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A decade. Hundreds of conversations, ideas, and inspirations. And we're celebrating with a meetup that truly delivers.
Three exceptional speakers, topics that matter, and plenty of room for what has made this meetup special for 10 years: real people, real conversations, real networking.

The Evening at a Glance
17:30 Doors open, first drinks, familiar faces and new ones
18:00 Welcome and a brief look back at 10 years of DevOps Meetup Zurich
18:15–18:45 Claws in the Dark: Bringing DevSecOps to Legacy Hardware with Robotics and Playwright by Alexander Friesen
18:45–19:15 Beyond Agile: Structuring Organizations for Real Autonomy by Lea Düker
19:15–19:25 Short break
19:25–19:55 From Bottlenecks to Flow: OKRs, Value Stream Management, and Governance Done Right by Vasileios Konofaos
19:55–20:15 Panel discussion with all three speakers
20:15 Networking, Open Space, snacks, drinks, and anniversary cake 🎂

Claws in the Dark: Bringing DevSecOps to Legacy Hardware with Robotics and Playwright
What do you do when your software’s "deployment target" is a piece of security hardware embedded in a concrete wall for 20 years? In the world of access control, we don't have the luxury of "move fast and break things"—if the integration fails, the door stays locked.
For decades, hardware development at Primion relied on manual bit-shifting, incomplete specifications, and the "read, write, and pray" method. When the pandemic decentralized our R&D department—scattering 60 developers across Europe—the traditional model of physical bench testing collapsed. We couldn't send a lab to everyone’s home, so we brought the developers to the lab through robotics.
In this session, we deep-dive into how we bridged the physical-digital divide by building a fully automated hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing farm. We will explore:

  • The Architecture: How we orchestrate GitLab CI, Azure ephemeral environments, and Playwright to drive physical interactions.
  • The Hardware Hack: How a 200 CHF robotic claw replaced manual testing, allowing developers to "touch" hardware from anywhere in the world.
  • The Shift-Left Strategy: Moving from "praying for compatibility" to robust integration testing that catches bit-level errors before they ever hit the factory floor.
  • Scaling on a Budget: How a single working student scaled our setup to 20+ (and rising) automated test cells.

Join us to see how "claws moving in the dark" turned hardware debugging from a nightmare into a breeze, and learn how to apply DevSecOps principles to the most stubborn, physical environments.

Alexander Friesen
Aexander is a Lead IT Architect with over a decade of experience in software architecture and technical leadership.
He specializes in building and scaling modern ecosystems for major enterprises like Swisscard and Siemens.
DevOps & Platform Engineering Highlights

  • Platform Leadership: Directed technical strategy for Siemens’ IoT flagship "BuildingX" and managed multi-million dollar budgets for large-scale SAFe trains.
  • Automation & Compliance: Expert in DevSecOps, achieving ISO27000 compliance through automated CI/CD pipelines and security scanning.
  • Efficiency Gains: Improved software team productivity by 30% through the implementation of AI Ops and Internal Developer Platforms.
  • Cloud Native Stack: Certified AWS Architect with deep expertise in Kubernetes, Terraform, Serverless, and Data Mesh architectures.
  • Global Teams: Proven track record of leading cross-functional engineering teams across Switzerland, Germany, the USA, and India.

Beyond Agile: Structuring Organizations for Real Autonomy
Many organizations invest in agile methods, DevOps, and new technologies, and yet the desired impact on collaboration, accountability, and decision-making often fails to materialize. A key lever for change lies in how organizations are structured.
This talk provides an introduction to Holacracy as a model for radical self-organization and places it within the broader landscape of organizational development. It explains what defines Holacracy, the principles behind it, and the problems it aims to address.
The focus, however, is not solely on the organizational model. The talk also presents concrete tools and practices of self-organization, such as clear role definitions, structured decision-making processes, and transparent governance, that can be applied regardless of the organizational structure in place.

Lea Düker

  • Since 2024: IT Project Manager and Scrum Master at digital agency Unic AG
  • 2021–2024: Project Manager and Deputy Head of IT at the Building Department of the City of Zurich
  • 2018–2021: Consultant for Process Management at Join GmbH
  • 2016–2018: Master's degree in Business Management with a specialization in Process Management

From Bottlenecks to Flow: OKRs, Value Stream Management, and Governance Done Right
In our session, we'll be delving into the advanced flow engineering practices we've implemented at KPMG CH for our Cloud Platform. These methods have truly transformed how we deliver outcomes—faster, safer, and with an even greater level of satisfaction. During the session, we'll take a closer look at how we leverage OKRs to align teams and drive strategic goals, and how Value Stream Management helps us optimize workflow and eliminate bottlenecks. Our robust Governance model will also be discussed, highlighting how we maintain compliance without sacrificing agility.
Beyond sharing the technical details, we'll reflect on the lessons learned and valuable insights we've gained throughout our journey. Our goal is to provide actionable takeaways that will benefit the DevOps community and inspire organizations seeking to enhance their delivery pipelines and nurture a culture of continuous improvement.

Vasileios Konofaos
Head of Business Services CH Group Digital
Vasileios Konofaos is a seasoned technology leader with more than 20 years of experience driving large‑scale software engineering, cloud infrastructure, and digital transformation initiatives. As Director of Business Services CH Group Digital at KPMG Switzerland, he leads high‑impact programs that advance innovation, operational excellence, and AI‑enabled capabilities across the organization. His career spans senior roles in global financial institutions and consulting firms, where he has successfully delivered complex projects in software development, automation, DevOps, and machine learning.
Certified in Azure, ITIL, PMP, PRINCE2, and Scrum, Vasileios is recognized for his strategic mindset, strong leadership, and ability to empower teams to achieve exceptional results. He brings deep expertise in systems analysis, project delivery, and process improvement, consistently enabling organizations to scale technology solutions with quality and precision.

Many thanks to our sponsors:

Related topics

Events in Zürich, CH
DevOps

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