Graz AI Pioneer Leftshift One Strengthens Leadership Team
Change in Management at Leftshift One: Co-founder Stefan Schmidhofer is leaving the Graz-based AI pioneer at his own request to pursue a new professional challenge in international management. The proven leadership team, led by CEO Patrick Ratheiser and Christian Weber, will be further strengthened by the addition of Benjamin Krenn and Michael Mair.
- 17. October. 2024
Karin Schnedlitz
Content Managerin
Change in Leadership at Leftshift One, Graz Specialist in Artificial Intelligence
 As of January 31, co-founder Stefan Schmidhofer will be leaving the company. Most recently, the native of Murtal served as Vice President for AI Solutions, overseeing development teams and driving innovation. In the future, Schmidhofer will take on a strategic position in the field of artificial intelligence at a globally operating company. “Stefan has contributed to our success with enthusiasm and strategic know-how. At the same time, we understand his desire for change. For us, this transition is also a special form of recognition: it demonstrates the high reputation Leftshift One has built internationally in the field of artificial intelligence over the past few years,” emphasizes Leftshift One CEO Patrick Ratheiser.
"Proud of What Has Been Achieved"
Schmidhofer will remain connected to the company: The co-founder retains shares in the 25-member AI specialist. Schmidhofer himself states, “As a co-founder of Leftshift One, I have had the privilege of shaping the growth of recent years and the development of our AI solutions up close. I am proud of what we have achieved together. Now, I look forward to my new professional challenge.”
Leadership Team to Be Strengthened
Leftshift One is leveraging this change to strengthen its leadership team: Co-founders Benjamin Krenn, previously Vice President for Software Development, and Michael Mair, formerly Vice President for Product Development, along with Christian Weber, the Technical Director, will be granted procuration. Together, this trio will now form the immediate leadership team of the company under CEO Ratheiser. “With this, we are well-positioned for the future to meet the challenges and opportunities in the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. This step ensures seamless continuity in our success trajectory,” says Ratheiser. The focus will be particularly on the expansion of the company’s proprietary “MyGPT,” a tailored “ChatGPT” for businesses. According to Ratheiser, the key advantage is: “As an independent and data-secure provider, we integrate various cloud providers and language models—such as GPT from OpenAI—into the respective system landscape based on customer needs. Unlike other market competitors, we specialize in complex use cases, taking into account company-specific knowledge.”
"As an independent and data-secure provider, we integrate various cloud providers and language models—such as GPT from OpenAI—into the respective system landscape based on customer needs."
