Stress-Test Corona: Digitalisierung betrifft alle Bereiche | Interview mit Martin Wambach

Digitalization sounds abstract, so I make it tangible with two thoughts: First, it's the impact of seven technology megatrends—mobile, IoT, cloud, AI, social media, big data, blockchain—that change our lives. Second, these trends develop along three strands: steady technical progress, supplementing business models with digital offerings like e-commerce, and innovative, destructive new business models, where cloud and big data enable creative destruction, turning entire industries obsolete overnight. The Corona crisis acted as a catalyst and stress test. Winners are companies with high digital maturity and robust supply chains; losers face pressure or disappearance. Cybercrime exploded, becoming an existential risk. The German economy has weathered the test relatively well, with champions showing resilience. Yet many sectors lack digital competence, cybersecurity is weak, and in B2C, US and Chinese giants dominate, though German unicorns are emerging. The public administration and education lag far behind. Classic family-owned businesses have strengths but face challenges: outdated IT, cyber threats, lack of management qualification, and poor digital employer branding. At Rödl & Partner, we placed digitalization at our core over a decade ago, focusing on people, consolidating IT into global services with over 170 staff across 115 countries, and building platforms that benefit our clients. This is a continuous process, not a one-time project.