Karl-Heinz Schulte-Interim Executive | Board Member for IT, Digital, AI, and Transformation
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Experience
CIO
- CIO at nutrition R&D and producer (family owned)
Strengthened IT Team, recovered IT service, reviewed and streamlined complex SAP landscape, reviewed IT security set-up, reviewed laboratory IT
Co-CIO
- Co-CIO at Biotech / CRO group (Nasdaq listed)
Diagnostic of the complete IT delivery and security set-up. Developed an overarching Target Operating Model, covering traditional IT, newly established data business, Artificial Intelligence - in-silico research and steering approach. Covered cost-cutting ambition and investment needs on the AI side.
CIO Sparring & PE Shareholder Advisory
- CIO Sparring & Private Equity shareholder Advisory
Task: Part time sparring and safeguarding, at previous placement to ensure that CIO successor copes with delivery and shareholder management
Lecturer for IT and Cybersecurity for Supervisory Board Members
- Lecturer for IT and Cybersecurity at Steinbeis Augsburg Business School for Advisory & Supervisory Board members: Enabling board members for the digital journey.
CIO & Board Member
CIO & Board Member at a leading laboratory group
- Private equity consortium of Goldman Sachs / Omers / Axa
- German critical infrastructure (KRITIS)
- Task: Rebuild a business-oriented IT function, major investment of €44m in modern IT,
- automate industrial labs, build new LIS, introduce SAP S4/H, new outsourcing deal,
- build cyber security and recover from attack. Close collaboration with PE.
- Size: €600m revenue / 4,500 employees / 100 sites / 4 countries
- Direct leadership of 150 internal & 100 external employees & partners
CIO
- CIO at a biotech group (Nasdaq listed)
Task: Join 3 IT teams after merger, make IT more agile, professionalize IT, new sourcing deal. Size: €300m revenue / 1,800 employees / Boston & Munich Direct leadership of 45 internal & 20 external employees & partners
CDO
- CDO at a midsized tool manufacturer (family owned)
Task: Review IT TOM, cost review, Industry 4.0, challenge e-commerce and digital business models. Sparring for owners and management board. Size: €260m revenue / 1,200 employees / GER, US, A Direct leadership of 25 internal & 10 indirect in US
Board Advisory
- Board Advisory: Digitize business model (family office)
Reshaped the business model of a heavy manual / people business into a digital backbone business, incl. the core of the required IT TOM.
CIO Advisory
CIO: Carve-out of BU recycling (PE fonds)
CIO Advisory: IT procurement optimization
CIO Advisory: Sourcing and Vendor Mgmt
Digitaler Beirat
- We drive and shape digitalization in German supervisory boards.
CIO/CDO
- CIO/CDO at Gas Storage group (CAC40 listed)
International gas storage group, part of a French blue-chip energy group German critical infrastructure (KRITIS) Task: Calm and heal the IT team, stabilize IT delivery, including security, collaborate with global headquarters and audit.. Size: 800 m€ revenue / 1,000 employees / GER, UK, FR Direct leadership of 25 internal employees & broadly sourced IT steering
CIO Advisory
- CIO Advisory: IT-TOM Design
Global Director IT Resource Management
- Global IT function of the E.ON Group > 1 billion Euro IT budget*
Lead of global IT resources, incl. more than 1,700 external experts and offshore centers in several Indian locations with several hundred experts, one offshore center in Vietnam, and nearshore centers in Slovakia and Hungary
Integration Manager IT: Mergers & Acquisitions
M&A deals and carve-outs worldwide
Head of IT: Change & Transformation
Lead of all global Transformation Program initiatives of a global DAX group with more than 170 FTE in the Program and financial scope of 144m€
Head of IT: New Regions
Head of an IT Integration Unit to integrate newly acquired countries into the global group.
Head of the subsidiaries in
- Italy
- Spain
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Sweden
Manager Corporate Development
Shaped the future set-up of the IT in a global group, IT Strategy TOM design Sourcing Review
Member of International & German Board: Business Development Manager
- Inhouse consultancy, grew from start-up to SME with staff of 250 in GER, 740 globally*
Member of German Board: Head of Process Consulting Division
Consulting services for Airbus, particularly the engineering and manufacturing of the A380 aircraft
Consultant: Public Sector (e.g. Police Lower Saxony, Landtag NRW)
IT consulting for public-sector customers
Industry experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.
Experienced in Utilities, Professional Services, Aerospace and Defense, Energy, Manufacturing, and Education.
Business area experience
See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.
Experienced in Information Technology, Strategy, Project Management, Operations, Procurement, and Sales.
Summary
Recognized international Executive and Leader of people with experience across full IT lifecycle from strategy and governance to cybersecurity, global delivery and projects. A trusted partner in transformation and driving change towards digital excellence and artificial intelligence. A powerful catalyst in target realization, resolute and persistent.
Engaged leadership style, demonstrating strong personal drive, behaviors and values. Experience from global CIO, Managing Director, to global Director in a DAX group. Appreciates Private Equity, family offices, corporate and midsized environments.
Proven track record in pushing for value-driven digitalization of business and delivering sustainable multi-million efficiencies, data intelligence and quality improvements, including outsourcing and best-shoring. Design and adjustment of IT structures, enabling agility, future readiness and business intimacy. Realized several sensitive M&A and carve-out programs globally.
Accomplished designer of digital advisory boards, lecturer and author in this segment, enrichment for your advisory board or supervisory board on its way to cybersecure digitization.
Skills
- It Management & Governance
- Cybersecurity
- Kritis
- Digitalization & Innovation
- Change & Transformation
- Cloudification
- Artificial Intelligence / Ai
- Agility & Scrum
- Program Management
- M&A / Integration
- Sap / Non-Sap
- Nearshore / Offshore
- Sourcing & Vendor Management
- Digital Adoption
- Digital Advisory For Boards
- Supervisory Board Membership
- Author
- Lecturer
Languages
Education
Boston University
Micro Master Digital Leadership · Digital Leadership
Nordakademie
Executive MBA · International Marketing / Business Communication · Elmshorn, Germany
University of Dortmund
University Degree in Information Technology · Software Engineering · Dortmund, Germany
Certifications & licenses
Statistics
Experience
Expertise
Qualifications
Profile
Frequently asked questions
Have questions? Find more information here.
Karl-Heinz is based in Hamburg, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.
Karl-Heinz speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Russian (Elementary).
Karl-Heinz has at least 26 years of experience. During this time, Karl-Heinz has worked in at least 18 different roles. The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 4 months. Note that Karl-Heinz may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.
Based on recent experience, Karl-Heinz would be well-suited for roles such as: CIO, Co-CIO, CIO Sparring & PE Shareholder Advisory.
Karl-Heinz's most recent position is CIO.
Karl-Heinz is most experienced in industries like Utilities, Professional Services, and Aerospace and Defense. Karl-Heinz also has some experience in Energy, Education, and Manufacturing.
Karl-Heinz is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology, Strategy, and Project Management. Karl-Heinz also has some experience in Operations, Procurement, and Sales.
Karl-Heinz has recently worked in industries like Professional Services, Education, and Healthcare.
Karl-Heinz has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology, Strategy, and Operations.
Karl-Heinz holds a Master in International Marketing / Business Communication from Nordakademie and a Bachelor in Software Engineering from University of Dortmund.
Karl-Heinz has 1 certificate: Scrum Master Qualification.
Karl-Heinz is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.
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Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 6 Sep 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
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