The Optimist – Conversations with the leaders and industries shaping Europe’s digital future
The Optimist – Conversations with the leaders and industries shaping Europe’s digital future
Podcast Description
Welcome to The Optimist! Enjoy real talk with the leaders shaping Europe’s future, exploring the innovations that drive progress across the continent.
The Optimist is presented and produced by ‘TECH by Handelsblatt‘ and hosted by Felix Zeltner, award-winning journalist and founder of Remote Daily.
The Optimist builds a year-round community leading up to the Technology Experience Convention Heilbronn (TECH). With TECH, Handelsblatt Media Group, Handelsblatt and Schwarz Digits are creating a strategic platform to strengthen the European tech ecosystem. TECH‘s mission is to establish a „cluster of optimism“, connecting Europe’s most influential leaders across technology, industry, politics, and academia. More at tech-europe.org
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
This podcast focuses on innovation, technology leadership, and digital sovereignty, with episodes covering AI advancements through interviews with key figures like Dr. Andrej Levin and discussions on Europe's potential in cybersecurity and quantum computing with guests like Rolf Schumann.
Welcome to The Optimist! Enjoy real talk with the leaders shaping Europe’s future, exploring the innovations that drive progress across the continent.
The Optimist is presented and produced by ‘TECH by Handelsblatt‘ and hosted by Dr. Dale Rickert, Managing Director at TECH by Handelsblatt.
The Optimist builds a year-round community leading up to the Technology Experience Convention Heilbronn (TECH). With TECH, Handelsblatt Media Group, Handelsblatt and Schwarz Digits are creating a strategic platform to strengthen the European tech ecosystem. TECH‘s mission is to establish a „cluster of optimism“, connecting Europe’s most influential leaders across technology, industry, politics, and academia. More at tech-europe.org
Christian Kirschniak, Managing Director and Partner at BCG
AI is everywhere — in boardrooms, in strategy decks, and in daily workflows.
But are we truly integrating it or just experimenting?
In this episode of The Optimist, Dale Rickert speaks with Christian Kirschniak, Managing Director and Partner at BCG, about what it takes to move from pilots to real, AI-led transformation. They explore why governance matters more than tools, how legacy systems slow progress, and why leadership – not technology – ultimately determines success.
This conversation goes beyond strategy alone. It looks at how vision, build, and execution must come together to create impact at scale.
If you’re responsible for strategy, digital transformation, or long-term positioning this conversation is for you.
What role should AI play in shaping Europe’s competitive future?
The Optimist is presented by TECH by Handelsblatt Media Group and independent from the Handelsblatt editorial team.
With the Technology Experience Convention Heilbronn (TECH), Handelsblatt Media Group, Handelsblatt and Schwarz Digits are creating a strategic platform to strengthen the European tech ecosystem. TECH‘s mission is to establish a „cluster of optimism“, connecting Europe’s most influential leaders across technology, industry, politics, and academia. More at tech-europe.org
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