resistance: The Powerful Method You Need

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In this podcast episode, I have a conversation with Peyton Einhaus about one of the most challenging aspects of any transformation: dealing with resistance. Whether you are running an agile transformation, a DevOps transformation, or any organizational change, resistance is always present. The question is how you handle it effectively.

D for DevOps: The Philosophy of Software Engineering

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 22:00:00 +0000

I had the honor of being interviewed by 📈 Matt Warcholinski 💾 from Brainhub in his 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭🎙️ on 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.

🔎 If you’ve ever wondered about the ins and outs of introducing 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐎𝐩𝐬 into your organization, this episode is a must-listen! We delved into some fascinating topics, and I’m thrilled to share a few highlights from our conversation:

DevOps Is NOT Dead

Wed, 10 May 2023 06:49:56 +0000

Join Eveline Oehrlich and Romano Roth, to discuss whether DevOps is Dead.

Transcript
#

Narrator 00:02 You’re listening to the humans of DevOps podcast, a podcast focused on advancing the humans of DevOps through skills, knowledge, ideas, and learning, or the skil framework.

DevTalk Podcast Episode 88: The state of DevOps. With Romano Roth

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 06:43:01 +0000

On episode 88 of DevTalk I and Kerry W. Lothrop speak about the state of DevOps.

Original Post: DevTalk 88: Romano Roth

Golem.de Interview: "When we talk about DevOps, we need to talk about people"

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 23:00:00 +0000

Romano Roth is Chief of DevOps at Zühlke. In this interview, he explains why DevOps is not bullshit, how transformation succeeds in companies, and what IT students really need to learn.

DevOps with SAP: Theory and Practice

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

At this event, I spoke alongside Carsten Brandt from SAP about DevOps in theory and practice. While I presented the theoretical foundations of DevOps and showed how companies can move from projects to products, Carsten brought the practical perspective from over 21 years at SAP. His honest message: the theory has been well established for years, but execution is anything but easy, especially in complex enterprise landscapes.

Lean Portfolio Management at Zühlke

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 11:34:31 +0000

As a leading innovation company with 1600 employees in Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, Serbia, Bulgaria, Singapore, Hong Kong, Portugal, Switzerland and Vietnam, Zühlke has always some ongoing and planned strategic initiatives.

What is SAFe® for DevOps Course?

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 17:58:51 +0000

The SAFe® for DevOps training is an assessment or a workshop that is ideally suited for teams. Why? Because the focus is on driving the value stream of these teams. Addressing questions, challenges, and any potential obstacles - we can work on the training to provide value to them. We will give them the theory input of what exactly DevOps is.

How to start a DevOps transformation

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 18:20:54 +0000

At first glance, a DevOps transformation seems to be a major undertaking for any company. But with the right approach, you can keep the process lean and agile.

Insight in brief
#

Start small with a small to medium sized project or product.
Select the right people to ensure sufficient credibility and influence.
Continuous improvement is key to success.

How to Build a Winning DevOps Team

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

A DevOps transformation is not magic. Any company can do it. What makes the difference is who you put on the first team — because that team has to deliver the proof that DevOps actually works in your context.

Experience Report: How to Introduce DevOps in a Large Enterprise?

Thu, 31 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Introducing DevOps in a large enterprise is difficult. But wait, why do we want to introduce DevOps in the first place? Good question.

The Full Story
#

In this talk, I answer the question and show you what happens when you introduce DevOps, and what does not happen.

What is the Business Case for DevOps?