Company & Culture - Oct 22, 2026

Connecting ideas, partners and people: Bechtle at the Smart Country Convention 2026.

The rapid pace of digital transformation across local government and the wider public sector was evident at the Smart Country Convention 2026, which attracted more than 30,000 visitors to Berlin from 13 to 15 October. With attendance up 30% year on year and exhibition space expanding at a similar rate, the event once again underscored its importance as a key meeting place for the public sector. Among the 650 exhibitors, Bechtle AG once again appeared as a Premium Partner, showcasing a broad portfolio of technology solutions, contributing talks and panel discussions on the event stages and in its own Speaker Corner, and serving as a popular meeting point for the public-sector ecosystem.

Man in suit giving a presentation on conference stage focused on Smart Country Convention

Strategic direction: In one of the event’s opening keynotes, Bechtle COO Michael Guschlbauer advocated a systematic and practice-oriented approach to digital sovereignty. A clear view of the technology landscape, data flows, contractual dependencies and capabilities already in place is essential for making informed decisions, evaluating alternatives and strengthening resilience where it matters most.

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Innovative insights: During a tour of the exhibition, Dr Ralf Wintergerst, President of Bitkom (front row, second from right), Dr Karsten Wildberger, Germany’s Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation (centre), and Gonçalo Matias, Portugal’s Minister for State Reform and Public Administration (left), were introduced to an extended reality solution developed by Bechtle subsidiary MMN for the Milan Fire Brigade to assess hazard scenarios and prepare for major events such as the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Two people engaged in a conversation on stage during a moderated discussion in front of an audience

Real talk: What will Germany’s IT operating models look like tomorrow? That question was at the heart of a discussion between Susanne Schmidt, Managing Director of Bechtle subsidiary KubeOps (right), and Tejinder Aklé, Team Lead Consulting Services & Strategic Alliances at Bechtle, who explored how "sovereignty by design" can be embedded into IT operations. Drawing on practical examples from the public sector, they highlighted the importance of choice as a fundamental building block of sovereign digital architectures.

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Industry leaders on the future of technology: At Bechtle’s Speaker Corner, Bechtle Executive Board member Steven Handgrätinger (right) joined Sonja Pierer, Managing Director Germany at Intel, Detlef Lilje, Vice President, Europe GOV & Public Sector at Citrix, Christian Winterfeldt, Head of Data Center Sales at Dell Technologies Germany, and Michael Frings, Federal & Defence Lead at NVIDIA, to discuss current supply-chain developments and the technology trends set to shape the future of the public sector.

Two people presenting a digital ecosystem for multicloud solutions on stage in front of an audience

From cave walls to the multicloud: On the Yellow Stage, Dr Katrin Schleife, Senior Segment Development Manager for Local Government at Bechtle AG, and Andreas Ueckert, Head of Business Development Germany at Bechtle AG, took the audience on a journey from a challenge that has shaped human societies for thousands of years to the question of what it means for the future of public administration.

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Driving digitalisation together: New ideas for strengthening collaboration between local authorities, state government and the federal administration were the focus of a discussion between Steven Handgrätinger, Executive Board Member Public Sector at Bechtle AG (left), Axel Beims, CEO of IT.Niedersachsen, Anke Pörksen, State Secretary at the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior, Sport and Digitalisation, and Tim Austermann, Managing Director of Kommunale Datenverarbeitung Oldenburg (KDO) (right).

Several people engaged in conversation at a trade fair focusing on exchange and networking in a business setting

International exchange: At the Bechtle stand, João Rui Ferreira, Portugal’s Secretary of State for the Economy representing this year’s partner country (centre), met with Michael Guschlbauer, COO of Bechtle (right), to learn more about the latest solutions for smart cities and modern public administration.

People in a modern trade fair setting engaged in conversation and exchange about digital solutions and technologies

A popular destination: With Smart Country Convention welcoming a record crowd of more than 30,000 visitors, guided tours brought a steady stream of attendees to the Bechtle stand.

Two experts discussing digital governance capabilities of the state on stage at a professional event

Digital sovereignty in focus: Steven Handgrätinger, Executive Board Member Public Sector at Bechtle, in conversation with Philip von Haehling, Managing Director of PD – Berater der öffentlichen Hand GmbH. Digital sovereignty was once again a key theme of Bechtle’s presence at the event, with numerous partners contributing their perspectives on what remains a fundamental prerequisite for a resilient public sector.

Large group of professionals at a trade fair showcasing team spirit and industry presence in a modern setting

A strong team: Bechtle was represented at the Smart Country Convention by experts from a wide range of specialist disciplines, business units and locations. Their verdict was unanimous: the event remains a valuable forum for dialogue, knowledge-sharing and fresh inspiration.

This post was published on Oct 22, 2026.