Réka Leisztner
Senior Consulting Manager @ Zühlke Group | Product Management | Systems Thinking | Smart & Connected Devices | Technology Management | R&D Processes
Munich, Germany
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I’m a Senior Consulting Manager at Zühlke, where I help organizations navigate the complexity of product development and the application of new technologies like AI by bridging the gap between high-level strategy and execution/development. With a background in Industrial Engineering (BSc) and Product Management for Technology Products (MSc), I’ve made it my mission to transform ambitious ideas into seamless, integrated products that truly deliver value.
My work includes industries as diverse as industrial robotics, consumer products, automotive, and energy—proving that systems thinking in product development is not just a tool but a universal language for tackling complexity. Whether it’s optimizing connected products, or driving end-to-end innovation, my goal is to turn chaos into clarity.
At my core, I’m passionate about making systems thinking accessible, practical, and downright exciting. I’m here to challenge the status quo, inspire new ways of thinking, and show how embracing systems can lead to groundbreaking innovation.
Area of Expertise
Topics
Breaking the Hardware Mindset: Overcoming Barriers to System-Level Innovation
In today’s world, products are no longer standalone artifacts; they are systems... complex ones. A loud speaker, for example, is no longer just a piece of hardware but an ecosystem of hardware, software, machine learning and services designed to work together seamlessly. If this system thinking isn’t embedded at the very beginning of the idea and discovery stage, the result is fragmentation, frustration, and failure of good customer experience and customer satisfaction. On the one hand, we talk about AI, on the other hand we fail to deliver a device with an app that simply just works perfectly.
This speech will explore how companies born in the pre-digital era can adopt a systems mindset to stay competitive with their software and integrated solutions on the top of their hardware offering. Through case studies and actionable insights, I’ll uncover why leaders with connected and intelligent products excel and how others can achieve the same results.
Why Long-Time Market Leaders Struggle to Launch Intelligent Solutions—And How to Overcome It
Legacy market leaders, once dominant in their industries, are struggling to compete in the era of intelligent, AI driven, connected solutions. While companies born in the digital age seamlessly integrate hardware, software, and AI into cohesive products, traditional brands face cultural, structural, and technological barriers. They often treat hardware, software, connectivity, Machine Learning, ecosystems as separate components, attempting late-stage integration—leading to fragmented user experiences and lost market share. This challenge is evident in industries where European brands excel in traditional products but fall behind in intelligent markets like robotic vacuums, vehicles or other industrial and consumer products,. To remain competitive, legacy companies must adopt system thinking not only from engineering side, but from the business side as well, ensuring seamless integration of all elements.
This keynote explores why traditional brands struggle, how AI raises the stakes, and what is good a framework for overcoming these barriers—enabling companies to transition from outdated product development to delivering truly intelligent, end-to-end solutions.
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