1. What was your personal PR highlight in the first half of 2025?
My highlight was definitely the workshops and presentations on AI in communications – particularly our three “Comms without AI? Not for me!” events. At these sessions, we at Microsoft presented specific use cases to colleagues from across the communications industry and demonstrated how AI can be used effectively.
The response was tremendous: all sessions were well attended and sparked fascinating discussions. These events once again showed me how important it is to create spaces for exchange and shared learning.
2. Was there anything that surprised you or made you rethink your approach as a Communications Executive in the first half of the year?
What really made me reflect was the speed at which AI has entered the world of communications – and, at the same time, the inequality in access and understanding.
Over the past few months, I’ve had many encounters, conversations, and presentations, and I can clearly see curiosity and openness towards AI technologies growing. But knowledge levels and actual usage differ dramatically.
Some people are already working with established tools within their organisations and gaining experience, while others are still at the very beginning and need a basic introduction. Then there are those waiting for the “magic wand” – the one tool that will do all the work for them.
At the same time, the use of “shadow AI” is increasing – tools being used without official approval or training. To me, this shows that technology is evolving rapidly – and our industry must not only keep up but actually run alongside it.
I often ask myself how we can manage this balancing act: between enthusiasm and responsibility, between speed and depth.
3. Which topics do you think will shape communications work in the coming months?
I’m convinced that AI will continue to be the central topic. The technology is here, it works, and it offers genuine added value. Now it’s about adoption, training, and persuasion.
A key focus will therefore be integrating AI into everyday work: how can we ensure that AI isn’t just used sporadically, but strategically and sustainably? How do we communicate its added value – beyond efficiency – for example, in content quality, audience engagement, or crisis communications?
I see this as a major task, particularly for leadership. It’s not just about tools, but also about trust, competence, and a shared culture of learning. AI agents are no longer a distant vision – they’re already entering the workplace and becoming more autonomous with every development step. It’s increasingly important to understand not only their capabilities and functions, but also their impact on roles, collaboration, processes, and responsibilities within communications.
4. Suppose your team no longer had access to the Meltwater platform from tomorrow. What would you miss most in your daily work?
We’d be flying blind. We would mainly miss the ability to capture and assess media resonance in real time and to evaluate it strategically. Without that data foundation, we couldn’t react quickly to developments.
However, if Meltwater’s team integration were still functioning in that case, we could bridge the gap fairly well.
About André Pechmann
André Pechmann, Director of Communications at Microsoft Germany
As Director of Communications, André Pechmann is responsible for all communications activities at Microsoft Germany. Previously, he led corporate communications at Kyndryl, where he and his team successfully positioned the newly independent company in Germany following its spin-off from IBM.
André Pechmann has several years of experience in communications consulting and has worked with numerous German and international clients.