Corporate Oversight in the Age of AI, Quantum Technologies, and Disruptive Innovations

These questions were at the heart of the executive program “Future of Corporate Oversight”, held for the first time last November 2025 – a two-day continuing education program tailored for supervisory board members, co-led by Prof. Dr. Claudia Peus,  Vice President for Talent Management and Diversity at TUM and Director of the TUM Institute for Lifelong Learning, and Dr. Ralf Wintergerst, CEO of Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) and President of the industry association Bitkom.

The program brought together nearly 30 board members, primarily from DAX-listed companies. The program’s goal was to give participants firsthand experience of future technologies – for example, through visits to the Robotics and Quantum Labs – while also discussing the implications of technological transformation through practical insights from outstanding executives and long-serving CEOs. The program also considered the political perspective. Discussions focused on the course Germany must set to better leverage technological potential and shape a value-based societal transformation.

From Theory to Boardroom Impact: Immersion in TUM’s Technology Ecosystem

The first day was dedicated to technological developments in artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, and digital transformation. The individual sessions were tailored to the needs of the supervisory board members to expand their knowledge with the latest scientific findings and enrich their professional exchange with one another. Those who understand new technologies can make well-informed supervisory and strategic decisions.

In their opening remarks, Prof. Claudia Peus and Dr. Ralf Wintergerst made the following points clear:

• AI and quantum technologies are advancing faster than ever before.
• Supervisory boards must understand these technologies in order to remain strategically capable of acting.
• Technological competence is a leadership responsibility today, not just a topic for specialists.

The program kicked off with Tech Talks and keynotes featuring world-leading scientists and outstanding industry executives:

• Introduction to the Tech Talks and digital transformation with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Helmut Krcmar, Chair of Business Informatics and Business Process Management, TUM.
• Tech Talk on image processing and artificial intelligence with an assessment of current trends by Prof. Dr. Daniel Cremers, Chair of Image Processing and AI, TUM, and Director of the Munich Center for Machine Learning.
• Keynote on global race in technology by Dr. Ralf Wintergerst, CEO of Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) and President of the industry association Bitkom.
• Practical insights into digital transformation across various industries by Angelika Huber-Strasser, Regional Managing Partner South at KPMG, and Harald Krüger, member of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Telekom and Lufthansa.

Experiencing Technologies at the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI)

The afternoon program of the Future of Corporate Oversight event took place at the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI) in Garching – one of Europe’s leading research centers for human-centered robotics and artificial intelligence.

The participants gained practical insights into how new technologies are fundamentally transforming industries such as healthcare, mobility, manufacturing, and sustainability. The session included keynotes, lab tours, and demonstrations:

• Intelligent bio-robotic systems with Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Masia, Executive Director, Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI), and a live demonstration of robot-assisted exosuits.
• Collaborative robotics with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Darius Burschka, Chair of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Real-Time Systems, TUM, who demonstrated how robots learn from humans and interact directly with them.
• Perception for Intelligent Systems with Prof. Dr. Achim J. Lilienthal, Chair of Perception for Intelligent Systems, TUM, who shed light on the “Factory of the Future.”
• Strategic reflections on the day with Prof. Dr. Helmut Krcmar and concluding remarks by Prof. Dr. Claudia Peus.

The first day concluded with a keynote address by Dr. Reinhard Ploss, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Knorr-Bremse, during a joint dinner at the KPMG offices.

Responsibility, Governance, and the Path to an AI Future

The second day of the Future of Corporate Oversight Program focused on the questions that will significantly shape the work of supervisory boards: How can disruptive technologies be managed responsibly? What governance structures does an organization need in the age of AI? And how can companies prepare for a future in which artificial intelligence and quantum technologies become key drivers of value creation?

The following experts provided guidance on these issues:

• Keynote on Shaping Digital Transformation: Policy Between Innovation, Ethics, and AI by Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus, Minister for Digitalization and Innovation, Hesse.
• Governance in the Age of AI – From Compliance to Adaptability: A Brief Guide for Executives by Prof. Urs Gasser, Rector of the University of Political Science (HfP) and Dean of the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology.
• Insights into the next era of computing with quantum technologies with Dr. Marcus Hennig, Head of Business and Projects, planqc.
• Quantum Technologies – Insights into current research and future potential by Dr. Max Werninghaus, Group Lead Quantum Control, Walther-Meissner-Institute (WMI).

• Tech Talk on Data Analysis and Machine Learning by Prof. Dr. Stephan Günnemann, Chair of Data Analytics and Machine Learning at TUM and Director of the Munich Data Science Institute.
• Economic Development Through Technological Advances – by Dr. Jochen Moebert, Senior Analyst for Macroeconomics at Deutsche Bank.
• Panel: The Revival of Strategic Planning – Competitive Advantage and Strategic Vision in Times of “Extraordinary Disruption” with Prof. Dr. Thomas Hutzschenreuter, Chair of Strategic and International Management, TUM, and Sabine Eckhardt, Member of the Supervisory Board at CECONOMY, Senior Advisor at BCG, and Senior Lecturer at TUM.
• Closing reflections and concluding remarks by Prof. Dr. Claudia Peus and Dr. Ralf Wintergerst.

The key messages from the second day can be summarized into three main areas of action:

1. Responsibility
   AI and digital transformation require clear values, trust, and social responsibility.
2. Governance
   Organizations need new decision-making frameworks that enable faster action without sacrificing stability. Governance is evolving into a learning, adaptive structure.
3. The Path to the AI Future
   Supervisory boards must actively track technological developments, assess AI’s value creation potential, experiment early on, and systematically build expertise in AI and other disruptive technologies such as quantum technologies.
   

With 15 sessions covering technology, geopolitics, and strategy, the Future of Corporate Oversight program provided a comprehensive overview of the key future topics for supervisory board members. Participants from various supervisory boards gained a deep understanding of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and quantum technologies, as well as practical insights from leading experts. At the same time, the program introduced new governance approaches for an era of rapid disruption and provided clear strategic guidance for the work of supervisory boards in the future.

You can find more information about the program here:

Future of Corporate Oversight – Harnessing the Power of Digital Transformation & AI

The two-day program provides supervisory board members with a sound understanding of key future technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and digital transformation. It highlights how these developments influence business models, markets, and strategic decision-making. Participants strengthen their ability to effectively guide their organizations in a technology-driven environment.

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