April 2026

Panel Discussion: Eblinger & Partner x MEDPERION

Our Eblinger & Partner Executive Search x MEDPERION Sales & Communication panel discussion took place on Tuesday evening in a particularly atmospheric setting at the high-ceilinged venue in the Justizpalast.

With glorious weather, a delicious buffet, and a packed room, it became clear just how much interest there is in the topics currently on the minds of companies and executives.

The discussion centered on a question that concerns many companies: How do we prepare people for career paths that will be significantly less linear in the future than they have been in the past?

The discussion revealed that this is not just about professional qualifications. Martin Fuchs raised a particularly thought-provoking point: If people will have not only multiple jobs but also multiple professions over the course of their lives in the future, what is needed above all are solid foundations such as common sense, social skills, enthusiasm, and a willingness to take on responsibility. Especially in the age of AI, these competencies are becoming increasingly important.

It also became clear that young job seekers define careers differently today. As Anton Luchner emphasized, position, work-life balance, and compensation must all align for them. Clemens Schödl added that career planning is important, but at the same time, a Plan B should also be considered, because career paths often unfold differently in practice than originally planned. For this to succeed, an environment that allows for mobility is needed. The pharmaceutical industry, in particular, could set an important example here by offering more remote roles.

Mona Deutsch pointed out how important it is to be open to AI. Many still underestimate how drastically it will change the nature of work. This makes it all the more important to engage with the topic early on. In this context, Nicole Schlautmann emphasized that common sense and independent thinking remain key skills. Especially in highly regulated and hierarchical environments, independent ideas should not be lost. Those who not only identify problems but also help devise solutions create visibility and demonstrate responsibility.

Another key point from the discussion was that networking, mentorship, and supporters can often be a real career booster. At the same time, it was emphasized that diversity only has a lasting impact when it is well embedded in the culture and organization.

Many thanks to all the speakers—Mona Deutsch, Nicole Daniela Schlautmann, Clemens Schödl, Martin Fuchs, and guests for this successful evening, the exciting perspectives, and the open exchange! Among others: Anton M Luchner, Helmut Kogler, MBA, Maria Pont, Christina Nageler, Kai Tobien, Barbara Daga, Alice de Angelis, Katrin Spögler, Sabine Sauerstingl, Eva Holzer, Katrin Radakovits, Judith Hofstätter, Katrin Schlemm, Maximiliane Groth, and Sabine Hofstätter.

We look forward to our next get-togethers!



“Disrupt before you are disrupted”: This was the theme of our Business Breakfast on Friday at the Management Club, with a spring-like view of Kärntner Straße.

In the truest sense of the word, we came to realize in a creative way just how essential it is—especially in times of uncertainty—to engage with innovation and, by extension, with the future scenario of one’s own business.

On the one hand, before being swept away by the wave of innovation or the status quo of AI and digital thinking and doing—and on the other hand, before one’s own business slowly dies like a glacier due to inaction and stagnation.

To this end, Verena Kuen—an exceptionally competent and inspiring expert on innovation and disruption—provided us with a valuable three-step guideline:

- Scenarios: Imagine the best-case and worst-case scenarios for your business in the form of a utopia and a dystopia.

- Sandboxes: Test ideas in a legally and economically protected environment.

- Ambidexterity: Strike a balance in leadership between day-to-day and core business on one hand, and innovation or change on the other.

We participants filled out cards on various scenarios and got right to work, which was wonderfully liberating. Equally liberating was the thought: What’s actually stopping me from doing something?

For the first card on dystopia and utopia, we brainstormed two alternative headlines for an article to be published in the Financial Times in 2031: How did you reinvent or reposition yourself, and where might you have failed?

For the second scenario on sandbox design, we chose a disruptive approach and analyzed what’s actually holding us back.

In the third step toward two-handed leadership, we analyzed our time and energy allocation for our core business, optimization, and future success. At the same time, we considered what we would start or stop doing if we had only 10 percent of our current time left.

Conclusion: This thought experiment breaks down barriers and makes taking action in the present mentally possible and appealing, in line with the motto “Disrupt today, thrive tomorrow.”

Why not give it a try and see for yourself? It’s more necessary than ever to continue succeeding in an increasingly uncertain world. For professional guidance, please feel free to contact Verena Kuen and 1030 Innovation Partners!

Many thanks to all participants and to our speaker!

Further LinkedIn-posts see here