Chief AI Officer (f/m/d)

Our world is printed. From packaging and labels to signage, textiles, and ceramics, printed technology shapes how we live, work, and interact. Much of it is produced on Durst systems. Durst Group is a privately owned, global technology company with more than 1,100 employees and operations in over 40 countries. With deep roots in Italian engineering and design – and over 90 years of innovation – Durst develops and markets advanced solutions for digital production, automation, and intelligent manufacturing across industrial applications worldwide. Made in Durst. The Chief AI Officer is a strategic function reporting directly to the CEO. In this role, you define and drive the group-wide AI agenda, ensuring that AI becomes a core value driver across all business units. You will lead the development and industrialization of the AI layer, combining strategic leadership with strong execution capabilities. This is a unique opportunity to shape AI at scale within a global industrial technology company, combining deep domain expertise, a strong technological foundation, and a clear commitment to AI-driven transformation. Key Responsibilities: Define and implement the group-wide AI strategy in alignment with long-term business objectives Lead the development of the AI layer, including predictive maintenance, production optimization, anomaly detection, and autonomous scheduling Drive the development of the Production Knowledge Graph, leveraging sensor data across a growing installed base Establish and oversee AI governance standards across all business units (including model selection, vendor strategy, and responsible AI practices) Evaluate and prioritize AI use cases based on business impact and scalability Build, develop, and lead a high-performing AI team Act as a strategic advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team on AI-related topics Profile: Proven track record of bringing AI into production in industrial or manufacturing environments Experience in shaping and governing AI across multiple business units or platforms Strong business mindset: you focus on outcomes, not outputs Ability to operate with influence rather than hierarchy Fluency in English; German is a strong plus Comfort working in a 90-year-old company moving at startup speed We are particularly interested in candidates who bring a pragmatic, execution-oriented mindset and have a clear track record on delivering tangible business value through AI. Profiles that are primarily advisory in nature or dependent on large organizational setups may be less aligned with the scope and pace of this role. This is an international role with a flexible setup. Relocation to Brixen (South Tyrol, Italy) is not required, though regular presence at headquarters and key sites is expected. We are practical about what hybrid means for a role of this scope. If this role aligns with how you think about AI and impact, we would welcome a conversation. #J-18808-Ljbffr