Katrin Lehmann & Sead Ahmetovic

Inside Mercedes-Benz: How CIO Katrin Lehmann is Empowering 5,000 Developers and Driving Digital Change

At Mercedes-Benz, even the CIO uses GitHub Copilot. See how they rolled out AI to 5,000 developers to drive massive digital change.

Inside Mercedes-Benz: How CIO Katrin Lehmann is Empowering 5,000 Developers and Driving Digital Change
#1about 7 minutes

From economics student to hands-on technologist at SAP

Katrin Lehmann shares her unconventional journey into tech, starting with economics and learning programming on the job with a focus on data migration and master data.

#2about 6 minutes

Why a software leader joined the automotive sector

The decision to move from SAP to Mercedes-Benz was driven by a desire for new challenges and the appeal of working with tangible, innovative products.

#3about 3 minutes

Defining the scope of the CIO role at Mercedes-Benz

The CIO is responsible for all enterprise IT, from employee devices and production plant software to cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure, excluding in-car systems.

#4about 5 minutes

Fostering a modern engineering culture at scale

Mercedes-Benz scales agile practices using the SAFe framework and improves developer experience through continuous feedback, surveys, and providing a central platform for all engineering teams.

#5about 7 minutes

Leadership's commitment to continuous hands-on learning

The entire leadership team dedicates one hour every Friday to hands-on learning and reverse mentoring sessions with internal tech experts to stay current with AI.

#6about 6 minutes

Why AI will augment developers, not replace them

The demand for software is growing so rapidly that AI tools will be essential for boosting developer productivity to meet future needs, evolving the role rather than eliminating it.

#7about 4 minutes

How Europe can compete in the global tech landscape

To retain top talent and foster innovation, Europe needs to increase investment in the tech sector and cultivate a culture that is more accepting of risk.

#8about 1 minute

Encouraging the next generation of tech innovators

Aspiring tech leaders are encouraged to embrace technology, learn continuously, and build their ventures in Europe to help the region's ecosystem flourish.

#9about 3 minutes

A quick-fire round on personal and professional preferences

A series of rapid-fire questions reveals personal preferences on work habits, technology choices, cars, and who she would have dinner with.

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