Freedom to Shape

In June 2025, Stefan Schmautz joined AdEx Partners as a Partner – together with a team of experts in AI transformation and a large dose of entrepreneurial spirit. With AdEx Intelligence, he supports our clients in actively shaping the future of AI-supported transformation.

In this interview, Stefan talks about his first few months at AdEx Partners. He discusses integration, personal responsibility, and what makes AdEx Partners so special.

AdEx Partners: Stefan, what three hashtags would you give your first few months at AdEx Partners?

Stefan Schmautz:
#FacesToNames
#IfMSTeamsIsTheMarketLeaderYouCanAchieveAnything 
#AITransformation

AdEx Partners: Is your job at AdEx Partners what you expected it to be?

Stefan Schmautz: I expected the integration of our start-up teams to be intense – and, to be honest, I even underestimated it. At the same time, I had a strong team at my side that supported me through this phase, as well as many helpful colleagues and loyal clients who made the start much easier for us – a big thank you to everyone! Coming from a start-up, we were promised a lot of personal responsibility and creative freedom – and that's exactly what I found here: entrepreneurship. It often feels more like a scale-up than traditional consulting – with excellent people who bring years of experience, for example from CIO roles, and genuine enthusiasm for their topics. For me, this mix has been a key success factor for the AdEx Partners model as a Trusted Advisor in recent years.

AdEx Partners: You are new as a Partner at AdEx Partners. What makes this role and the company special for you personally?

Stefan Schmautz: For me, it's the freedom to really shape things. I'm particularly excited about actively driving forward our own transformation into an AI-native consultancy. We want to be among the best in this field – and pass the benefits directly on to our clients. AdEx Partners offers the best conditions for this: entrepreneurial spirit, openness to change, and the energy to boldly tackle new things.

AdEx Partners: What problems do you solve for your clients?

Stefan Schmautz: Essentially, we make AI transformations successful by focusing on the essentials and setting ourselves the highest standards. Coming from an AI product management perspective, we bring with us an uncompromising focus on measurable results – on outcomes. Our goal is clear: we are only satisfied when we achieve demonstrable business value in the profit and loss statement together with data and AI. This results-oriented approach combines deep technical understanding with pragmatism – so that AI does not remain just a buzzword, but creates real, sustainable added value.

AdEx Partners: What makes AdEx Partners special?

Stefan Schmautz: It is the consistently applied principle of the Trusted Advisor: in-depth experience, long-term client relationships, and an attitude that I have not seen on the market before. We do not stand on the sidelines – we walk the path together: pragmatically, committedly, long-term, and in partnership. For me, that is the essence of AdEx Partners – and one of the key reasons why this model has been so successful in recent years.

The interview was conducted by Christin Rau.

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