The Optimist – Conversations with the leaders and industries shaping Europe’s digital future

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

The Optimist – Conversations with the leaders and industries shaping Europe’s digital future is a technology podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 22 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Optimist – Conversations with the leaders and industries shaping Europe’s digital future, a technology show with 22 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #21

  Beyond AI: The Human Factor in a Changing World

  Jun 8, 202637 minS0

  With Jan Brorhilker, Managing Partner Assurance, EY <p>In this episode of The Optimist, Dale Rickard speaks with Jan Brorhilker, Managing Partner Assurance at EY Germany, about how AI is reshaping leadership, careers, and the role of human skills in the workplace.</p> <p>They explore why knowledge is becoming commoditized, how leadership is evolving, and why adaptability, communication, and trust are becoming the most valuable skills in an AI-driven world. The conversation also touches on broader challenges — from talent shortages to bureaucracy — and what it will take for Europe to stay competitive in times of uncertainty.</p> <p>The Opti...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #20

  Europe’s Path to Technological Survivability

  May 25, 202634 minS0

  With Holger Schell, Head of Technology & Foundation, Schwarz Digits <p>Everyone talks about AI. But what about the systems underneath it?</p> <p>In this episode of The Optimist, Dale Rickert speaks with Holger Schell, Head of Technology & Foundation, Schwarz Digits, about the infrastructure layer behind Europe’s digital future.</p> <p>They explore why sovereignty is no longer just a political concept, but a technical and operational necessity. From cloud infrastructure and security to resilient architectures and trusted systems.</p> <p>With TECH in Heilbronn bringing together Europe’s leading voices from business, politics, and science, this episode highlights a pe...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #19

  From AI Pilots to Real Systems — Why Frameworks Matter

  May 11, 202627 minS0

  With Matthias Emler, Partner at Horváth <p>AI is everywhere — but most of it never scales.</p> <p>In this episode of The Optimist, Dale Rickert speaks with Matthias Emler, Partner at Horváth, about why so many AI initiatives get stuck in pilots and what it really takes to turn them into scalable systems.</p> <p>From chatbots to agent-based automation, they explore how companies can move step by step — starting small, but building toward real transformation. The conversation highlights the importance of frameworks, data governance, and organizational alignment and why technology alone is never enough.</p> <p>With T...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #17

  From AI Hype to AI Workflows: Where do companies really create business value?

  Apr 13, 202629 minS0

  Oliver Steil, CEO of TeamViewer <p>AI can generate outputs in seconds — but real value is created in workflows.</p> <p>In this episode of The Optimist, Dale Ricket speaks with Oliver Steil, CEO of TeamViewer, about what it really takes to move from AI experimentation to operational impact. They explore why the biggest challenge isn’t capability, but integration — how AI fits into real processes, systems, and day-to-day work. From fragmented pilots to complex enterprise environments, the conversation reveals why workflows are the true battleground of AI.</p> <p>With TECH in Heilbronn bringing together Europe’s leading voices from bus...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #16

  Europe’s AI Moment: From Industry Strength to Global Leadership

  Mar 30, 202637 minS0

  Thomas Saueressig, Chief Customer Officer and Member of the Executive Board of SAP SE <p>Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future topic — it’s already reshaping how businesses operate.</p> <p>In this episode of The Optimist, Dale Rickard speaks with Thomas Saueressig, Chief Customer Officer and Executive Board Member at SAP, about what it really takes to turn AI into measurable business value. From productivity gains across entire value chains to the importance of business context, data, and trust — this conversation goes beyond hype and dives into execution.</p> <p>They also explore why Europe may have a unique...

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on The Optimist – Conversations with the leaders and industries shaping Europe’s digital future. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.