Everyone is talking about "digital transformation", but it is not yet being sufficiently implemented everywhere. The initiative surrounding the "Digital Transformer of the Year" award aims to change precisely this finding about the state of the digital nation: it wants to offer practical assistance and recognize transformation achievements by companies that can serve as a guide. "Germany's transformation from a successful industrial nation to a successful digital nation will not be decided by copying American or Chinese companies, but by the successful digital transformation of SMEs. The companies that are leading the way here and linking digital innovations with our culture, our values and our industrial base are real role models," explains Minister of State Bär: "That is why it is a pleasure and an honor for me to take on the patronage of the Digital Transformer of the Year, with which the initiative of _Mediate and Vogel Communications Group honors these German champions."

Vogel Communications Group and _MEDIATE, the transformation accelerators, are presenting this prestigious award for the second time in 2018. It was not possible to apply for the award; instead, pioneers in the various industries were nominated by their market companions in a broad-based survey in which over 3,000 specialists and managers took part. The winners will be selected by a jury of experts and chosen at an exclusive awards ceremony on November 6 in Berlin, in the atrium of Microsoft's representative office in the capital.

You can register for the event at www.digitaltransformeroftheyear.de.

The study by the "Digital Transformer of the Year 2018" initiative also revealed other interesting findings:
Only 24% of participants thought that the companies in their sector were "very far" or "far" advanced in their digital transformation - less than in the previous year (28%). Compared to this average, industry (excluding automotive) is less confident: only 21% give themselves a score of 1 or 2 - in contrast, this figure is twice as high for the media.

The importance of digital transformation for employer branding has now been recognized by companies: Among the opportunities presented by digital transformation, positioning as an attractive employer for young talent moved up to third place in 2018.

The picture has changed in terms of the external challenges posed by the digital transformation: In 2017, new market participants and a changed competitive structure were still seen as the biggest challenges. In 2018, it is the more demanding customers with digital usage behavior by a clear margin. 63% of participants see this as a "very big" or "big" challenge. In second place among the challenges is the lack of digital specialists (61%).

Further findings from the study and interesting insights from the field on the topic of "culture" will also be presented at the award ceremony on November 6 in Berlin.