Unternehmensinhaber

About the Role

As the Unternehmensinhaber (Owner/Director) of the Zurich AI Festival in Bengaluru, you will be responsible for the strategic direction, growth, and overall organization of the festival. You will further develop the business model, make entrepreneurial decisions regarding programming, partnerships, and investments, and represent the festival externally to partners, sponsors, media, and the community.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate an interdisciplinary team.
• Manage budget and financial planning.
• Cultivate relationships with companies, research institutions, and organizations.
• Ensure the smooth execution of all events.
• Continue to develop the festival's business model.
• Make entrepreneurial decisions regarding programming, partnerships, and investments.
• Represent the festival externally to partners, sponsors, media, and the community.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• This is a full-time position, predominantly on-site in Bengaluru.
• Requires regular attendance at meetings, networking events, and partner appointments.
• Willingness for occasional evening and weekend appointments during festival planning and execution.

Qualifications

• Strong entrepreneurial skills, strategic thinking, and experience in building or leading organizations, ideally in technology, events, or education.
• Sound knowledge of Artificial Intelligence, digital technologies, or innovation ecosystems, with an interest in current developments and ethical questions of AI.
• Experience in financial planning, budget responsibility, and negotiation with sponsors, partner companies, and service providers.
• Strong leadership and team skills, including employee development, delegation of responsibility, and building an inclusive, collaborative work culture.
• Excellent communication and networking skills in German and English.
• Ability to address and engage diverse stakeholder groups (companies, academia, politics, public).
• Completed degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Management, Computer Science, Engineering, or comparable qualification).
• Proven professional experience in leadership positions.
• High level of initiative, resilience, and decisiveness.