{"id":19828,"date":"2026-08-20T09:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T07:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/ai-with-business-benefits-daniel-fiechter-appears-on-the-shift-podcast\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T09:59:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T07:59:42","slug":"daniel-fiechter-shift-podcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/daniel-fiechter-shift-podcast\/","title":{"rendered":"AI with Business Benefits: Daniel Fiechter Appears on the \u201cshift\u201d Podcast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Can AI Be Turned Into Real Business Value?<\/h2>\n\n<p>New AI models, tools, and use cases are emerging almost daily. But which of them actually help a company move forward? And how can you prevent a passion for innovation from turning into a chaotic \u201ctechnology zoo\u201d? In the fourth episode of \u201cshift \u2013 Das Signal im Rauschen,\u201d Balz Z\u00fcrrer speaks with Daniel Fiechter, CIO and Managing Director at Vitra, about pragmatic digitalization, clear AI strategies, and how leadership is changing as humans and AI work together.   <\/p>\n\n\r\n<div style=\"text-align:center;padding:15px 0 29px 0;\">\r\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/033PfO15H2YOis98RUhIme\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px; background-image:linear-gradient(90deg,#980043 0%,#281923 100%); color:#ffffff; font-family:&#039;Open Sans&#039;,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-style:italic; font-size:16px;line-height:1;text-decoration:none; padding:14px 28px; border-radius:10px 0 10px 10px;\">\r\n    <svg viewbox=\"0 0 168 168\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" fill=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n      <path d=\"M84 0a84 84 0 1 0 0 168A84 84 0 0 0 84 0zm38.5 121.2a5.2 5.2 0 0 1-7.2 1.7c-19.7-12-44.5-14.8-73.7-8.1a5.2 5.2 0 1 1-2.3-10.2c31.9-7.3 59.4-4.2 81.5 9.3a5.2 5.2 0 0 1 1.7 7.3zm10.3-22.9a6.5 6.5 0 0 1-9 2.2C101.2 86.7 66.8 82.6 40.1 90.7a6.6 6.6 0 1 1-3.8-12.5c30.5-9.3 68.4-4.8 94.4 11.1a6.5 6.5 0 0 1 2.1 9zm.9-23.8C106.7 58.4 62 56.9 36.2 64.7a7.8 7.8 0 1 1-4.5-15C61.3 40.7 110.5 42.5 141.7 61a7.8 7.8 0 0 1-8 13.5z\"><\/path>\r\n    <\/svg>\r\n Listen now and subscribe\r\n  <\/a>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technology as a Lever for Business<\/h2>\n\n<p>Daniel Fiechter operates at the intersection of business leadership, technology, and customer experience. As CIO and Managing Director at Vitra, he is responsible for the company\u2019s technological transformation and operational excellence. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe hcb-fetch-image-from=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Zn5ZtdczbBo\" title=\"#4 shift | Daniel Fiechter \u00fcber AI mit Business-Nutzen, neue Prozesse und Leadership im Wandel\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Zn5ZtdczbBo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p>Previously, he served as Group CIO and a member of the Executive Board at STOBAG, where he oversaw the digital transformation of a traditional industrial company. His entrepreneurial roots as the founder of taktwerk GmbH continue to shape his perspective on technology to this day: What matters most is not the latest tool, but the concrete business benefit. <\/p>\n\n<p>At Vitra, too, Daniel Fiechter does not view IT as merely system administration. Technology should improve business processes, support strategy, and be deployed where it makes a real difference for the company. In our conversation, he sums it up with one key idea: IT and business are becoming increasingly inseparable.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI Needs Focus, Not Technology Hype<\/h2>\n\n<p>Following the emergence of ChatGPT, Vitra was quick to establish an internal AI task force. Employees from various departments were able to experiment and identify potential applications. This resulted in more than 100 use cases.  <\/p>\n\n<p>However, the sheer number of ideas also presented a challenge: Similar use cases were sometimes being pursued in different departments, with different partners, and using different technology stacks. It was therefore clear to Daniel Fiechter that a greater focus and a common strategy were needed. <\/p>\n\n<p>Today, Vitra is deliberately focusing on areas where AI can deliver tangible added value. The primary focus is on improving efficiency, sales support, and the management of product knowledge. <\/p>\n\n<p>However, the discussion does not begin with the question of which AI model or agent should be used. First, it must be clear exactly which problem needs to be solved. <\/p>\n\n<p>Not every challenge calls for AI. Especially in existing processes, traditional automation may still be the more sensible solution. Only once processes, data, and desired outcomes are understood can one assess which technology will actually make a difference.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rethink processes instead of just adding new tools<\/h2>\n\n<p>For Daniel Fiechter, a key strategy is not simply to use AI to make existing processes a little faster. Rather, companies should ask themselves how a process could be fundamentally redesigned using today\u2019s technological capabilities. <\/p>\n\n<p>After all, if you simply add another specialized tool for every problem, you\u2019ll end up with a \u201ctechnology zoo\u201d over time: many individual applications, increased complexity, and additional costs\u2014without a corresponding increase in business value.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/Podcast_Fiechter_Totale-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/Podcast_Fiechter_Totale-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.online.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/Podcast_Fiechter_Totale-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.online.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/Podcast_Fiechter_Totale-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.online.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/Podcast_Fiechter_Totale-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.online.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/Podcast_Fiechter_Totale-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Balz Z\u00fcrrer (left) talking with Daniel Fiechter (right).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p>Vitra therefore takes a platform-based approach and relies on the Microsoft platform for its AI initiatives. Documents and knowledge are already stored in Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams. This allows the company to focus more on the actual problems and use cases, rather than having to decide on specific technologies and models anew for each use case.  <\/p>\n\n<p>The platform concept is intended to help centralize access to knowledge and build new solutions on a shared foundation.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">People need to help shape the change<\/h2>\n\n<p>In addition to technology and processes, adoption also plays a crucial role. At Vitra, there are about 40 to 50 AI enthusiasts from various departments who are trying out new possibilities and sharing their knowledge throughout the organization. <\/p>\n\n<p>This bottom-up approach is complemented by accessible training sessions and regular forums for exchange. For example, employees can use Copilot Chat to share their experiences with text, image, and video generation, as well as other AI applications. <\/p>\n\n<p>At the same time, experimentation alone is not enough. According to Daniel Fiechter, as soon as processes are to be fundamentally changed, clear decisions\u2014and, in some cases, a top-down approach\u2014are also needed. It\u2019s not just a matter of gradually improving existing processes, but of fundamentally rethinking them in light of new possibilities.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leadership Between People and AI<\/h2>\n\n<p>With AI agents, the way work is organized and managed in the future is also changing. For Daniel Fiechter, a key skill for leaders will be the ability to distinguish between tasks that can be performed autonomously and those that still require human involvement. <\/p>\n\n<p>Well-defined processes with clear outcomes can increasingly be automated. However, when it comes to complex decisions, critical situations, or situations that require context, experience, and tact, humans remain indispensable. <\/p>\n\n<p>This may also change our understanding of leadership. In the future, what will matter most is not so much how many employees someone leads, but rather the results achieved\u2014regardless of whether individual tasks are performed by people or agents. <\/p>\n<div class=\"onbox bd-8dwgmcafrddrnrh06cfj9rt76o6oet wp-block-bd--- wp-block-bd-block-1375 bd-resizeobserve\"><p class=\"bd-0yf56vja20h0ixeh5qo1bjqsdxrcsj\">&#8220;I think it&#8217;s becoming increasingly important to distinguish between what really requires human decision-making and what I can let run autonomously.&#8221;<\/p><p class=\"bd-tm1tjrn4bjl3j4e9ftard2js1tnvo8\">Daniel Fiechter<\/p><p class=\"bd-3rekxr7mpfb5v8uosfop4fte9192pf\">CIO &amp; Managing Director | Vitra<\/p><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Willingness to adapt is becoming a crucial skill<\/h2>\n\n<p>Technological development is constantly accelerating. It is difficult to predict with any reliability exactly what skills will be needed in five or ten years. <\/p>\n\n<p>This makes the ability to adapt to new situations and apply existing skills to new tasks all the more important for Daniel Fiechter. A willingness to embrace change and the ability to adapt are thus becoming key skills in a workplace that is constantly evolving due to AI. <\/p>\n\n<p>He is convinced, however, that work will not simply disappear. Rather, roles and tasks will change\u2014much as they have during previous technological upheavals. <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Listen to the fourth episode of \u201cshift\u201d now<\/h2>\n\n<p>The conversation with Daniel Fiechter offers a deliberately pragmatic perspective on AI and digital transformation. It addresses the question of how companies can develop a clear focus from a multitude of ideas, why business value should take precedence over technology, and why processes must be fundamentally reimagined in light of these new possibilities. <\/p>\n\n<p>In addition, Balz Z\u00fcrrer and Daniel Fiechter discuss how to get employees on board with change and what roles people and AI agents will play in companies in the future.<\/p>\n\n<p>The fourth episode of <strong>\u201cshift \u2013 Das Signal im Rauschen\u201d<\/strong> is now available on <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/5CXcljHpverKTFPL9Qgc97?si=wQ2buRf-QH6vnBoTUZu7cg\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/5CXcljHpverKTFPL9Qgc97?si=wQ2buRf-QH6vnBoTUZu7cg\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spotify<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Zn5ZtdczbBo\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Zn5ZtdczbBo\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How Can AI Be Turned Into Real Business Value? New AI models, tools, and use cases are emerging almost daily. But which of them actually help a company move forward? And how can you prevent a passion for innovation from turning into a chaotic \u201ctechnology zoo\u201d? In the fourth episode of \u201cshift \u2013 Das Signal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19803,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77,80],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about-us","category-ai-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19828"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19832,"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19828\/revisions\/19832"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.online.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}