D:PULSE Launched First Conference in Zurich

The new global business conference network by Frank Schneider and Christian Muche launches with a phenomenal kick-off event

On August 21, the first boutique conference of the new global business network event series D:PULSE took place in Zurich. The IAA Swiss Chapter was there as a partner and was able to welcome many IAA members to the Kosmos, who were able to benefit from beneficial conditions.

D:PULSE, the new global business network event series, launched its first boutique conference in Zurich on 21 August 2019. The two initiators and co-founders, Christian Muche and Frank Schneider, welcomed over 500 selected national and international guests.

Under the headline ‘It’s about context’, the conference placed various topics from the field of digitalization in a comprehensive context. Participants from across all sectors discussed technologies and their sustainability, as well as their impact on digital communication, from a consumer’s point of view and evaluated the resulting consequences. Business leaders and visionaries from various sectors, creative minds, researchers, high tech experts, philosophers, luminaries and Gen Z talents and representatives took to the stages. Among them were international top speakers and celebrities, as well as politicians, business tycoons and Swiss experts.

D:PULSE in Zurich was supported by Swiss Post, which acted as a presenting partner, as well as Philip Morris International, SAP, Global Goals House, Discovery, iProspect, The Blank Collar, Refinery29, Westhive AG as co-working partner, and Zürich Tourism, which offered support as the hosting city. The event was further supported by numerous cooperation partners, such as the Swiss Dialogue Marketing Association, the IAA (Interactive Advertising Association) Swiss Chapter, Swiss Marketing & Swiss Marketing Zürich, the CDO Club, the Women in AI and Mission Female initiatives, as well as Startup TV, Start-up Pilot, Business Innovation Week and TheArts+.

‘The months leading up to the event were an exciting time of preparation and we worked hard to make sure that D:PULSE is in keeping with the zeitgeist. The programme’s mix was extremely successful, combining inspiration, knowledge from international markets and the Swiss economy, as well as new business models and their influences, such as technologies and the consumer perspective,’ said Frank Schneider and Christian Muche. ‘The entire team is delighted with the new event concept’s enthusiastic reception and is highly motivated to roll out the event series internationally and continue to expand our network.’

Highlights of D:PULSE in Zurich

Sir Martin Sorrell, Executive Chairman at S4 Capital and founder of the WPP media and advertising holding, talked about how he aimed to turn the agency world upside down. He also touched on how, in a world full of walled gardens and data platforms, advertisers and brands need to regain control.

Sven Hannawald, Olympic and world champion, winner of the Four Hills Tournament, entrepreneur and TV expert at Eurosport, talked about digital balance, the impact of the media and followership.

Dr. Philipp Rösler, former German Federal Minister of Economics and Vice Chancellor, joined Sebastian Matthes, Deputy Editor in Chief and Head of Digital at Handelsblatt Media Group, to discuss international start-ups, technologies and political framework conditions in the FIN:TECH session.

Lilian Bours, Brand and Partnership Director Huawei, Western Europe, showed how a company that has come under fire can solve its problems with a great story.

Johan Jervoe, Chief Marketing Officer at UBS, explained what ‘The New Now!’ really means to UBS and its customers.

Marisa Tschopp, AI researcher at scip AG, the Zurich-based cyber security company, and WOMEN IN AI Ambassador Switzerland, talked about ethics and trust in the field of artificial intelligence and about digital assistants. She also focused on how increasing automation impacts our personal responsibility.

Charles Bahr, Project Z founder, explained how, when it comes to Generation Z, he offers support in questions related to marketing communication, human resources (recruiting) and processes.

Tim Alexander, CMO at Deutsche Bank AG, shared his opinion on how banks need to re-position themselves and change how they communicate with their customers.

Martin Graf, VP Product Management Digital Products at Swisscom AG, talked about transformation and new customer experiences.

Susanne Aigner-Drews, Managing Director at Discovery Communications in Germany, shared her assessment of the future of linear television.

Alexander Schlaubitz, Vice President Marketing at Lufthansa AG, talked about empathy and understanding customers.

Sustainability influencers Anna, Maja, Emma and Mikkel explained why sustainability is the key to a positive future both for us and the next generations.

Luca Boller, the first Swiss professional FIFA eSports player with FC Basel 1893, offered insights into why eSports means more to him than just pressing buttons.

Timothy Hughes, co-founder and CEO of Digital Leadership Associates, took a closer look at how to use social networks to build trust and a society that creates value.

Michael Kunst, Senior Vice President Commercial Transformation at Philip Morris International, explained how one of the world’s largest tobacco manufacturers is transforming into a science and technology provider for smoke-free products.

About D:PULSE

D:PULSE is the global business conference network with sustainable impact. The new format is organized by Excitare AG from dmexco founders Frank Schneider and Christian Muche, who develops innovative event concepts for the digital industry.

D:PULSE is aimed at top decision-makers, visionaries and game changers in the fields of Digital Marketing & Communications, Technology & Innovation as well as Business & Strategy. In unconventional formats and under the slogan "CONNECT / EXPERIENCE / LEARN", D:PULSE inspires collaboration, lead generation, experience exchange, knowledge transfer and inspiration. The dominating and equally groundbreaking focus of the global series of events is the consumer’s perspective in a digitized world. The motto "It's about context, not content" illustrates a decisive added value of D:PULSE and picks up on a strong industry need: the consistent interpretation and foresight of digital changes with all their interplay. Instead of common platitudes and already well-known statements, the really relevant and highly topical issues like social and corporate sustainability, responsibility and social impact as well as a consistent customer perspective are in the forefront. The two initiators attach great importance to the explanatory connections and predictable consequences of the current trends and developments and less to familiar keywords. The D:PULSE brand, which has been known since 2017 as an annual eponymous event, reinvents itself completely, addresses additional target groups and expands worldwide.

The D:PULSE Zurich on August 21, 2019 is the kickoff event of the network. Further stops follow in Vienna, Tokyo and Berlin.

Further information on the D:PULSE Zurich can be found at www.dpulse.ch

All details about the global business conference network D:PULSE are available at www.dpulse.global