Stefan Johner lives leaning back in motion - not loudly, not restlessly, but with a keen sense for opportunities. He is not a planner in the classic sense, but an opportunist in the best sense: when a door opens, he walks through it. Not because he is striving for greatness, but because he is curious to see what lies beyond and what he can make possible. In this way, he lets life happen and grabs hold of something when it presents itself, without trying to force it. This attitude runs through his professional and private life.
As a teenager, Stefan was still busy taking computers apart and putting them back together again to find out their secrets. Today, he is a Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft. But what really drives him is not the technology, but the learning. "As long as I can pack something new into my backpack every day, I'm happy." What used to be tinkering with hardware is now the complex field of Azure infrastructure, in which he advises companies and develops individual solutions.
Previously, he was involved in setting up the internal cloud platform at Mobiliar - a project that emerged from a small grassroots team and which he supported as Product Manager together with 5 platform teams until around a year ago. The move to Microsoft was a bold step for Stefan. An opportunity that he seized - out of his comfort zone, away from his familiar team, closer to the technology again. "It took a lot of effort," he says.
Sustainability as success
For Stefan, success does not mean status, but sustainability. If something lasts - for him, for others - then he has done the right thing. This attitude is also reflected in his commitment. Stefan leads by example to initiate change. As president of his gymnastics club or co-founder of the Azure Bootcamp and the Bern Azure Meetup, he creates spaces for exchange, community and development. He enables others to become active - and thus has a lasting impact without putting himself in the foreground.
A place for belonging
Stefan has been part of the zentroom communityfor a year now and uses Microsoft 's Team Office for his work. What brought him here was his job change. What keeps him here is the feeling of belonging. "zentroom is almost like a second home for me," he says. A place that welcomes, inspires and connects. Where you meet familiar faces over coffee, exchange a few words - and sometimes pick up new ideas.
Coworking at zentroom has become central for Stefan. While he was part of a small local team at Mobiliar, at Microsoft he is part of an international group where he often only meets his colleagues digitally. Having a place like zentroom gives him the stability he needs.
Seeing the world with different eyes
Stefan could also see himself working in a coworking space like zentroom outside of Switzerland. He regrets a little that he didn't go abroad for a longer period of time after his studies. Not as a tourist, but as part of a different everyday life. For him, it's not about the exotic, but about immersing himself and experiencing culture, rhythm and perspective. This desire is still alive in him - and with an employer who allows flexible working, it is not as far away from fulfillment as it might seem.
Listening is the key
What defines him as a person is his attitude towards cooperation. For him, sharing and listening are the basis of every good relationship - whether private, professional or in the coworking community at zentroom. "If people stop listening to each other properly, it becomes difficult," he says. And that is precisely why he is there: to listen, to connect, to facilitate.
Stefan Johner is not a loud speaker, not a visionary in the conventional sense. But he is someone who makes things happen - through presence, openness, responsibility and the quiet confidence that things will fall into place if you are prepared to let them.