David Thiel-Digital Growth and Strategic Partnerships
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Experience
Digital Growth and Strategic Partnerships
AskBrian
- Developed a strategy for product-led growth in the B2C business for the AI-assistant Brian
- Led the self-serve business and developed a stellar customer journey
Co-Founder and COO
ReturnHeroes
- Developed the business and financial plan for the company
- Pitched to VC, corporate VC and Business Angels
- Ran a small scale project for proof of concept
Director Global Operations & Twinner RD
Twinner Group
- Shaped the global expansion of the business and setting up global teams for operations, customer support and technical field services
- Drove the reorganisation of the Operations and R&D teams
- Led a team of 30 hardware engineers developing the Twinner Space for vehicle digitalisation
- Developed the Hardware and Software Product Roadmap for the organisation
Self-employed strategy consultant & startup advisor
Thiel Consulting
- Led the project management of the legal processes in a battery joint venture of 4bn$ investment
- Developed the competitive strategy for an EV company, resulting in a 1bn$ acquisition project
- Designed operations processes to scale an autonomous vehicle fleet to > 500,000 active vehicles
- Developed a competitive strategy for a micro-mobility company for M&A activities
- EU Business Development for The Routing Company, a SAAS solution for on-demand transit authorities
- Finance and Operations for Pure plus mobility, an urban mobility company
General Manager, JUMP Bicycles Berlin
Uber Technologies
- Launched e-bikes and scooters in Berlin, the fastest growing city in JUMP history resulting in global #1 trip volume with >10m$ annual revenue while outperforming unit economic targets
- Shaped the JUMP policy and comms effort to support unlocking business in Germany, a key market for the Uber business. Additionally, representing JUMP on panels at events such as the IAA
- Built and led a local team of 150 people in Berlin and recruited talent across Europe for the business
Head of Marketplace Efficiency & Product Experience EMEA
Uber Technologies
- Defined the 2017/18 strategy for Marketplace & Product experience in EMEA
- Scoped and rolled out product features to reduce the risk exposure of the business model in EMEA
- Increased profitability by centralising critical marketplace analytics, processes and decisions saving up to 30% of marketplace related headcount in the region
Regional Operations Manager Quality and Efficiency EMEA
Uber Technologies
- Built and rolled out a Quality management process for partner drivers in EMEA improving the quality experience for riders as well as for drivers while saving 100h+ weekly Ops time in the region
- Standardised and centralised the city backend tech setup for 100+ cities in 45 countries in EMEA
- Developed a strong cross-functional network with global and regional stakeholders (e.g. Tax, Legal, Marketing, Support, Product, Operations)
Operations & Logistics Manager Germany and Switzerland
Uber Technologies
- Led the business setup, partner acquisition and operations with hundreds of drivers in Düsseldorf
- Led the standardisation and rollout of quality and efficiency processes in WestCH
- Developed partnerships with large businesses and regulators
Consultant
Porsche Consulting GmbH
- Developed & Implemented restructuring efforts at a factory for a leading automobile manufacturer
- Reduced product- & process-related cost in industrial products and consumer goods
- Built a scaled-up business plan for fuel cell technologies in the automobile industry
MBA Intern
Porsche Consulting GmbH
- Identified and negotiated key performance indicators for a global project organisation at a leading automotive manufacturer
- Analysed the cost structure of products and developed recommendations for cost reduction of up to 30% based on benchmark activities
Quality Engineer
Toyota Motor Europe
- Initiated and coordinated a cross-functional team to improve the quality image reflected in European automotive rankings. As a result, Toyota achieved several No 1 rankings in European magazines
- Increased office efficiency by 30% in the European Headquarter by developing a training module, training-the-trainer and conducting workshops for 400+ employees
Trainee Program
Toyota Motor Europe
- Managed Pan-European projects to reduce vehicle quality concerns through activities such as initiating field parts recovery, forming working groups with technical specialists and local sales and marketing staff and coordinating the implementation of quality improvement activities in production
Industry experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.
Experienced in Information Technology, Automotive, Energy, Transportation, Manufacturing, and Professional Services.
Business area experience
See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.
Experienced in Operations, Strategy, Project Management, Finance, Legal, and Sales.
Summary
16+ years of international experience ranging from voice of customer initiatives with the global quality leader Toyota, business case development, restructuring and process improvement with Porsche Consulting, hyper-growth scaling and P&L ownership at Uber and executive management at Twinner Group. Currently diving deeper into the AI application layer with AskBrian while also advising startups and running freelance strategy projects in the technology, automotive and mobility space.
My peers describe me as a self-starter with strong analytical skills, ’no bs’ mentality, and the skill to get complex projects with large stakeholder groups done fast. At the foundation of my actions, I live and work by the values of respect, integrity and humility.
Languages
Education
Duke Fuqua School of Business
MBA Exchange Program · United States
ESADE Business School
Master in Business Administration · Business Administration · Spain
University of the South Pacific
Student Exchange Program · Fiji
Certifications & licenses
Certificates In Leadership And Strategy
ESADE Business School
Statistics
Experience
Global experience
Expertise
Qualifications
Profile
Frequently asked questions
Have questions? Find more information here.
David is based in Hamburg, Germany.
David speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary), Dutch (Elementary).
David has at least 16 years of experience. During this time, David has worked in at least 12 different roles and for 7 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 4 months. Note that David may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.
Based on recent experience, David would be well-suited for roles such as: Digital Growth and Strategic Partnerships, Co-Founder and COO, Director Global Operations & Twinner RD.
David's most recent position is Digital Growth and Strategic Partnerships at AskBrian.
In recent years, David has worked for AskBrian, ReturnHeroes, Twinner Group, and Thiel Consulting.
David is most experienced in industries like Information Technology, Automotive, and Energy. David also has some experience in Transportation, Manufacturing, and Professional Services.
David is most experienced in business areas like Operations, Strategy, and Project Management. David also has some experience in Finance, Legal, and Sales.
David has recently worked in industries like Information Technology, Automotive, and Energy.
David has recently worked in business areas like Finance, Project Management, and Strategy.
David holds a Master from Duke Fuqua School of Business, a Master in Business Administration from ESADE Business School and a Bachelor in Aerospace Engineering – with honours from UAS Aachen.
David has 1 certificate: Certificates In Leadership And Strategy.
The availability of David needs to be confirmed.
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Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 7 Sep 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
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