15. International Restructuring Symposium 2026

From 09:00 To 17:00

FH Kufstein Tirol

Fri 16 Oct

Shaping the Future - Between People, Technology and Entrepreneurial Spirit

• What does leadership look like in the age of AI?
• How do innovations arise - and how do they find their way into established organizations?
• And what happens when vision, market, and reality collide?

Our conference brings together thought leaders, practitioners, and decision-makers to explore these questions openly, honestly, and with a forward-looking perspective.

Verena Fink will open with an inspiring keynote, "Rethinking Leadership - Humans and AI as a Strategic Ecosystem," showing how technology and human strengths can jointly make the future possible.

Prof. Dr. Reiner Kurzhals will provide in‑depth, practical insights on "AI in Production," with a focus on efficiency, quality, and competitiveness.

Johannes Pracher will take us into the world of innovation and address "How Startups Work - and How They Can Be Integrated into Corporates," a reality check between agility and corporate structures.

Stefanie Schauer will speak candidly about "Starting a Business: Between Vision and Reality" and about what entrepreneurship truly demands - beyond pitch decks and idealized images.

Lisa Kraft‑Scheiderer will examine transformation in family businesses and demonstrate how tradition and change need not be in conflict.

A special highlight: Case Study - EDEKA: the self‑administered insolvency of Germany’s largest independent food retailer, examined from multiple perspectives with Lars Richter and Dr. Frank Schäffler. We will also be joined by Prof. Dr. Martin Hörmann.

This conference is an invitation to shift perspectives, to engage in exchange on equal footing, and to think ahead together.

I look forward to seeing you.

• Opening Video 2025 | LinkedIn

Rethinking Leadership: Humans and AI as a Strategic Ecosystem

• How is artificial intelligence changing decision-making processes, accountability, and team dynamics?
• What skills do leaders need when machines are involved in decision-making?
• And how can we strike a balance between efficiency, control, and human judgment?

Agentic AI - Practical Process Automation in Mechanical Engineering

AI agents in industrial manufacturing enable the technological transition from traditional, passive information systems to autonomous AI agents - secure, compliant, and delivering maximum value in industrial settings. They represent the leap from "talking" to "acting" and function as fully-fledged digital assistants.

How do startups work, and how can they be integrated into large corporations?

What happens when the stability of established corporations meets the dynamism of agile startups? That’s exactly what this session explores: with energy, real-world examples, and the question of how to shift from a “play not to lose” mindset to a “play to win” mindset. A humorous and inspiring look at business model innovation, digital speed, and why you sometimes have to break the rules - not in spite of, but because of tradition.

Starting a Business: Between Vision and Reality

From Crisis Mode to Future-Readiness: Transformation, Leadership, and Cultural Change in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Small and medium-sized enterprises have proven that they can weather crises. The question is not whether they will survive, but in what form. Companies that integrate transformation, leadership culture, and AI will emerge from the crisis stronger than before. This presentation aims to demonstrate that a generational shift requires a fundamental change in the foundation. Strategy is what you plan. Culture is what actually happens. It must be shaped. AI is also a driver of change. It alters how knowledge is generated and flows, how decisions are prepared, and which roles will still be needed in the future and which will not. Sustainability is not a destination; it is a mindset.

The German food retail sector is under immense pressure to change. Consumer restraint and the trend towards discount stores are colliding with increasing regulatory requirements and significant investment needs, for example, in new refrigeration and energy technologies. At the same time, purchasing conditions, prices, and product ranges are increasingly dictated by large retail groups, thus further diminishing the entrepreneurial flexibility of regional retailers. In this case study, we demonstrate the complexity this environment presents for restructuring – particularly when operational challenges are compounded by historically burdened balance sheet structures.

Markus Exler kicks things off with some interesting guests from our Online Salon, live from the studio at FH Kufstein Tirol – University of Applied Sciences.

In the afternoon, the TMA workshop is once again For Women only.

The scene meeting place in the Kufstein Auracher Löchl for all participants of the 2026 annual conference – on a self-paying basis or at the invitation of the sponsors. 

Please book directly.