The freedom to design

In June 2025, Stefan Schmautz joined AdEx Partners as a partner—along with a team of experts in AI transformation and a healthy dose of entrepreneurial spirit. Through AdEx Intelligence, he helps our clients actively shape the future of AI-driven transformation.

In the interview, Stefan talks about his first months at AdEx Partners. About integration, personal responsibility, and what makes AdEx Partners so special.

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

Stefan Schmautz
#GesichterMerkenUndNamenLernen
#IfMSTeamsIsTheMarket Leader, You Can Do Anything
#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 honestly, I even underestimated it with that. At the same time, I had a strong team by my side that carried us through this phase, as well as many helpful colleagues and loyal clients who made our start significantly easier—a big thank you at this point! Coming from a start-up, we were promised a high degree of personal responsibility and creative freedom—and that is precisely what I have found here: entrepreneurship. It often feels more like a scale-up than a traditional consultancy—with excellent people who bring years of experience, for example from CIO roles, and a genuine passion for their topics. For me, this mix is a key success factor of the AdEx Partners model as a trusted advisor over the past few 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 truly shape things. I am particularly drawn to actively driving our own transformation into an AI-native consulting firm. We want to be among the best here—and pass the benefits directly on to our clients. AdEx Partners offers the ideal conditions for this: an entrepreneurial spirit, an openness to change, and the energy to boldly tackle new things.

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

Stefan Schmautz At our core, we make AI transformations successful by focusing on the essentials and holding ourselves to the highest standards. Stemming from an AI product management perspective, we bring an uncompromising focus on measurable results—on outcomes. Our standard is clear: we are only satisfied when we, together with data and AI, achieve demonstrable business value on the P&L statement. This results-driven approach combines deep technical understanding with pragmatism—so that AI doesn't just remain a buzzword, but creates real, sustainable value.

AdEx Partners: What makes AdEx Partners special in this regard?

Stefan Schmautz It is the consistently lived principle of the Trusted Advisor: deep experience, long-term client relationships, and an attitude that I haven't seen anywhere else on the market to date. We don't stay on the sidelines – we walk the path together: pragmatically, reliably, long-term, and in partnership. For me, that is the essence of AdEx Partners – and one of the central reasons why this model has been so successful in recent years.

The interview was conducted by Christin Rau.

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