Michael strengthens us as a new partner with commitment, both on the Board of Directors and in operational matters. As an experienced entrepreneur and agency founder, he not only brings strategic vision, but also a keen sense of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.
He will be involved in the further development of Panter: In the strategic positioning, in customer projects and in expanding the range of services, especially in AI-driven topics.
To get to know Michael a little better, we asked him eleven questions about his experience, his motivation and what particularly appeals to him about Panter.
Why are you joining Panter right now?
After many years of development work at Hinderling Volkart and the successful integration into Dept, I realized that I needed an environment again in which I could work and shape things in an entrepreneurial way. Panter is at an exciting point – with strong values, a great team and real creative fields such as AI, innovation and agency development. I feel at home in these areas.
What particularly appeals to you about Panter?
The combination of tech excellence, entrepreneurial drive and the sociocratic leadership model is something special. Panter is down-to-earth, courageous, curious – and has built up an unbelievable powerhouse of energy with the Impact Hub and over 20 start-ups. I want to help shape and develop this.
What is your specific role?
I support Panter on the Board of Directors and work operationally on key future topics: the development of new AI offerings, the positioning and direction of Panter and the further development of the innovation ecosystem.
What experience do you bring to the table?
Experience in working with people, in creative processes and holistic, sustainable growth. From some complementary topics and with my still fresh external perspective, I hope to be able to provide valuable impulses for the further development of Panter. Conversely, I think that I will be able to gain many new experiences at Panter that will enrich and advance me and my personal perspective.
How do you see the future of the agency sector?
After a somewhat sobering phase, also from an entrepreneurial point of view, I am feeling a lot of new impetus again. The new possibilities of AI are certainly a key driver or trigger here, but topics such as sustainability and circularity, new working models and value orientation are also changing our field. Agencies need to reinvent themselves – technologically, culturally and methodically.
What role does AI play in your new role?
A central one. At Panter, we don’t just want to work with AI, we also want to understand how it can be used sensibly, responsibly and in a user-centered way. I’m looking forward to helping design new applications – for example in the context of the Swiss {ai} Weeks.
How does Panter differ from other agencies?
Thanks to its deep understanding of tech, its agile and participative culture and its proximity to real innovation drivers. Panter not only works for customers, but also through the community – that is a strong USP.
What is important to you personally in your work?
In addition to the strategic issues and the further development of Panter as a service provider, my focus is strongly on the environment and the people. I am interested in what it takes for each and every one of us to develop and perform to the best of our ability. Passion, commitment, authenticity, creative freedom. Helping to create an environment in which people can develop, their potential is recognized and a shared vision is implemented. I like creative energy with a down-to-earth approach.
How do you assess the role of AI in the creative industry – opportunity or risk?
AI is fundamentally turning existing rules and laws upside down on every conceivable level at an unprecedented speed. And it also raises many questions. It is a major challenge and task to use AI in a creative and responsible way.
How is AI changing UX design and software development?
AI is not only changing interfaces, but also the way we think and build software. UX is becoming more dynamic, more dialogical, more situation-dependent – and needs new concepts for trust, context and control. In software development, the boundaries between design, code and data are becoming blurred. Classic linear, rule-based thinking is reaching its limits.
What do agencies and software service providers need to be able to do today in order to remain relevant tomorrow?
They need to bring technology and creativity together in new ways – and be prepared to question familiar ways of thinking. In traditional software development, characteristics such as structure, clarity and predictability were decisive for a long time. But at a time when systems are increasingly learning, adaptive and open, other qualities are needed: Curiosity, flexibility, iteration – and the ability to deal productively with uncertainty. At Panter, we have learned to develop viable solutions together with clients in complex, rapidly changing constellations. Today, this experience helps us not only to keep pace in a radically new technological context, but also to actively shape it.
