Michael Findrik - CIO | Strategic IT Leadership &...

Q: Where is Michael based?

Michael is based in Samobor, Croatia .

Q: What languages does Michael speak?

Michael speaks the following languages: German (Native), Croatian (Native), English (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Michael have?

Michael has at least 26 years of experience. During this time, Michael has worked in at least 4 different roles and for 3 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 7 years and 7 months . Note that Michael may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Michael's latest experience?

Michael's most recent position is Data Protection Officer at Lidl Hrvatska d.o.o. k.d. .

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

In recent years, Michael has worked for Lidl Hrvatska d.o.o. k.d. .

Q: Which industries is Michael most experienced in?

Michael is most experienced in industries like Retail , Information Technology , and Transportation .

Q: Which business areas is Michael most experienced in?

Michael is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology , Procurement , and Operations . Michael also has some experience in Project Management and Legal .

Q: Which industries has Michael worked in recently?

Michael has recently worked in industries like Retail .

Q: Which business areas has Michael worked in recently?

Michael has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology , Operations , and Procurement .

Recommended expert

Samobor, Croatia

Experience

Jun 2008 - Sep 2010

2 years 4 months

Velika Gorica, Croatia

Data Protection Officer

Lidl Hrvatska d.o.o. k.d.

First officially appointed DPO of Lidl Croatia; complete build-up of the data protection framework including policies, processes, and training.
Structured handover to successor.

Oct 2004 - Present

21 years 6 months

Velika Gorica, Croatia

Chief Information Officer

Lidl Hrvatska d.o.o. k.d.

Hands-on construction of the entire IT infrastructure during the founding phase (network, servers, head office, warehouse, store IT). From 2010 onwards full focus on strategic management, architecture decisions, and programme delivery through specialized teams.
Built the IT organization from scratch to enterprise level: today 30+ employees, 115 stores, 3 logistics centers, 1 head office; annual revenue EUR 1.6 billion (FY2024).
Recruited, developed, and promoted 80+ IT employees; many now in leadership positions at Lidl DE, FR, AT, CH, RS, and IE.
Served as IT Cluster Spokesperson South-East Europe (May 2021–May 2023): strategic IT management for Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Greece; led cross-country pilot projects with group-wide rollout.
Achieved top 5 ranking for 10 consecutive years among approximately 30 IT organizations of the Schwarz Group based on efficiency, cost control, on-time delivery, and audit results.
Led best IT Audit Schwarz Group FY2023: full review of IT governance, security, compliance, and infrastructure across all Croatian locations.
Delivered annual IT cost reductions averaging 10% despite continuous growth; total savings of 15% through strategic tendering, contract negotiations, and lifecycle management.
Building IT Lidl Croatia from zero to enterprise (2004–2010): designed and implemented network, server, and store IT architecture; built team; managed vendor selection and contract negotiations; implemented core systems in parallel with market launch; resulted in on-schedule entry without disruptions and foundation for current operations.
Market Entry Lidl Serbia – IT build-out managed from Croatia (2011–2016): built entire IT infrastructure remotely; set up local team; enabled on-schedule entry; platform supports 70+ stores, 2 logistics centres, EUR 700 million revenue.
Fastest Card Payment System in Croatian Grocery Retail (2024): redesigned payment infrastructure; renegotiated provider contracts; optimized network; achieved 30% below competitive average transaction times for 100,000 daily transactions.
Real-Time Sales Data – 1st Lidl country worldwide (2013): introduced real-time sales data pilot; built business case; integrated into ERP; resulted in Group-wide rollout and improved inventory management.
ERP Cloud Transformation: migrated 70% ERP modules to cloud during live operations; on track for completion Q4 2025; reduced infrastructure costs and improved availability without disruptions.
Cybersecurity Transformation: established SOC; introduced incident response framework; launched multi-year awareness programme; achieved 87% reduction in phishing attacks and awarded Best IT Audit FY2023; institutionalized security functions.
Google Workspace Migration (2025–2026): managing migration from Microsoft O365 for 1,500 users focusing on standardization, cost reduction, and collaboration; planned completion April 2026.

Jun 2002 - Sep 2004

2 years 4 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

IT System Administrator — Team Lead Migration

Deutsche Post AG

Regional team lead for the company-wide migration to Windows 2000.
Coordinated multiple departments to achieve minimal downtime during migration.

Oct 1999 - May 2002

2 years 8 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

IT Consultant / IT Specialist

SK-Computerdienst | Siekmann Computer

Managed technical projects and performed server/client administration.
Responsible for IT procurement.

Industry Experience

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

Experienced in Retail, Transportation, and Information Technology.

Retail

Transportation

Information Technology

Business Area Experience

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

Experienced in Information Technology, Procurement, Operations, Project Management, and Legal.

Information Technology

Procurement

Operations

Project Management

Legal

Summary

20 years as CIO at Lidl Croatia built the IT organization from scratch to enterprise level, today supporting 115 stores, 3 logistics centers, and more than 100,000 daily payment transactions. Full budget, personnel, and delivery responsibility at country level; budget responsibility up to EUR 70 million, direct leadership of 30+ employees, talent development for 80+ individuals. Schwarz IT defines architecture standards operational management, prioritization, vendor negotiations, and programe delivery were fully in my hands. On multiple occasions I argued for and secured local exceptions to Group standards when business requirements demanded it. Key focus areas: stable retail operations, payment performance, cybersecurity, cloud transformation, and international programe management within the SEE cluster. 10 consecutive years in the Top 5 among approximately 30 IT organizations across the Schwarz Group.

What I leave behind: a fully self-sufficient IT team, a resilient architecture platform, established governance structures, and more than 80 developed talents many of them now in leadership roles within the Schwarz Group. Having successfully built and scaled the Country IT, I am now seeking a new entrepreneurial challenge with greater complexity and strategic scope within a corporate environment or an ambitious retailer.

Governance Reality: Full decision-making authority over budget, headcount, vendor selection, and local programe management. Schwarz IT sets architectural framework guidelines; where these did not align with local market requirements, I actively argued for exceptions and negotiated them at Group level. Continuous management complexity between the Croatian executive board, Lidl International, and Schwarz IT.

Skills

It Strategy & Operating Model
Retail & Store It (115 Locations)
Logistics It (3 Distribution Centers)
Cybersecurity, Soc & Audit Management
Cloud & Workplace Transformation
Erp Programmes & System Architecture
Budget & Cost Management (Up To Eur 70m)
Vendor & Contract Management
Team Leadership & Talent Development (80+ Individuals)
International Programe Management (See Cluster)

Languages

German

Native

Croatian

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Oct 1995 - Jun 2000

Fachhochschule Dusseldorf

Business Informatics · Düsseldorf, Germany

Certifications & licenses

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)

Fachhochschule Dusseldorf

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 4

Experience in Retail 21.5 y

Avg length 7 y 2 m

Longest experience 21 y 5 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 2 (Croatia, Germany)

Primary country Croatia

Expertise

Recent roles Data Protection Officer, Chief Information Officer, IT System Administrator — Team Lead Migration

Main industries Retail, Transportation, Information Technology

Main business areas Information Technology, Procurement, Operations

Qualifications

Certifications earned 1

Profile

Created

March 2026

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Frequently asked questions

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

Where is Michael based?

Michael is based in Samobor, Croatia.

What languages does Michael speak?

Michael speaks the following languages: German (Native), Croatian (Native), English (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Michael have?

Michael has at least 26 years of experience. During this time, Michael has worked in at least 4 different roles and for 3 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 7 years and 7 months. Note that Michael may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Michael be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Michael would be well-suited for roles such as: Data Protection Officer, Chief Information Officer, IT System Administrator — Team Lead Migration.

What is Michael's latest experience?

Michael's most recent position is Data Protection Officer at Lidl Hrvatska d.o.o. k.d..

What companies has Michael worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Michael has worked for Lidl Hrvatska d.o.o. k.d..

Which industries is Michael most experienced in?

Michael is most experienced in industries like Retail, Information Technology, and Transportation.

Which business areas is Michael most experienced in?

Michael is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology, Procurement, and Operations. Michael also has some experience in Project Management and Legal.

Which industries has Michael worked in recently?

Michael has recently worked in industries like Retail.

Which business areas has Michael worked in recently?

Michael has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology, Operations, and Procurement.

What is Michael's education?

Michael attended Fachhochschule Dusseldorf for Business Informatics.

Does Michael have any certificates?

Michael has 1 certificate: Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).

What is the availability of Michael?

Michael will be available full-time from May 2026.

What is the rate of Michael?

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