Widas Chief, Thomas Widmann has an instinct for innovation

27. Februar 2018,
by Mario Beltschak, stv. Department Manager, Badische Neueste Nachrichten, www.bnn.de

When you have a conversation with Thomas Widmann for a while, you will quickly find expressions that you come across in business language. There is talk of “skill” or “fast followers”. Then there is talk about the “whitelabel” or about “leading edge”. This seems quite unusual for a 52-year-old, who has grown up in the tranquil Enzkreis community Wimsheim. For Widmann, however, it does not look like he is trying to justify his own status as the head of an IT service company. He is in fact immersed in this world, most of which you and me have no much clue about.

„Big Data“ as a specialization

Out of nothing, Widmann founded a one-man company in the late 1990s. It became Widas Concepts, a company with 120 employees specializing in consulting and software development with offices in Mannheim, Munich, Essen and India. Wimsheim serves customers in the healthcare industry or the automotive industry. Widas specializes in “Big Data”, one other of the Chief’s business terms. In other words, the company derives insights from large amounts of data that are processed by computer programs – making life easier for customers. Widmann cites as an example a program that recognizes in milliseconds whether a bank transaction could be a fraud one.

Behind such developments are undoubtedly smart minds. They are drawn to the province in Wimsheim, because the company founder sets a good example and is open to new ideas. “I am very much into the topics,” says Widmann in an interview with the BNN. He has a certain “feel for technological developments” and can well speculate “how things develop in the market”. The 52-year-old believes: “Copying from another does not lead to success.” That’s why he is constantly looking for something new.

Return to Enzkreis

The basis for his work was laid in Karlsruhe. Widmann studied computer science at the university, Karlsruhe. He then worked in the IT department of a financial services company. After seven years, however, he had asked himself the question “if my knowledge is not somehow marketable”. Meanwhile, it must have been answered with a clear yes. His own company also offered Widmann the opportunity to return to Enzkreis. “As an IT company you are not cut off from the world here. And I can switch off well too, “he explains. However, the transition from private to business is often fluid.

For Widmann this is even more true than for many other company leaders. Because even his three children are drawn to the IT world. “I was surprised myself that all three are indeed doing IT. Our youngest daughter wanted to convert my wife and I, “says Widmann with a laugh and adds:” But that did not work. ” He did not have much to complain about that. The children should play a role in the company in the future. However, the 52-year-old will probably not give over the head post so fast. “I enjoy what I’m doing now. And as long as I can, I would gladly like to continue. ” After all, like many others, he does not want to talk about just his last golf stroke.

Golfing at leisure

In his spare time, Widmann definitely prefers the tee and the green. “I’ve been playing golf for a few years now.” Hiking and skiing too at other times. However, family comes first: “I still work relatively a little too much,” says Widmann, “even though I have decided to do a little less.” The work-life balance seems to fit in spite of the dive into the IT World.