Testimonials, what others can tell you about me ...
Director of Studies ERP-Systems & Business Process Management, University of Applied Sciences in Kufstein
www.fh-kufstein.ac.at
Reinhold Karner is certainly one of the most profiled ERP experts and thought leaders in the digital world.
Already at the beginning of the millennium, when ERP systems were still monolithic monsters, he went far ahead of his time in breaking new ground with the development of his ERP Business Software Suite "Semiramis". Reinhold Karner has set numerous technology IT-trends in the ERP world that have become standards of the software industry today. With a footprint of state-of-the-art, yet robust architecture, with an easy-to-understand and easy-to-use web interface. He proved himself a visionary.
His enthusiasm was contagious. His work and success of his ERP software contributed to our University of Applied Sciences in Kufstein and led to the creation of our master's program "ERP Systems & Business Process Management".
Since then, Reinhold Karner has been a very welcome speaker at our events and an extremely popular and top valued lecturer among students.
Start-up protagonist, President Silicon Valletta
www.simonazzopardi.com
It is immediate to recognise that Reinhold has been exposed to entrepreneurship and business that very few have, and more so that he has seen its extreme highs and lows.
However, what truly makes Reinhold stand out is his ability to look at the person before the business. Reinhold's level of empathy and emotional intelligence allows him to firmly understand people's circumstances and environments, leveraging that to contextualise conversations for greater impact and effect.
Head of Service Center IT & Controlling
www.maco.eu
I was a young employee at a trading company when I met Reinhold Karner about 30 years ago. Together we implemented a new ERP business software solution with Reinhold's software and consulting company KTW. I had already at that time been very impressed with Reinhold Karner's practical focus and his promising ideas and solutions that fascinated me.
This remained the same in all the 20 years of working together and Reinhold Karner was always my go-to person for new and ground-breaking IT solutions.
Even today, despite the fact that our business paths have parted, I follow Reinhold Karner’s career and he remains a "phenomenon" far beyond the IT world. His ability to predict future trends, together with his life's and business experiences, make him a source of inspiration for every company and its employees.
former CEO of ASTON MARTIN, CTO of PORSCHE, MD of BMW Technik, Chairman VP Engineering of Daewoo
www.astonmartin.com
Reinhold Karner, a cosmopolitan communicator from the Austrian high valley, Wildschönau (Tyrol), is down to earth but at the same time totally open-minded and a pioneer to develop, promote and communicate new technologies.
Reinhold captures complex nexuses and uses them to develop ideas, concepts and concrete solutions.
Reinhold is pro-active and tireless. He intuitively finds the right pitch without arrogance. He motivates and promotes creativity.
Reinhold brings people with different know-how and different thinking together and moderates them.
You can rely on him!
World renowned tenor and opera star
www.josephcalleja.com
I have been honoured to know Reinhold for several years and since I first met him I was always struck by his keen sense of business, entrepreneurship and his gentlemanly way of doing business. An astute observer and predictor of trends, he is one of the few I refer to when I need some serious, unbiased advice.
The fact that he has impressive business connections and a keen sense of charming, self deprecative humour makes him the life of any party.
Banking professional, former CFO and management consultant
Mr Reinhold Karner was always an authentic employer, which was particularly expressed in the fact that he led me consistently as an employee. When my career needed support (in the sense of futhering), I received it in a technically impressive way, and when it needed an unfolding (in the sense of challenging), he understood it excellently, always enabling this in a motivating manner.
Mr. Karner has impressed me (and still does) most of all by his enormous expertise and ability to convey it to his clients, customers, interested parties and above all in a convincing manner.
CEO Playmobil (1976-2012), President platform CORE
www.core.org.mt
Reinhold Karner, for me, is an extraordinary person. We met in 1997 when his company won a contract over international competition for an ERP system for the Playmobil Group in Germany and Malta. This business connection developed into long years of close friendship.
He is none the less a person who has helped me over the years through his deep knowledge with objective, competent advice. As his friend I watched him as an acclaimed young entrepreneur in Tyrol suddenly facing ruin. He has not only learned his lesson but also reinvented himself and he is now extremely successful in advising businesses from start-ups up to top companies, worldwide.
His career is an epitome of a perfect motivator and sparring partner for entrepreneurs, leaders and executives. His drive to focus on the newest technological and business topics of our time turns every conversation into a master class of thought. Students, young entrepreneurs, business people, leaders and managers will profit immensely from his knowledge and his experience.
Most importantly, Reinhold Karner always puts human values at the cornerstone of everything. It is an honour to be his friend.
Former EU Commissioner, President European Forum Alpbach
www.franz-fischler-consult.co.at
What makes Reinhold Karner such an exciting conversation partner, advisor and tutor is his enormous knowledge, his comprehensive experience and on the other hand, his ability to strategically merge very different elements and various approaches.
He has also mastered the art of communication because he always succeeds in explaining each, even complex subject, in clear language and to distinguishing the essential from the non-essential. Everyone who seeks contact with him will be convinced by his qualities and can profit from working with him.
Professor for Strategic Management and Leadership (among Top 20 in Europe and Top 40 in the world)
www.uibk.ac.at
Reinhold Karner is an impressive individual: entrepreneur, advisor, networker and lateral thinker! He specialises like no other in hot technological and business topics of our time. His ability to identify trends, to see the bigger picture, coupled with his experience and first-hand knowledge, make him a thinker who is second to none.
You would be hard pushed to find someone like Reinhold Karner who possesses such profound and detailed knowledge of digital technologies and artificial intelligence - AI - simultaneously and who could still see "the big picture" and social developments. Reinhold Karner is an exceptionally significant and influential initiator on these topics.
For over 15 years Reinhold Karner has been a key sparring partner; he gave me also essential impulses for my latest book, "Digital Disruption"!
Hundreds of students benefitted from his fascinating guest speeches at the University of Innsbruck and the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, learning from his knowledge, his experience and his personal career advice.
Head and founder of the academic department “Management, Communication & IT", MCI University - The Entrepreneurial School, Innsbruck
www.mci.edu
Reinhold Karner has inspired our students for years with his frank words on topics of entrepreneurship and challenges of starting a business. Change and dealing with professional and personal opportunities and risks are his speciality - as well as handling failure, motivation and the ability to re-invent yourself and your own company over and over again.
Finally, as my sparring partner, Reinhold Karner has substantially contributed to the concept and development of an already 16-year-old (!), greatly successful degree program,"Management, Communication & IT”, at the MCI. This program has up to now been studied by 800 alumni and is currently being studied by 350 students. It is one of the first degree programs on Digitalization in Europe.
Business Advisor, Co-Founder, Farmer
Boundless passion and fervour in interaction, with extraordinary knowledge and wisdom - that's how I met Reinhold Karner, and also how I see him to date ... always with an ace up his sleeve.
Professor of business management, specialised in family businesses
www.weissman.de
Reinhold Karner is one of the most impressive individuals I have ever met in my entrepreneurial life. His unique career, which took him up to the very top and also down to the bottom, made him the perfect coach and sparring partner in my view. He has shown what true resilience looks like and this is something every entrepreneur should learn.
Aside from his diverse experiences, it is his network that's truly valuable. There has hardly been an innovative topic for which he did not have the right contacts – most of the time though the best contact was himself.
I have benefitted a lot from his inspiration and my latest book on the topic, “Digital Transformation – how to manage the transition as a family business”, would have hardly been possible without his input. I enjoyed working with Reinhold Karner and he is a real highlight for my students!
Quantum Physicist, Head of Department of Physics, University of Malta
www.um.edu.mt
Reinhold Karner is a dear friend to me, a unique personality, and someone whose friendship and advice I value deeply. He has taught me to see things from a very different perspective, offering insight and ideas that complement my scientific background beautifully. His enthusiasm for the entrepreneurial world is nothing short of contagious!
He is truly a member of the rare breed of movers and shakers who is happy to share his network and his knowledge, and who somehow always finds the time to answer questions and to offer valuable advice.
Veteran CEO and co-founder of market leader Maico Italy
www.maco.eu
I met Reinhold Karner in the early years of his company KTW and our company, back then, Maco Italia (later Maico Italia). It was lucky for me and the company.
Reinhold Karner was and is a visionary and pioneer! His innovative software solutions (an ERP Business Suite) were always far ahead of times. He has strong instinct for IT trends, first of all for new, doable and useful solutions for today and tomorrow.
The cooperation with Reinhold Karner has been an important pillar for the prosperity of our company, which became the leader and lighthouse in the Italian market. Our long time successful cooperation has been based on these principles:
- Outstanding professional competence and execution as well as implementation efficiency
- Available anytime 24/7/365
- A man of his word
What transpired was that our teamwork was built on true values, trust, respect and appreciation. On a personal level, we have developed a truly rewarding friendship. The circumstances which resulted in the loss of his company in 2007 brought Reinhold Karner in a borderline situation and he handled it admirably and perfectly.
The fact that Reinhold Karner shares his entrepreneurial knowledge and his experience with defeat and ‘failure’ using speeches and publications with young entrepreneurs, leaders, customers and partners, is not only self-evident but very, very valuable and useful. This attitude makes Reinhold Karner stand apart from the rest. It is people like Reinhold Karner that we need so much nowadays.
Thank you!