25th Anniversary: A Conversation with Josef Ferstl

“Over the years I’ve learned you don’t need to rush everything, since most things need time to adjust and mature.”

As part of A-Trust's 25th anniversary celebrations, Josef Ferstl, Managing Director of the company from 2000 to 2007, was invited as a guest of honor. Ferstl is one of the co-founders of A-Trust, which was established in 2000 in response to the growing demand for digital identity and electronic signatures. Even in the early years, he made a significant contribution to the development of the company with his technical and strategic expertise.

Mr. Ferstl, you were Managing Director of A-Trust from 2000 to 2007. Looking back, what was the biggest challenge during those years?

Josef Ferstl:

The biggest challenge was bringing together all the important components: On the one hand, a signature regulation was established by the European Union. On the other hand, there had to be regulatory authorities here to approve and certify the signature. Signature legislation had to be created first and the regulatory authority had to be designed so that it could approve the certificates for the signature.

That was one way. And the second way was to have the right hardware and software that complies with the laws of the European Union and the Austrian Digital Signature Act. And the third point was that the employees in the company had to know the classification which are included in the Signature Ordinance and the law.

What was the original idea behind the founding of A-Trust?

In the 21st century, in which digitalization was making progress, it was also necessary to have a medium for signing online, but to do so as securely as possible. The challenge was there, as banks, chambers of commerce and industry were already demanding certificates. And in my opinion, launching A-Trust was the right way to go.

What was your personal vision for the company?

The vision I had also came from the specifications. We knew that it wasn't easy to get this project up and running in a very short period. Based on the experience we had already gained here, the vision was that we could and should plan on launching a certificate mid-2004.

Is there a particular memory that you cherish the most?

The best memory for me was when we achieved our goal in 2004 and were able to present the first certified signature card to Professor Zemanek, the inventor of Mailüfterl. This achievement can still be seen in the Technical Museum today. That was my best memory.

What did you personally take away from your time at A-Trust?

Over the years I’ve learned you don’t need to rush everything, since most things need time to adjust and mature. These considerations help0ed me to achieve my goal.

And finally: What do you wish A-Trust for the future?

I wish A-Trust every success for the future. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the employees who have made it possible for the idea to turn into a beautiful and important company.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Josef Ferstl for the interview, his time and his important contribution to the history of A-Trust!