Wildberger has never been a product engineer. His technology record is that of an executive who ran technology-dependent businesses — and now sets technology policy.
The technology shifts of each period explain what his roles involved.
Industry context
His telecoms years spanned the move from voice and SMS to mobile data, 3G and 4G networks, and the arrival of the smartphone in 2007. Operators had to turn network businesses into digital-services companies.
Verified fact
At Telstra he led Consumer and then Products, with responsibility for digital units. Consumer launches during his tenure included Telstra Air (Wi-Fi) and Telstra TV.
Industry context
Energy shifted from a few large power stations to millions of solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and smart meters — a data and software problem as much as an engineering one.
Verified fact
His E.ON portfolio included IT and digital transformation. E.ON Home, developed with Microsoft, and E.ON Next on the Kraken Technologies platform launched during his tenure. In 2019 he co-authored an academic paper on making AI understandable to subject-matter experts.
Industry context
Electronics retail is among the sectors most exposed to online competition and global marketplaces.
Verified fact
Ceconomy's 2023 strategy introduced an online marketplace (live in Germany, Austria and Spain), retail media and loyalty programmes. Online sales reached €5.1 billion in FY 2023/24.
Industry context
Generative AI, a shortage of compute capacity and questions of digital sovereignty have moved technology to the centre of European politics.
Verified fact
As minister he is responsible for the national AI Act implementation law, the National Data Centre Strategy, AI pilots in administration and international AI agreements. Innovation page →
Statements from official ministry transcripts, translated from German unless noted.
“AI is not the next stage of digitalisation — it is something entirely new, a new paradigm.”
“Computing power is the new raw material, and data centres are the refineries.”
“AI opens a new window — perhaps the last — in which we can catch up with the world's best again.”
| Domain | Corporate experience | Ministerial responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Digital products | Telstra Products; E.ON Home; MediaMarktSaturn marketplace and apps | d-you digital identity wallet (launch planned January 2027) |
| Data | Customer data across energy and retail | Data Act implementation law (cabinet, October 2025); open-data framework (2026) |
| Infrastructure | Mobile networks (Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Telstra) | Fibre and mobile rollout; data-centre strategy |
| IT organisation | E.ON group IT | Federal IT incl. ITZBund; approval right over federal IT spending |
| AI | 2019 AI-intelligibility paper (E.ON period) | AI Act implementation; AI pilots; German AI Security Institute (with BMI) |