Post by Stefan Feldmann

🙏 Grateful for the Journey — and Ready for What’s Next After nearly six years with ZEISS Digital Partners, it’s time for me to turn a new page. What started as a leap into the unknown — from mechanical engineering and consulting into the world of digital marketing and customer experience — became one of the most enriching chapters of my career. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to explore a field that was completely new to me. I’ve learned that no matter the industry, it’s the people around you who make the difference. And I’ve been lucky to work with some truly exceptional ones. 🙌 Thank You to the Trust Builders Simon Clausen & Matthias Gohl — How come you trusted a dry and boring mechanical engineer to deal with the UX/UI and development nerds? 😄 Andreas Müller & Peter Amend — Thank you for continuing that trust and supporting my path forward. 👥 To My Team Leads Severina Popova-Dlugosch — You taught me to focus on what truly matters: the user. You built an amazing team that brings systemic design into ZEISS - and I am happy to have been part of that journey. Boris Maric — You opened the world of software development to me. Boris — I know you didn’t trust this would work when interviewing me… but look how far we came together!  Marcel Kujat — You are a masterclass in calm and steady leadership. Also: you helped me when I forgot my laptop in Munich, laughed with me when I stepped in dog 💩 before a 4-hour trip, and so much more. Thank you all for your trust, patience, and partnership! 💬 To My Peers Michaela Haug, Dr. Timo Weyrauch, Simon Dittlmann, Johannes Klein — I know you had plenty of “roll-eyes moments” when Dr. Feldmann came in, being the only one saying “No” when everyone else was d’accord 😄 I hope it helped — to me, you made every single discussion, especially the tough ones, something I looked forward to. 💙 To the Entire Team & Stakeholders Thank you for accepting me as I am — energetic, passionate, sometimes intense — and for helping turn that energy into something meaningful. 🔄 What’s Next? While I’ll miss accompanying the journey that lies ahead for the current team, I’m excited to return to my roots. Starting September 1, I’ll be leading a team focused on IT and digitalization in production — a space close to my heart and engineering background. More on that later… 💡 What I Wish I’d Learned Sooner It’s not about chasing titles or climbing ladders. It’s about staying true to what really matters to you, and where you can make a difference. For me, this means caring for people with heart. It means creating a sense of belonging, offering purpose, and never forgetting the power of a good laugh along the way 😄. So here’s to the next chapter — and to all of you who made this one so special. Let’s stay in touch. And thank you for being part of this ride. #Gratitude #Leadership #teamZEISS