24 August 2026
Strategy Days have become a staple of our internal culture. They provide a necessary pause in the calendar, allowing us to step away from the daily routine and look at the bigger picture. It’s our chance to align internally on our own vision and technical roadmap, while ensuring we stay in sync with the broader objectives of RTL Deutschland, RTL Group, and Bertelsmann.
Day 1: The Strategic Foundation
Thomas Servatius, Co-CEO at smartclip, kicked things off by recapping our current status and introducing the strategic imperatives that will shape our focus for the year ahead. This set the perfect stage for a deep dive into our 2026 product strategy, led by Gloria Eichler, CPO, Frank Plähn, VP Data Products, Benno Kayser, Business Product Owner – Demand, and Ekaterina Beck, Business Product Manager – Supply Management at smartclip. Together, they mapped out the topics and key initiatives that will drive our product development over the coming months.
Of course, high-level strategy requires high-level fuel, so the Ministry of Wellbeing stepped in with a “Chill and Eat” break — a much-needed moment to disconnect and recharge. Then, Dr. Oliver Vesper, Co-CEO at smartclip and Chief Digital Officer & Deputy CEO at RTL AdAlliance, rounded off the first day by giving us a strategic update from RTL AdAlliance.
Day 2: AI, Skills, and New Horizons
The second day was all about the evolving tech landscape, with a heavy emphasis on the practical application of AI. We started with the critical side of automation — AI Coding Security — where René Wagner, CTO, and Maurice Funke, Director System Operations & Security at smartclip, explored how to leverage new tools without compromising our security standards. This flowed naturally into a session with Julian Goede, Head of AI Engineering at smartclip, who moved the conversation from theory to practice by showcasing the AI rollout working group strategy and the initiatives currently hitting the ground across the organisation.
Recognising that our tools are only as good as the people using them, the conversation then shifted to talent. Dr. Christian Kortkamp, Manager Skill Management, and Selina Bär, Project Manager at Bertelsmann, discussed Skill Management at Bertelsmann, sharing how RTL and Bertelsmann identify skill gaps and elevate capabilities through tailored learning journeys — a vital topic given the pace of our industry.
The final stretch of the event focused on growth and future-proofing. After a briefing from Tim Nieland on the Ad Alliance Deutschland product strategy regarding the linear ad server, Stephen Byrne and Gloria Eichler detailed our evolving approach to the 2026 customer acquisition strategy. To cap it all off, Lion Schulz, Head of Machine Learning at Bertelsmann, shared some inspiring examples of co-innovation in action via the Bertelsmann AI Hub, before Gloria returned to bring our two days of strategic alignment to a close.
Looking Ahead
Strategy Days always leave us with a clear, shared map of where we’re heading. We walked away with a better understanding of our product trajectory, a smarter approach to AI, and a stronger connection to the wider RTL and Bertelsmann ecosystem.
A big thank you to the organisational team and all the speakers for making the event a success.
Lee is the Marketing Specialist Europe at smartclip and is responsible for content writing, editing, social media, and creative support across the department and company. Originally from the United States, Lee graduated from the University of Cincinnati, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Electronic Media. Before joining smartclip, she has worked with various organisations managing social media accounts and assisting in the video and audio production processes.
Lee Richter
Marketing Specialist Europe
