3 + 4 November · Vienna · hybrid conference · 12th Edition
Digital Leadership Forum 2025
Digital Leadership Forum · Digital Comms · Corporate Culture · Boutique Conference
Digital Leadership Forum
Digital Communications, Corporate Culture & Digital Transformation in the era of the rise of AI
Join us for a boutique conference in Vienna and online.
Two days full of inspiring workshops, talks, discussions and side events on digital transformation, the use of AI, digital communications, future of hybrid work, digital equality, social media, corporate culture and leadership. The conference will be held in the Haus der Ingenieure, a traditional city palace, in the center of Vienna. Most sessions can also be attended online.
Digital Leadership Forum · 3rd + 4th November 2025
Speakers
Antonina Shelepova
Schneider Electriс (Hungary)
Global Communications manager Global Supply Chain, Europe
She can relate to the following quote "Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.” (Brian Tracy)
Dale Brodie
Five Guys Europe (UK)
Internal Communications Manager
Dale Brodie is an expert in internal communications and creative brand content, specializing in engaging storytelling, design, and event management.
Erik Hartman
Advatera (Netherlands)
Moderator
Expert in enterprise information management and business process optimization
Ewa Hermanowicz
FSC Forest Stewardship Council (Italy)
Senior Regional Communications Manager Europe
Guy Van Leemput
(Belgium)
Guy Van Leemput is an expert in digital workplaces and intranet solutions, leading the ValueIntranet Community of Practice in Belgium and advising organizations on effective communication and technology strategies.
Judith Pinkas
Brain & Heart (Austria)
Expertin für Prozessmanagement, digitale Transformation und strategische Kommunikation mit Fokus auf Effizienzsteigerung und Innovation.
Kerstin Valet
CRIF Deutschland (Austria)
Regional Director Marketing & Communications
Le Thuy Duong
Global VAT Compliance (Netherlands)
Marketing Communications Specialist
The quote that resonates with her: “Innovation means starting from customers’ experience towards the product, not the other way around”. Her perspective embraces the idea that customer-centricity, allows marketers to build genuine connections, foster loyalty, and ultimately drive sustainable innovation that resonates deeply with the audience.
Lucia Čorbová
Slovnaft (Slovakia)
Internal & External Communication Specialist
Marie Gonzalez
Advatera (Austria)
Moderator
From the organisation to the speaker inputs and get together times, the conference is a very rich learning space. The following quote catches her attention: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Marie-Christine Hoffelner
Mondi Group (Austria)
Social Media Manager
Marie-Christine is a passionate and creative social media manager with a strong background in digital communication, content creation, and SEO, currently shaping the online presence of Mondi Group. With a love for technology, sustainable brands, and storytelling - always infused with a touch of humor, she brings bold ideas to life both in the digital space and beyond.
Nicolas Ospina
Schneider Electric (Spain)
Senior Communications Manager - Digital Customer Experience
Nicolas loves translating complex technical topics through impactful campaigns, personal narratives, and digital innovation. Helping digital leaders feel understand, seen, heard, and connected - whether voices from diverse backgrounds shine is what drives him every day.
Oliver Bartelt
DMK Group (Germany)
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Oliver views corporate communications as a strategic function rather than just a service provider. Since 2017, he has been driving the transformation process at the DMK Group, following leadership roles in communications at AB InBev and Berentzen Group AG. He is known for his unconventional yet clear approach.
Peter Erni
Brain & Heart Communication (Switzerland)
CEO, Author and Lecturer
Peter Erni is an entrepreneur and expert in strategic content and social media marketing. He teaches at HWZ, ZHAW, BFH, and HSLU and has published recently a case study on Reception Marketing in Essentials of Modern Marketing by Philip Kotler.
Rafaela Swersina
Primetals Technologies (Austria)
Digital Marketing Manager
Sarah Sunderbrink
zooplus (Germany)
Head of Social & Influencer Marketing
If our pets could order for themselves: The first social media campaign at zooplus
Susanne Richter
MKS Instruments (Germany)
Communications Director
Tuanni Marshall
Transport for London (UK)
Social Media Manager
Ulyana Biasedzina
Oikocredit (Netherlands)
Corporate Communications Specialist
Viktorija Pirstele
Girteka (Lithuania)
Head of Internal Communication
Viktorija's passion is employees’ relations, engagement, communication and learning. She loves helping people to succeed in the organization and discover the best version of themselves. She is experienced bringing people and business needs together.
Virginia Wieser
Borealis (Austria)
Corporate Newsroom: Head of Content & Editor-in-chief, Group Media Spokesperson
As a story teller, she loves language, graphic design, problem solving, learning something new every day. Illustrating, protecting and defending a complex product or service she has learnt to understand and appreciate. Working in a global B2B environment can be demanding at times, and she thrives on it.
Volker Grünauer
Advatera (Austria)
Moderator
Moderator of the Advatera community of practice
Yann Jeschke
NETZSCH Group (Germany)
Director Group Corporate Brand & Communications
To him, “Communication is the key to EVERYTHING”
Agenda
Track A
Digital Leadership and Business Transformation
Digital Leadership and Business Transformation
Track
B
Digital External Communications & Marketing
Digital External Communications & Marketing
Track
C
Digital Internal Communications, Digital Workplace & Hybrid Work
Digital Internal Communications, Digital Workplace & Hybrid Work
Room A
Monday, Nov 3
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CET
Registration and Welcome
Marie Gonzalez, Advatera
Room A
Monday, Nov 3
1:00 pm – 1:05 pm CET
Welcome by Volker Grünauer, conference chair
Volker Grünauer, Advatera
Room A
Monday, Nov 3
12:05 pm – 3:00 pm CET
Workshop: Making digital transformation a winner: How to align strategy and execution
Many digital transformations fail, mainly because of the lack of a proper strategy. This results in no or little effort on executing the strategy.
In this masterclass you will learn how to execute your digital strategy for digital transformation success. You will get the instruments to define, share, execute, measure, and improve a digital strategy.
Erik Hartman, Advatera
Room B
Monday, Nov 3
10:05 am – 1:00 pm CET
From Concept to Reality: Leading AI Adoption in Your Organization
Join this workshop to explore how generative AI is moving beyond experimentation and becoming a core part of business operations in marketing and communications. We’ll look at how AI copilots, custom agents, and task automation are already reshaping marketing, communications, and customer engagement—shifting from one-off tools to embedded, strategic capabilities.
You’ll gain insight into the evolution from generic AI models to efficient, domain-specific systems that integrate directly into everyday workflows. As the EU AI Act sets new standards for transparency and responsibility, we’ll unpack what it means to build ethical, trustworthy AI—putting “Human in the Loop” at the center of smart automation.
We’ll also discuss how to work with AI when data is limited or sensitive, how to spot realistic use cases in your team, and how to lead the cultural shift toward human–AI collaboration—where creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking remain irreplaceably human.
Room C
Monday, Nov 3
11:05 am – 2:00 pm CET
Masterclass: Digital Workplace in the AI Age
Yann Jeschke, NETZSCH Group
Room A
Monday, Nov 3
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm CET
Walk to our cultural activity
Room A
Monday, Nov 3
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm CET
Viennese encounters: A cultural experience
Visit of the museum Unteres Belvedere.
Room A
Monday, Nov 3
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm CET
A flavourful Austrian night: eat, chat & enjoy at Akzent Theater
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
8:45 am – 9:00 am CET
Good Morning & Check-In
Marie Gonzalez, Advatera
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
4:45 am – 5:30 am CET
Moderated Roundtable Discussions
Reception Marketing: Transitioning from Campaign-Based to Always-On Marketing for Cost Efficiency and Results
Human in the Loop: Integrating Generative AI with Human Leadership
Building Engaged and Reslilient Communities
Hybrid Work: Mantaining Corporate Culture and Employee Engagement Online
Leveraging AI for Enhanced Customer Experience
B2B Campaigns in Social Media
…
Marie-Christine Hoffelner, Mondi Group
Peter Erni, Brain & Heart Communication
Susanne Richter, MKS Instruments
Sarah Sunderbrink, zooplus
Judith Pinkas, Brain & Heart
Guy Van Leemput
Erik Hartman, Advatera
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
9:30 am – 9:45 am CET
Digital Leadership – thoughts by conference chair Volker Grünauer
Volker Grünauer, Advatera
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
9:45 am – 10:30 am CET
Keynote: The Art of Leadership Communication
Viktorija Pirstele, Girteka
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
10:30 am – 11:00 am CET
Break & Networking
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
11:00 am – 11:30 am CET
Navigating the Ethics of AI and Experimentation in Marketing: Driving Digital Transformation Responsibly
Le Thuy Duong, Global VAT Compliance
Room B
Tuesday, Nov 4
11:00 am – 11:30 am CET
Innovative and engaging approach of presenting stories via story maps
Ewa Hermanowicz, FSC Forest Stewardship Council
Room C
Tuesday, Nov 4
11:00 am – 11:30 am CET
Bridging the communication gap: supporting middle managers in becoming stronger communicators
Susanne Richter from MKS will take you through the strategies and tools she applied to elevate manager communication within the company she works for. This session offers actionable tips and hands-on experience, highlighting the journey of learning and adapting to foster a well-informed, motivated workforce.
Susanne Richter, MKS Instruments
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
11:30 am – 12:00 pm CET
Power of collaboration – How to successfully lead and create synergies between marketing and sales
Kerstin Valet, CRIF Deutschland
Room B
Tuesday, Nov 4
11:30 am – 12:00 pm CET
Amplifying Corporate Communication: How Podcasts Drive Engagement and Brand Awareness
Lucia Čorbová, Slovnaft
Room C
Tuesday, Nov 4
11:30 am – 12:00 pm CET
Initial launch of Five Guys internal comms platform, with an intranet demo
Dale Brodie, Five Guys Europe
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CET
Lunch & Learn
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
1:00 pm – 1:05 pm CET
Afternoon opening thoughts by Volker Grünauer
Volker Grünauer, Advatera
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
1:05 pm – 1:50 pm CET
Keynote
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm CET
Building Engaged and Resilient Communities
Sarah Sunderbrink, zooplus
Room B
Tuesday, Nov 4
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm CET
Bridging Borders: Empowering a Global Workforce for Authentic and Localized Social Media Success
Rafaela Swersina, Primetals Technologies
Room C
Tuesday, Nov 4
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm CET
The Industry, the Boomers, and Us? How We Strengthen #teamDMK for Change and Drive Transformation from Within
Driving change in a conservative industry is a challenge. This talk will showcase how the DMK Group communicates internal values and leverages change management campaigns to inspire employees for transformation and make them more resilient to external influences.
Oliver Bartelt, DMK Group
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm CET
Break & Networking
Room B
Tuesday, Nov 4
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm CET
The Power of Social-First Campaigns
Tuanni Marshall, Transport for London
Room C
Tuesday, Nov 4
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm CET
Shaping Connection: Strategic Internal Communication for an Engaged and Aligned Workforce
Antonina Shelepova, Schneider Electriс
Room A
Monday, Nov 3
10:00 pm – 10:00 pm CET
Breaking Barriers: Digital Inclusion in the AI Era
In this era of AI, digital inclusion isn’t just about access to technology—it’s about making sure no one’s left behind as the world moves forward. Because if AI is shaping our future, everyone deserves a voice in how it’s built and used.
Nicolas Ospina, Schneider Electric
Room B
Tuesday, Nov 4
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm CET
Crisis Communications: Essentials for When the Going Gets Tough
In this practical session, we will explore the fundamental elements of crisis communication. Learn what to prepare and have on hand to effectively and confidently navigate difficult situations, and ensure your organization is ready to respond when the going gets tough.
Virginia Wieser, Borealis
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm CET
Townhall - Summarizing the Conference
Erik Hartman, Advatera
Room A
Tuesday, Nov 4
4:30 pm – 7:00 pm CET
Get-together, Networking, Wine and Good Food
Agenda and locations subject to changes
Join us...
Register below for the Digital Leadership Forum November 3-4, 2025. The conference is held at House of Engineers, a prestigious Viennese city palace.
Included in the ticket are both days of workshops and sessions as well as a cultural side event and dinner on Monday evening, catering for both days and the get-together after the conference on Tuesday.
Advatera
Advatera stands for the regular exchange of experiences between digital, communication and marketing managers. Challenges you have faced in digital, web or intranet projects have almost certainly been experienced by others. The sharing of experiences can help your organization reduce its costs and sharpen its focus on essential success factors.
Address of conference venue:
Haus der Ingenieure (House of engineers)
Eschenbachgasse 9
1010 Vienna