Interim Digital & Innovation Lead
Leading a digital or innovation unit, a programme or a venture portfolio for a defined period – from strategy to execution, with a clean handover to the line organisation.
Digital Transformation · Interim Leadership · AI & Quantum
Large digital programmes rarely fail because of the technology.
They fail because of unclear mandates, heavy governance and lost momentum. We take charge of these programmes – and deliver results. For banks, insurers and corporates.
Konzeptwerkstatt GmbH · Thomas Landis, Managing Partner
Reference · Nationwide mobile payment solution
0 → 1
- Start: a prototype for mobile payments in Switzerland
- Built the product with a national payments infrastructure and competing banks
- Navigated the web of committees, regulation and corporate interests
- Tested in the market and launched with the banks
- Through to the merger with the leading competitor – today Switzerland's most-used payment app
Availability on request Intro call anytime via video Zurich / Bachenbülach 20+ years in financial services
Services
Four mandates. One standard: delivery.
On a mandate basis, with a clear brief and measurable results – as interim lead or project lead.
Digital Strategy
From ambition to a board-ready roadmap: processes, platforms, data and governance – including an AI roadmap and quantum readiness for financial institutions.
Build or realign a digital & innovation unit
Mandate, operating model, team, programmes and KPIs – built from scratch. Or rebuilt when the existing unit doesn't deliver: sharpen the focus, clean up the portfolio, clarify interfaces with the line.
Project Leadership & Revival
Operational leadership of large, critical digital programmes – newly set up or stalled. Realigning scope, roadmap and governance, aligning stakeholders up to ExCo and Board level, steering towards measurable milestones.
The entry point
Project Review
An independent assessment of an ongoing or blocked programme in three to four weeks: objectives and business case, governance and decision paths, team and delivery capability, stakeholder landscape.
Continue / realign / stop
The outcome is a substantiated recommendation with a prioritised action plan – not a slide battle.
Discuss a reviewDuration3–4 weeks
TermsFixed fee
ScopeObjectives · Governance · Team · Stakeholders
OutcomeRecommendation + action plan
Follow-upoptional delivery mandate
How I work
Operator, not advisor.
Accountability for results
We own outcomes, not recommendations – and we stand by them.
Clarity in the first 30 days
Scope, governance and roadmap are set. Then we deliver.
Credible at every level
From the engineering team to the Board – including conflicting interests across institutions.
At home in regulated industries
More than 20 years in banking, insurance and financial market infrastructure.
Digital Programmes
Change led in large organisations.
Digital change rarely fails on the technology – it fails on governance, silos and competing interests. I have led exactly that, repeatedly: in regulated, multi-entity organisations with hundreds to thousands of employees.
1,000+ employees
Led the digital transformation of an alpine resort and real-estate destination as a member of the Executive Board – including the group-wide strategy process.
3 countries
Built and led a cross-bank innovation cluster with banks, insurers and regulators across three countries.
Nationwide
Led a nationwide mobile payment solution through the web of committees, regulation and competing bank interests – from prototype to market penetration.
Group-wide
Built and restructured the innovation functions of a national financial market infrastructure – methods, processes and organisation redesigned.
Technologies
AI & Quantum. Assessed, not hyped.
Two technologies are reshaping financial services – at very different speeds. We bring both into your roadmap: with realistic timelines, a clear business case and hands-on delivery experience. And we don't stop at advice: on request we take the lead of the entire AI or quantum-readiness project – from strategy through to production.
Artificial Intelligence
Strategic AI roadmaps for financial and industrial companies: from use-case portfolio and governance to productive delivery with generative AI and LLMs (incl. RAG architectures). Including evaluation of AI startups and solutions.
Quantum Computing
Built the "Quantum for Finance" cluster with banks, insurers and regulators across three countries. For your institution: a sober assessment of use cases, risks and timelines – from optimisation to post-quantum cryptography.
Track record
Selected roles
National payments infrastructure of the Swiss banksInnovation Field Manager
Built and expanded the innovation unit: established methods, processes and a divisional think-tank system; market and technology scouting in payments – the foundation for a later nationwide mobile payment solution.
Nationwide mobile payment initiative of the Swiss banksInnovation Lead
Led Switzerland's first bank-backed mobile payment solution from prototype to the merger with the leading competitor: built the product, tested it in the market and launched it with the banks – steered across the sponsoring organisation and the participating institutions. Today Switzerland's most-used payment app.
Joint FinTech incubator of the Swiss banks and insurersConcept, build-out & international expansion
Conceived, launched and internationally scaled the incubator (Zurich, Singapore). Named "FinTech Influencer of the Year".
Alpine resort and real-estate destinationChief Digital Officer
Digital transformation of a group with 1,000+ employees as CDO & Head of Strategy, Innovation & IT; over the course of the mandate additionally responsible for the group-wide strategy process.
FinTech scale-up in cash logisticsCOO
Led the transformation from startup to established provider – secured a fintech operating licence, led the Mexico market entry.
Venture-building company in quantum technologyManaging Director
As the first employee, built structures, programmes and an industry cluster for quantum applications in financial services with banks, insurers and regulators across three countries (Switzerland, Canada, Singapore).
"He consistently aligned both his thinking and his actions with the company's objectives and took full responsibility for their implementation and results."Executive management, national payments infrastructure
"He structured complex strategic questions with clarity, developed viable solutions and implemented them with great execution strength."Executive management, venture-building company (quantum technology)
Further references on request
About
I'm not an advisor who hands over recommendations – I take responsibility for results. More than 20 years at the intersection of financial services, technology and venture building, including eight years at a Swiss financial market payments infrastructure.
I have built and led digital and innovation functions, steered cross-institutional programmes through governance, regulatory and technology complexity, and developed organisations from prototype to international scale – in Zurich, Andermatt and Singapore.
- Role
- Managing Partner, Konzeptwerkstatt GmbH
- Teaching
- Lecturer in Innovation Management & Digital Strategy, HWZ Zurich
- Education
- Master in Corporate Innovation Management, FHS St. Gallen
- Focus
- Digital transformation · Payments · AI & Quantum for Finance · Venture Building
- Availability
- On request · intro calls anytime via video
Contact
A 30-minute conversation will show whether and how I can move your programme forward.
Book an intro call →Thomas Landis · Managing Partner, Konzeptwerkstatt GmbH