The AI Bridge team

As the founder of AI Bridge, AI Strategist, (ex-) senior data scientist, and former Data & AI practitioner at organizations including Ernst & Young, Swiss Re, and swiss Quant, Afke Schouten has over 15 years of experience leading AI projects and helping organizations in generating business value through AI. 

She is listed among the important people of 2024 by Handelszeitung. Her expertise and her ability to communicate complex ideas in an accessible manner makes her a sought-after trainer for analytics translation and a facilitator for strategy workshops. 

Frequently appearing in media outlets, serving as a guest on numerous podcasts, and engaging as a public speaker, Afke Schouten has become a recognized voice in the data science community. Afke Schouten studied mathematics at Leiden University and econometrics and management science at the Erasmus School of Economics. She leads the MAS AI Leadership at HWZ Zurich and serves as the program director for the CAS AI Management, CAS AI Transformation and CAS AI Innovation. Additionally, she lectures on AI and AI Management in various CAS programs.

Antoine has spent the last 15 years at the forefront of the technology transformation, building and growing several companies while serving as an advisor to a wide spectrum of organisations, working with boards and government clients to navigate the impact of digital innovation on businesses and society.

He began his journey in 2008 with the creation of Sandbox, which he developed into a worldwide community of young innovators, spanning over 40 hubs globally, before going on to establish the first Swiss venture fund entirely focused on financial technology. Early investments into blockchain technology led him to become a pioneer of the Swiss Crypto Valley, where he supported various projects as early as 2014, before launching his own ICO adventure, an open-source no- code solution for blockchain applications.

Antoine studied law at the Universities of Freiburg and St Gallen and was listed twice among the 100 most influential Swiss by magazines L’Hebdo and Bilan.

Manuel currently serves as the Director of the NZZ Academy. As a pioneer in the digital space, Manuel founded and headed the Institute of Digital Business, as well as the Master of Advanced Studies in Digital Business and the Executive EMBA in Digital Leadership at HWZ University of Applied Sciences Zurich from 2011 to 2024. A recognized keynote speaker and editorial author, Manuel has been influential in shaping forward-thinking strategies in multiple companies. For his contributions, he was awarded the 'Digital Pioneer of the Year' by the IAB in 2013, and in 2015, the readers of Marketing & Kommunikation magazine voted him 'Thought Leader of the Year.’ Manuel holds a master's degree in International Management from the University of St. Gallen and is an alumnus of Singularity University and INSEAD.

Esther is the Applied Gen AI Lead at AI Bridge, where she translates advances in generative AI into practical applications for businesses. With over a decade of experience in AI content creation and community building, Esther has witnessed firsthand how AI has transformed industries and driven innovation in organizations.

At AI Bridge, she empowers teams to navigate AI challenges and seamlessly integrate generative AI into their daily workflows. Renowned for her pragmatic and motivating approach, Esther has organized and led numerous AI events and workshops, equipping organizations and professionals with the skills and tools to harness the transformative power of AI.

Previously, Esther served as the Director of Content and Programming at Data Science Salon. In this role, she co-created and implemented the strategic roadmap for a diverse community of over 60,000 data scientists.

Fabian Kostadinov is an experienced expert in artificial intelligence and data-driven systems. For nearly 20 years, he has been developing complex software solutions – ranging from research-oriented applications to modern AI and analytics systems in corporate environments.

He combines technical know-how with extensive implementation experience: Fabian has successfully designed, developed, and established numerous productive AI applications in long-term operations. As a result, he is intimately familiar with the many challenges that arise on the journey from initial idea to successful implementation.

With a background in business informatics and further training in coaching and organizational development, he combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of the human and business aspects of AI applications.

Fabian supports companies in advancing their AI projects – whether by identifying and designing suitable use cases, managing implementation projects, or conducting training for IT professionals.

Daniel Egli works as a Gen-AI Trainer at AI Bridge, where he builds hands on AI capacity directly inside teams. He designs and delivers Gen-AI literacy programmes for large organisations and knows what it really takes for AI adoption to stick.
At AI Bridge, Daniel focuses on practical implementation. No slide deck marathons, but real building, testing, and learning together. His approach is structured, hands on, and grounded in the reality of day to day work. The goal is always the same: safe, sustainable, and lasting AI adoption.
Before joining AI Bridge, Daniel spent 7 years in HR analytics. He worked on AI powered workflows, sentiment analysis, and turnover prediction, applying data driven solutions to real workforce challenges.
Fun fact: Daniel has a soft spot for the most analog experience there is, vinyl.

Lisa Weinzierl is AI Strategist at AI Bridge. She supports organisations in turning data and AI into practical, value creating capabilities. Lisa started her career in banking and auditing before moving into data and IT consulting, working as a Data Scientist. With a Master’s degree in Economics with a focus on Quantitative Methods, she combines analytical depth with hands on experience.

Most recently, she served as Head of Data & Insights and AI Strategist at Swiss Post, shaping the company wide understanding and implementation of data and AI.
At AI Bridge, Lisa brings her experience into strategic and operational projects as well as trainings, always focusing on real business value and adoption.
Fun fact: Outside the world of data and numbers, Lisa finds balance in modern poetry and long walks with her dog.

Zakaria works as a GenAI Trainer at AI Bridge, where he builds hands-on AI capacity directly inside teams. He designs and delivers Gen-AI literacy programmes for large organisations and knows what it really takes for AI adoption to stick. He has a background as a seasoned Generative AI and Machine Learning Expert, passionate about bridging the gap between AI's potential and real-world business use cases.

Before joining AI Bridge, he had the chance to work across a variety of industries over 8 years — from consulting at Capgemini Invent to digital marketing at Hilti — each experience shaping his understanding of what it truly takes to make ML and GenAI work in practice in corporations of all sizes. At Printemps, he built the company's Data Science & AI team from scratch, helping define the 2025–2026 AI & ML Roadmap and implementing various high-ROI use cases, ranging from GenAI applications for contract analysis, to fraud detection and supply shortage prediction among others. Along the way, he learned just as much from his team as he hopes they did from him.

Alongside his industry work, Zakaria has been involved with OpenClassrooms as a Subject Matter Expert, writing online courses and supporting career-changers on their journey into AI and ML Engineering — a role with a direct social impact that fulfils him at a personal level.  

Chris has been involved in digitalization projects since 2015. He has gained experience at Big Four firms, law firms, legal departments, and startups. His focus is on legal advisory units, which he supports in various roles with their digital transformation and process optimization efforts. He maintains a strong network of decision-makers in the legal market as well as providers of modern software solutions both within and outside of Switzerland.

Agnes is stepping in as Ops and Growth Lead, bringing over a decade of experience in building large scale conferences, international ecosystems, and operational structures that scale. From her early days at CERN to leading major community platforms and business units, she now ensures that every AI Bridge training, event, and touchpoint runs with clarity and care as we grow.

As office manager, Leila supports the team with key business and administrative processes. She enjoys spending her free time with her husband and two children or on the tennis court with her fellow players. Hiking and skiing in the mountains are also among her hobbies. LL.B Law with French Law and a language Solicitor of England & Wales (non-practising).