Executive Agile

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**: * Catering and Location Sponsor: **KPMG** https://kpmg.com/

**WALK THE TALK** Zurich Toastmasters is the place to be if you want to improve your public speaking, communication, and leadership skills. **Walk the Talk** offers a friendly and inspirational environment for all levels of public speaking experience. Guests and new members are always welcome! A typical meeting includes 1–3 prepared speeches by members, evaluations of the speeches, and Table Topics – impromptu speaking. This meeting is Hybrid. "You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart." John Ford DISCLAIMER: We may take pictures/videos of our events and share them online or on social media. If you do not wish to be in the pictures, please let us know before the meeting starts. We will do our best to respect your wishes.

Are you working on a side hustle, launching your own app, or building an online business? If so, join our **Shipped Meetup!** This group is for **bootstrappers, side hustlers, and independent founders** looking to exchange ideas, get feedback, and support each other on the journey to building profitable businesses without venture capital. What we do each meetup: **\- Share success stories / progress** **\- Meet others via speed dating** **\- Present projects** **\- Ask questions** This isn’t a typical networking event, there are **no sales pitches, no fees, just real conversations and support** from like-minded entrepreneurs. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, join us for our next meetup! Let’s build a thriving indie community together. Looking forward to seeing you there! Also, feel free to join our socials using the links below👇

**Welcome to Top Notch Toastmasters Zurich!** [www.topnotch.toastmastersclubs.org](http://www.topnotch.toastmastersclubs.org) \*\* Please arrive 15 minutes before, meeting begin \*\* **When & Where** Every Wednesday, 10–15 members and guests meet **in person** to practice public speaking and leadership skills in a friendly, dynamic environment. *(Please note: members don’t RSVP via Meetup.)* **What to Expect** ✅ Self-paced learning—advance at your own speed ✅ Hands-on experience—speak, lead, and grow ✅ Supportive feedback from peers ✅ Guidance from experienced mentors ✅ Monthly workshops—every last Wednesday on communication and public speaking topics **Who We Are** Part of **Toastmasters International**, a global network of over 352,000 members dedicated to helping peoplecommunicate with confidence and discover their leadership potential. **Drinks & Socializing** After each meeting, we head to a nearby bar to relax and connect—perfect for networking and great conversation. Come visit us! Our welcoming team is excited to show you how Toastmasters can help you grow personally and professionally. ✨ **We can’t wait to meet you!** ✨

Olivier Club and Fishman VC have launched a series of events for ambitious founders, investors and professionals in Zurich. What we do: In partnership with other VCs and accelerators we create an environment where founders make new connections, share experience and pitch to investors. How it goes: * Pre-selected founders pitch live * Investors & founders networking together * The best pitchers are chosen for further acceleration, PR in biggest media portals and access to before market solutions for collaboration with investors and founders. * Each attendee will be added to a private network of founders and investors. Who’s invited: Venture capitalists Angel Investors Startup founders Professionals Artists After 7 years of private events we are going public! Send your pitch deck to this email address after getting pitcher ticket: pitch@olivierclub.com

Join us, once a month, on a Wednesday afternoon for an easy-paced walk by the lake — a midweek pause to breathe, move, and connect. We’ll meet in front of the Opera House and take a walk along the lake, letting conversation flow as naturally as the path. These walks are about more than slowing down — they’re a way to clear the noise and make space for new perspectives. Sometimes it’s in motion that the mind finds its calm and ideas come into focus. A simple hour to refresh, connect, and perhaps see something familiar in a new light.

**mit Elana Andermatt und Andrea Bergamini** Beim Kuscheln geht es um Körperkontakt zwischen Menschen. Genauer gesagt, um entspannten, nicht erotischen Körperkontakt. Daher ist es beim Kuscheln auch nicht wichtig, ob das Gegenüber männlich, weiblich oder divers ist. Wir kultivieren beim Kuscheln absichtslose, liebevolle und nährende Berührung. Es soll möglich sein, sich fallen lassen zu können und in einem sicheren, gehaltenen Rahmen im eigenen Körper anzukommen. In verschiedenen sensitiven, achtsamen Begegnungs- und Berührungs-Übungen, bei denen wir uns auf das Berührt-Sein einlassen, werden wir miteinander vertraut. Wir können mit Nähe und Distanz experimentieren und wie es ist, sich an jemanden oder gleich zwei anzukuscheln und dann doch weiterzuziehen oder auch liegenzubleiben und den Körperkontakt zu geniessen. Die „Kuschel-Energie“, das ist der nährende, entspannte Kontakt zu anderen, ohne dass es in erotische oder sexuelle Bereiche abgleitet. Es geht um achtsame und absichtslose Berührungen und den 100%-igen Respekt deiner individuellen Grenzen! Und wenn wir dann beim Zusammenliegen immer weniger tun, sondern nur noch sind, dann kann sich das schon mal wie ein “Kuschelhimmel” anfühlen … * Die Sicherheit des klar strukturierten und geleiteten Abends und gleichzeitig die Freiräume für deine individuellen Bedürfnisse und Grenzen. * Die verschiedenen Ebenen von Kontakt und Verbindung: Berührungen, Worte, der energetische Kontakt (z.B. nur im Augenkontakt) und die Resonanz im Gruppen-Feld. * Die Stärkung von Selbstkontakt, Eigenwahrnehmung und “Gut-zu-sich-selber-sein”, denn der Kontakt zu anderen kann sich nur in dem Masse vertiefen, wie wir den Kontakt zu uns selber vertiefen können. * Die Öffnung für “die grösseren Räume”, die uns auf einer spirituellen Ebene nähren und verbinden, so dass Gefühle von Frieden und „Nach-Hause-kommen“ durch die Gemeinschaft UND durch die Verbindung zum Grösseren genährt werden. * Die ganz persönlichen Momente, in denen du ganz entspannt, offen und echt anderen herzoffenen Menschen begegnest. \*\* Wenn du JA sagst bei deiner Anmeldung, sagst du JA zu den **klaren Kuschelregeln**: * Keine Berührung im Intimbereich und an erogenen Zonen. Keine Küsschen oder Hände unter dem TShirt. Erotische Energie wird nicht angefacht. Wir bleiben auf der Ebene des brüderlichen und schwesterlichen kuscheligen Herzens. * Du kannst dein Tempo jederzeit wählen, wie schnell und nahe du mit anderen sein möchtest oder wie oft du auch Momente für dich alleine brauchst. * Ein NEIN ist ein NEIN. Achte drauf, dass du deine und andere Grenzen des Wohlbefindens respektierst. **Zeiten:** 19:30-22:00h Einlass 19 Uhr bei einer Tasse Tee An FreitagAbenden mit optionaler Verlängerung bis 23h (wer will). **WO:** JupiterSpace, SeminarPavillon vom Jupiterhaus im Frankental; Frankentalerstrasse 55, 8049 Zürich **Mitbringen** bitte bequeme Kleider, warme Socken und bei Bedarf eine verschliessbare Wasserflasche. **Ausgleich:** 30.-, oder das, was du zahlen kannst. **Infos und Anmeldung:** Elana [elana@sensual-healing.ch](mailto:elana@sensual-healing.ch), 079 437 22 22 [https://kuschel-tempel.ch](https://kuschel-tempel.ch) Wenn du regelmässig einen Reminder haben magst, kannst du dich gerne hier zum \*\*[Kuschel-Tempel-Newsletter ](https://kuschel-tempel.ch/#newsletter/)\*\*anmelden. *Sichere, wohlwollende Nähe und Körperkontakt ohne Erwartungs- und Beziehungsdruck, ist eine tief nährende Medizin für unser System. Wir tanken miteinander auf und können entspannen. Es ist pure Friedensarbeit für Körper und Seele.* **Termine sind auf [kuschel-tempel.ch](https://kuschel-tempel.ch)**

It all sounded straight forward. Then the project started... Join us for an informal evening with fellow Agile practitioners, Scrum Masters, project managers, coaches, and anyone working with change, delivery, or transformation. We’ll meet at a local pizzeria, have some good food, and talk about the things that usually come up once the theory meets reality — challenges, lessons learned, different approaches, and questions we’re still figuring out. Nothing formal, just a chance to exchange ideas, meet people from the community, and have interesting conversations. Because some of the best discussions don’t happen in meeting rooms. They happen in the second floor private room of a pizzeria. 🍕 **The venue:** Da Raffaele brings a slice of Naples to the heart of Zürich's Altstadt. Think 48-hour dough, a 500°C wood-fired oven, and an amazing pizza. Two minutes from Central, close to HB — easy for everyone coming from across the city or the S-Bahn.

We are excited to invite you to join our cyber security breakfast where we share our knowledge and experience in the constantly evolving field of cybersecurity.

We are excited to invite you to join our cyber security breakfast where we share our knowledge and experience in the constantly evolving field of cybersecurity.

The **Digitec Galaxus Product Development Meet-Up** is back — this time diving into **recommender systems** with two talks bridging data science and engineering practice. **Talk 1: Insights from Building and Operating a Recommender System for Migros Supermarkets** *Max Nolte – Data Scientist & Team Lead at Supermarkt IT, Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund* When you think of a Migros supermarket, you don't usually think about recommender systems. Over the past four years, my team and I have built and operated the engine behind personalized Cumulus coupons and a few other digital touchpoints. I'll share how it works, why we invest in it at a brick‑and‑mortar retailer, and what we've learned, covering data, models, measurement, and the practical realities of running it day to day. **Talk 2: Recommendations at Digitec Galaxus — From Data Science to Engineering Practice** *Michael Weiss, Senior Software Engineer & Robert Rosenbach, Senior Data Scientist – Digitec Galaxus* How do you go from a promising model to a recommender system that is fast, scalable, and maintainable in production? We will walk through the Digitec Galaxus recommendation stack end to end: the engineering architecture that keeps recommendations snappy and reliable, and the data-science side of model training — what to optimize for, which input signals matter, and the trade-offs involved in both. The two presentations will take roughly a combined hour, leaving plenty of time for discussions, questions, and exchange afterwards over drinks and snacks. Whether you come from a software engineering, data science, product, or any other background — we'd love to have you join us!

**The Growth Breakfast - Zürich** **Good coffee. Great conversations. Real business growth.** Join a friendly group of local entrepreneurs, small business owners and professionals for a relaxed Friday morning breakfast — a space to connect, share ideas and talk openly about business and growth. No agenda. No pitches. No pressure. Just real conversations with people who *get it*. **What to Expect** A relaxed, informal breakfast where you can: * Connect with like-minded entrepreneurs * Share ideas, challenges and wins * Learn from others on the same path * Build genuine relationships (no forced networking) * Start your day inspired, focused and energised Whether you run your own company, freelance, consult, or simply love talking about business, you’ll feel right at home. **How it Works** Everyone orders and pays for their own breakfast. You just bring: * An open mind * A willingness to share * Good vibes and your morning energy Simple, easy, enjoyable. **Details** 🗓 **Friday, 10 April 2026** ⏰ **9:00 – 10:30** 📍 **Coworking Lounge at Tessinerplatz** Tessinerplatz 7, 8002 Zürich (2-minute walk from Bahnhof Enge — Trams 5, 6, 7, 13, 17 or S-Bahn 2, 8, 21, 24) **Who's It For?** Entrepreneurs • Small business owners • Consultants • Freelancers • Creatives • Professionals who love talking about business growth and want to be around switched-on people. **Important Notes** ✔ This is a **free community meetup** — each person pays for their own breakfast ✔ No selling, no pitching ✔ Just genuine conversation and good company **Ready to join us?** Click **Attend** to reserve your spot — we’re looking forward to a great morning together

**Founders Running Club** (FRC) brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking. We like to be comfortable when we run and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer—pets, friends, family, are welcome. 🗓️ Launched in San Francisco, July 16, 2022 🌍 Now in 35+ cities 📅 Running + Networking events + Community **Join the community** [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats) **Stay updated**: Instagram [http://instagram.com/foundersrc/](http://instagram.com/foundersrc/) Podcast [http://podcast.foundersrc.com/](http://podcast.foundersrc.com/) LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/](http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/) Strava [http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC](http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC) Website [http://foundersrc.com/](http://foundersrc.com/)

Join other experienced and aspiring agile coaches and professionals to: * develop and practice your coaching skills in a peer-to-peer environment * share current successes and challenges in your work environment and get support from each other * learn from each other, build better relationships and experiment with new ideas

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

The Fellowship of the Star Schema: Transforming OLTP Data for Power BI One does not simply build reports on OLTP data. Join us on an epic journey from the depths of raw, normalized tables to the shining halls of a well-modeled star schema fit for Power BI greatness. We will demystify the differences between OLTP and OLAP, walk through star schema vs snowflake (and why Power BI has a clear favorite), and show you the compression differences between normalized and columnar storage that will make you never look at an OLTP model the same way again. We will cover the different types of dimensions, when to use them, and how to handle Slowly Changing Dimensions without losing your mind. You will leave knowing exactly how to identify a bad model, how to convert OLTP data into a clean star schema, and how to forge relationships that rule them all. Whether you are a data wizard, a curious hobbit, or somewhere in between, your models will never be the same.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** GitHub Copilot is powerful, but what if you could scale from a solo AI assistant to an entire team of specialized agents working in parallel? This session introduces Squad: an open-source framework for multi-agent orchestration that lets you define teams of AI agents with specific roles, responsibilities, and expertise. We'll progress from Copilot basics to the Copilot CLI, explore how Agents add autonomy, and see how Instructions and Skills let you customize agent behavior. Then, the climax: a live demo where a Squad team of 3 agents (Lead, Developer, Tester) stands up and builds a working application in real-time, showcasing true multi-agent collaboration. Whether you're new to AI or exploring how to scale your use of Copilot, this session will show you what's possible when agents work as a team. **YouTube Link** TBD

The global Azure community is coming together again, and Columbus is officially on the map. View the session lineup and speakers at [Global Azure Columbus 2026](https://coazure.github.io/cbus-global-azure-2026/) On **Saturday, April 18, 2026**, the Azure Columbus Meetup, DevOps Meetup, and Code and Coffee Meetup are hosting our local edition of Global Azure 2026. This is a free, community-driven event packed with learning, networking, and all things Microsoft Azure. Whether you’re building modern cloud-native apps, experimenting with AI agents, deploying containers, automating infrastructure, or just beginning your Azure journey, this event is for you! **What to Expect** * Engaging technical sessions * Real-world Azure architecture & cloud-native patterns * AI, agents, automation, and modern DevOps * Food and drinks (because learning burns calories) * Time to connect with fellow engineers, architects, and cloud enthusiasts **Who Should Attend?** * Software engineers (any language, any stack) * Cloud architects * DevOps engineers * Data professionals * AI explorers * Platform builders * Anyone who loves solving hard problems with great tools If you build, deploy, automate, scale, monitor, or optimize in Azure, you’ll feel right at home. **Why Global Azure?** Global Azure is a worldwide community event where Azure user groups host learning sessions on the same day across the globe. It’s grassroots. It’s technical. It’s practical. And it’s powered by people who genuinely love sharing what they’ve learned. And yes, it’s free to attend!