Ariane Schmidt - Digital Transformation Lead

Q: Where is Ariane based?

Ariane is based in Berlin, Germany .

Q: What languages does Ariane speak?

Ariane speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary) .

Q: How many years of experience does Ariane have?

Ariane has at least 17 years of experience. During this time, Ariane has worked in at least 15 different roles and for 14 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 1 month . Note that Ariane may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Ariane's latest experience?

Ariane's most recent position is Digital Transformation Lead at Breuninger GmbH & Co. .

Q: What companies has Ariane worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Ariane has worked for Breuninger GmbH & Co. , Life eV , SumUp , and HvA Amsterdam .

Q: Which industries is Ariane most experienced in?

Ariane is most experienced in industries like Education , Retail , and Professional Services . Ariane also has some experience in Advertising , Fashion , and Tourism .

Q: Which business areas is Ariane most experienced in?

Ariane is most experienced in business areas like Project Management , Marketing , and Operations . Ariane also has some experience in Product Development , Sustainability Management , and Human Resources .

Q: Which industries has Ariane worked in recently?

Ariane has recently worked in industries like Education , Retail , and Banking and Finance .

Q: Which business areas has Ariane worked in recently?

Ariane has recently worked in business areas like Project Management , Marketing , and Operations .

Recommended expert

Berlin, Germany

Check rate

Experience

Sep 2025 - Present

8 months

Digital Transformation Lead

Breuninger GmbH & Co.

Led the project to introduce AI tools for creative teams for image, video, and text creation (Yuma, Google, Flux, cogniwerk.ai, comfy.ai)
Relaunched Asana and rolled it out to 100 users for shared workflow management and KPI reporting
Managed the pilot project for the creative workflow automation tool Bannerflow
Contributed to the overall marketing restructuring project focused on organizational structure and processes

Nov 2021 - Nov 2024

3 years 1 month

Stuttgart, Germany

Transformation Lead – Creative

Breuninger GmbH & Co.

Conducted over 80 interviews and 30 workshops to assess the status quo across end-to-end processes in PM, e-commerce, and content teams
Developed cross-departmental workflows to identify inefficiencies, process gaps, and structural breakdowns (e.g., unclear responsibilities, tool redundancies, decision uncertainties)
Resolved over 20 role conflicts by establishing a new accountability logic and team coaching, resulting in measurable efficiency gains and clearer structures
Built a unified campaign process framework including briefing templates, planning milestones, and stakeholder alignment

Jan 2020 - Dec 2021

2 years

Trainer in time & self-management and project management

Life eV

Jan 2020 - Sep 2021

1 year 9 months

Berlin, Germany

Program Manager – Global Product Launches and UX DesignOps

SumUp

Led the execution of over 15 global product launches (B2C) in more than 20 markets with full responsibility for the campaign lifecycle
Introduced JIRA-based workflows and standard briefings, improving handover quality between design and development by 30%
Acted as interim head of the marketing design team (11 FTEs), including training on capacity management, project management skills, and stakeholder management

Jan 2019 - Dec 2019

1 year

Berlin, Germany

Lecturer in Digital Future Commerce (BA)

IUBH Berlin

Sep 2018 - Mar 2020

1 year 7 months

Cologne, Germany

Product Owner – UX-driven MVP Delivery

HRS

Definition of the product vision and MVP scope in a B2B environment with C-level and business units
Managed cross-functional delivery by UX, BI, backend, and frontend teams (internal and external vendors)
Applied a PRINCE2-based lifecycle including stakeholder canvas, value assessment, and iterative validation

Jan 2018 - Dec 2021

4 years

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Lecturer in Soft Skills for Project Management (MSc)

HvA Amsterdam

Oct 2017 - Sep 2018

1 year

Berlin, Germany

Project Manager – UX Customer Journey Update & Brand Relaunch

GoEuro / Omio

Led the company-wide rebranding project from planning to rollout with a focus on UX and brand consistency
Developed an end-to-end customer journey optimization with UX, product, and brand teams
Synchronized central and decentralized stakeholders (marketing, product, customer service) to ensure consistent brand experiences
Improved time-to-design by 25% by implementing design systems and optimized processes

Jan 2015 - Dec 2016

2 years

Berlin, Germany

Project Manager / Process Consultant

Zalando

Jan 2013 - Dec 2015

3 years

Berlin, Germany

Advertising Account Manager

Scholz & Friends GmbH

Jan 2011 - Dec 2012

2 years

Berlin, Germany

Junior Sales Project Manager

Department Sales GmbH

Jan 2010 - Dec 2010

1 year

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Consumer Lifestyle Intern

Philips Electronics Ltd

Jan 2009 - Dec 2009

1 year

Startup Coach & Trainer

Lotsendienst Havelland

Jan 2008 - Dec 2010

3 years

Berlin, Germany

CSR Lead

CCT Unternehmensberatungsteam, TU Berlin

Jan 2008 - Dec 2009

2 years

CSR Audit Project Assistant

Caux - Round-Table eV

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Education, Retail, Professional Services, Advertising, Fashion, and Tourism.

Education

Retail

Professional Services

Advertising

Fashion

Tourism

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Project Management, Marketing, Operations, Product Development, Human Resources, and Sales.

Project Management

Marketing

Operations

Product Development

Human Resources

Sales

Summary

Experienced Lead Transformation Manager with solid expertise in managing complex, cross-functional technology and transformation projects. I combine extensive know-how in agile methods with a strong operational foundation in digital processes – from requirements definition through planning to stakeholder alignment and implementation. I drive initiatives effectively – with commitment, strong communication skills, and a hands-on approach.

Skills

Strategic Project Management
Agile Working & Transformation Support
Operational Change Management Implementation (Scrum, Kanban)
Process Analysis, Efficiency & Potential Assessment
Facilitating Workshops & Stakeholder Sessions
Digitalization & Automation (Ai / Tools)
Building New Roles, Structures & Mindsets
C-level Communication & Governance Management
Facilitation & Coaching
Jira
Confluence
Miro
Invision
Sketch
Ms Office
G-suite
Asana
Smartsheet
Notion
Ms Project
Bpmn
Okrs
Designops
Lean Change
Requirements Management
Prince2 / Pmi
Lean Six Sigma
Tool Rollout And Software Implementation

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Elementary

Education

Oct 2015 - Sep 2017

Master: International Business & Consulting, focus: Strategic Management & Innovation · International Business & Consulting · GPA = 1.5

Oct 2007 - Feb 2011

Bachelor: International Business, focus: International Marketing · International Business · GPA = 1.5

Certifications & licenses

Requirements management

BPMN

DesignOps

Lean Change

Lean Six SCRUM-Product Owner Sigma

Lean Six Sigma (White Belt)

OKRs

PRINCE2 / PMI

Tool rollout and software implementation

Yoga teacher

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 15

Experience in Education 7 y

Avg length 1 y 10 m

Longest experience 3 y 11 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 2 (Germany, Netherlands)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Digital Transformation Lead, Transformation Lead – Creative, Trainer in time & self-management and project management

Main industries Education, Retail, Professional Services

Main business areas Project Management, Marketing, Operations

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Certifications earned 10

Profile

Created

March 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Ariane based?

Ariane is based in Berlin, Germany.

What languages does Ariane speak?

Ariane speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary).

How many years of experience does Ariane have?

Ariane has at least 17 years of experience. During this time, Ariane has worked in at least 15 different roles and for 14 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 1 month. Note that Ariane may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Ariane be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Ariane would be well-suited for roles such as: Digital Transformation Lead, Transformation Lead – Creative, Trainer in time & self-management and project management.

What is Ariane's latest experience?

Ariane's most recent position is Digital Transformation Lead at Breuninger GmbH & Co..

What companies has Ariane worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Ariane has worked for Breuninger GmbH & Co., Life eV, SumUp, and HvA Amsterdam.

Which industries is Ariane most experienced in?

Ariane is most experienced in industries like Education, Retail, and Professional Services. Ariane also has some experience in Advertising, Fashion, and Tourism.

Which business areas is Ariane most experienced in?

Ariane is most experienced in business areas like Project Management, Marketing, and Operations. Ariane also has some experience in Product Development, Sustainability Management, and Human Resources.

Which industries has Ariane worked in recently?

Ariane has recently worked in industries like Education, Retail, and Banking and Finance.

Which business areas has Ariane worked in recently?

Ariane has recently worked in business areas like Project Management, Marketing, and Operations.

What is Ariane's education?

Ariane holds a Master in International Business & Consulting and a Bachelor in International Business.

Does Ariane have any certificates?

Ariane has 10 certificates. Among them, these include: Requirements management, BPMN, and DesignOps.

What is the availability of Ariane?

Ariane will be available part-time from June 2026.

What is the rate of Ariane?

Ariane's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.