Robert Karash - Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS)

Q: Where is Robert based?

Robert is based in Idstein, Germany and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Robert speak?

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

Q: How many years of experience does Robert have?

Robert has at least 41 years of experience. During this time, Robert has worked in at least 19 different roles and for 22 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 10 months . Note that Robert may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Robert's latest experience?

Robert's most recent position is Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS) at Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank .

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

In recent years, Robert has worked for Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank , FI Finanz Informatik GmbH & Co. KG , VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG , SV SparkassenVersicherung Informatik GmbH , and SIGNAL IDUNA Gruppe & Lebensversicherung AG .

Q: Which industries is Robert most experienced in?

Robert is most experienced in industries like Insurance , Banking and Finance , and Information Technology . Robert also has some experience in Sport , Government and Administration , and Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas is Robert most experienced in?

Robert is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology , Project Management , and Operations . Robert also has some experience in Procurement , Finance , and Human Resources .

Q: Which industries has Robert worked in recently?

Robert has recently worked in industries like Banking and Finance , Insurance , and Information Technology .

Q: Which business areas has Robert worked in recently?

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

Recommended expert

Idstein, Germany

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Experience

May 2023 - Present

3 years 1 month

Frankfurt, Germany

Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS)

Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank

Technical leadership and development of a team of 28 IT staff (internal & external) in the areas HelpDesk / HelpLine, RHEL (Red Hat), MUREX (trading system & applications), SAP Basis operations
Managing external service providers (including FI-TS for SAP Basis operations)
Personnel, resource and budget planning for the IT department and projects
Introducing and establishing regular communication formats (standing meetings, team and cross-departmental meetings)
Ensuring application operations in a hybrid environment (Windows / Linux with database and web/app servers)
Supporting transformation projects to modernize the application landscape (e.g. DevOps approaches)
Building and implementing a digital IT procurement system for hardware & software (e.g. with DELL)
Developing and steering the “IT Operations DOS” department based on the company strategy
Creating management reports & decision papers on IT projects, optimization potentials and automation opportunities
Representing the department in the bank’s committees and ensuring regulatory compliance (BaFin §44, GDPR, BSI, MaRisk)

Apr 2022 - Apr 2023

1 year 1 month

Münster, Germany

Interim Manager & Department Head in the End-2-End Workplace Division “Windows Security, MS-SQL & Packaging, Applications,”

FI Finanz Informatik GmbH & Co. KG

Technical and disciplinary leadership of a team of 39 IT staff (internal & external) in the specialist areas Windows Security, MS-SQL databases, application development & packaging (incl. C#/.NET, SharePoint, web applications, open source)
Managing external service providers and strategic provider management
Personnel, resource and budget planning to optimize IT services and consulting
Evaluating, introducing and establishing innovative technologies to optimize IT processes
Preparing and visualizing IT results at management level
Ensuring regulatory compliance according to BaFin §44, VAIT, GDPR, BSI, MaRisk
Close cooperation with corporate interfaces, manufacturers and suppliers
Creating management reports & decision papers for executive management and committees
Team building measures: enhancing communication, fixed schedules, introducing an error and feedback culture

Dec 2021 - Jun 2022

7 months

Hanau, Germany

Interim Transition Manager

VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG

Overall project management for the data center move (“Data Center Transition”) from Munich to Weinheim
Main point of contact & lead negotiator for the CIO, business units and external partners (SYNTAX, ATOS, other service providers)
Steering all project managers, sub-project managers and work package owners of the involved teams
Ensuring the strategic implementation of the data center move through structured planning, alignment and coordination
Responsible for application management and SAP migration within the transition
As-is analysis & provider management of the entire IT infrastructure, applications and external services
Managing environment and change management for a smooth takeover of operations
Financial management: contract negotiation, budget planning and procurement management
Regular reporting & management reporting for decision-making
Coordinating stakeholder communication with management, service providers, audit and risk management
Successful data center migration with minimal operational downtime while complying with all legal regulations

Jul 2021 - Dec 2021

6 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

Interim Department Head “Deployment, Environment and Change Management” in the IT Operations Division IE2

SV SparkassenVersicherung Informatik GmbH

Disciplinary and technical leadership of 19 employees in 3–4 teams across three locations (Wiesbaden, Stuttgart, Mannheim)
Promoting employee motivation, training and team development
Managing the deployment department at the interface between application development & operations
Responsible for developing and optimizing application management
Designing, implementing and continuously improving deployment, environment & change management processes
Financial management of the department in line with corporate strategy
Ensuring compliant implementation according to internal guidelines and compliance policies
Representing the department in the SV Informatik committees
Saving resources/time and reducing error sources by automating deployment processes

Jun 2020 - Jun 2021

1 year 1 month

Dortmund, Germany

Project Manager | IT Business Analyst | ZIBE Access Management, Permissions Assignment in the IT Operations Division |

SIGNAL IDUNA Gruppe & Lebensversicherung AG

Consulting and implementation of access management in IT operations for the VAIT audit & follow-up audit
Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements (BaFin, VAIT, GDPR, BSI, MaRisk)
Point of contact for business units & IT services within the SIGNAL IDUNA Group
Survey & documentation of all relevant processes in access management
Reviewing and evaluating access concepts, role & permission assignments, segregation of duties & recertification
Translating analysis results into an onboarding document for new employees & the IT organization
Conducting gap analyses & interviews to identify optimization potentials
Preparing & visualizing results in a management-friendly way for decision-makers
Developing automation concepts to improve access processes
Timely process implementation based on a finding from a VAIT audit

Oct 2019 - May 2020

8 months

Wuppertal, Germany

Project Manager | Windows 10 Rollout Management

GKV INFORMATIK

Planning, overseeing, and implementing a company-wide Windows 10 rollout with over 4,800 clients at statutory health insurers
Process optimization, coordination with external service providers, quality assurance, and an ITSM-driven approach
Introduction of new tools, strategic SLA integration, and sustainable process adjustments according to ITIL

Mar 2018 - Sep 2019

1 year 7 months

Frankfurt, Germany

Head of IT | Interim Manager

Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund e.V.

Management of IT operations including staff leadership, time tracking, and an access control and authorization system
Coordination of external service providers and execution of a major data center relocation
Implementation of several large technical projects in office, infrastructure, and cloud environments
Integration of new technologies (cloud, Office 365, Windows 10)
Implementation of future-oriented IT processes and establishment of a sustainable IT strategy with measurable improvements in structure, efficiency, and compliance

Sep 2016 - Feb 2018

1 year 6 months

Offenbach, Germany

Interim Manager | Organization and IT Project Manager

HELABA (Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen) via ITC Deutschland GmbH

Strategic and operational consulting in service and partner management with a focus on resource management, process optimization, IT governance, and compliance
Preparation and support for a BaFin audit (§44) and ECB supervision through targeted gap analysis and structural development of audit and security functions
Implementation of efficient resource and ITSM processes

Mar 2015 - Aug 2016

1 year 6 months

Kerpen, Germany

Interim Manager | Transition Manager for EWP Rollout (HW & SW) and for Gothaer Systems GmbH

Versicherung Köln via Etengo Academic Experts GmbH

Management of the business transfer according to §613a BGB and coordination of all subprojects
Digitization of IT structures and leadership of strategic and operational communication with management, stakeholders, and service providers
Planning and execution of a complex IT and organizational transition with nine subprojects
Rigorous resource and budget control and sustainable realignment of governance, data protection, and IT security structures

Apr 2014 - Feb 2015

11 months

Nuremberg, Germany

Department Head | Interim Manager for the IT and Organization Services Unit

Rödl & Partner GmbH

Operational and strategic management of IT operations and organization including data center relocation, IT infrastructure modernization, and security management
Budget control and establishment of efficient procurement and IT processes at the national level
Company-wide IT rollout (Windows 10/Windows 7, Office 365) with implementation of a national application and purchasing management as well as a one-vendor strategy for printing systems

Oct 2011 - Mar 2014

2 years 6 months

Cologne, Germany

Team Leader | Deputy Head of Department | Interim Manager "IT Production Enterprise"

DEVK Zentrale

Leading complex projects and overseeing migration processes (SAP Basis, mainframe, CICS, DB2, Oracle databases)
Creating a vulnerability analysis for the entire IT production and data center area
Optimizing and restructuring IT workflows

Mar 2011 - Sep 2011

7 months

Hanover, Germany

Project Manager

Talanx Versicherung über DIS GmbH

Preparing a DWH Finance feasibility study including BI tools
Contributing to the successful IPO on October 2, 2012

Apr 2009 - Feb 2011

1 year 11 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

Project Manager

Aareal Bank / Aareon GmbH

Planning the system landscape and selection processes for new hardware, software, applications & tools

Jul 2008 - Mar 2009

9 months

Frankfurt, Germany

IT Project Manager

FI Finanz Informatik Bank

Introducing and implementing a new time management system (X/TIME v4.6), access control system, permission groups, and terminal authorization
Carrying out a nationwide IT rollout (infrastructure and software/applications)

Oct 2007 - Jun 2009

1 year 9 months

Eschborn, Germany

Project Manager

Abresa GmbH

Planning and executing the Windows 7 rollout (hardware and applications)
Deploying MS Office 2007

Jul 2006 - Sep 2007

1 year 3 months

Mannheim, Germany

Project Manager

Mannheimer Versicherung

Implementation of a business project management system (BPM)
Business process optimization and migration across all departments

Jan 2005 - Jun 2006

1 year 6 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

IT Controller | Overall Project Manager

Hessisches Ministerium für Inneres und Sport

eGovernment master plan: Conducted a statewide IT inventory (hardware, software/applications, licenses, leasing contracts) including all costs

Jan 2003 - Dec 2004

2 years

Frankfurt, Germany

Head of IT & Organization, Administration and Service (OUV/S)

Reisebank AG

Prepared the merger with DZ Bank and implemented IT and organizational processes
Achieved cost savings of €400k per year through centralized purchasing
Introduced a new payroll system (LOGA) including electronic archiving
Established central and decentralized organizational units

Jan 2000 - Dec 2002

3 years

Eschborn, Germany

Head of Banking, Trade and Insurance Division

TDS Deutschland AG & Co. OHG

Harmonized IT platforms and set up efficient organizational structures
Managed large transformation and digitization projects
Introduced an organizational and personnel management system
Led the migration of a trading system solution for SEB Frankfurt
Centralized procurement of IT & telecom services following ITIL principles

Jan 1996 - Dec 1999

4 years

Frankfurt, Germany

Deputy Department Head and System Coordinator

Gerling Konzern | Industrieversicherung AG

Provided technical and disciplinary leadership for 14–18 staff
Headed the departments of Accounting & Controlling, IT & Telecom, Central Services & Administration
Led the Europe-wide gerVAS project with integrated graphical interface and international currency conversion

Aug 1987 - Dec 1995

8 years 5 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

IT Team Lead for Application Control (AWST) and Work Preparation (AV) in the Data Center

Berlinerische Lebensversicherung

Led work preparation (Client-Server & Host/Mainframe)
Had personnel responsibility for and led 9–12 employees
Implemented the management robot SAR-EXPRESS-DELIVERY + CA1 (data storage media)

Oct 1985 - Jul 1987

1 year 10 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

Head of IT | Operations Officer

Vereinigte Versicherungsgesellschaft von Amerika

Led the IT division of Information Technology, Organization & Administration, and relevant projects
Had personnel responsibility for 6 employees
Built up the office organization, IT coordination, administration, and HR functions
Established project-oriented management with a strategic focus

Industry Experience

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

Experienced in Insurance, Banking and Finance, Information Technology, Sport, Government and Administration, and Professional Services.

Insurance

Banking and Finance

Information Technology

Sport

Government and Administration

Professional Services

Business Area Experience

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

Experienced in Information Technology, Project Management, Operations, Procurement, Finance, and Human Resources.

Information Technology

Project Management

Operations

Procurement

Finance

Human Resources

Summary

"Enable digitalization! Streamline structures! Lead change!"

My credo: Technology is only as good as the people who use it – and the leadership that makes it possible. I am a manager who not only develops strategies but drives their execution efficiently, agilely and economically.

My mission is to make IT organizations future-proof. I have built IT departments in highly sensitive industries, migrated data centers, and led companies through demanding transformations. Along the way I know how to motivate employees, optimize structures and shape IT so that it delivers real value.

With a mix of strategic foresight, hands-on mentality and excellent stakeholder management, I bring projects to the finish line. My successes are based on a charismatic leadership style, building strong teams, clear communication and the courage to go new ways.

Skills

Professional Expertise

Many Years Of Leadership And Management Experience In Strategic And Operational It Projects, Specialized In It Operations, Infrastructure, Security Management And Digital Transformation
Proven Success In Restructuring And Optimizing It Processes, Implementing Innovative Technologies And Leading High-Performing Teams
It Management & Digitalization: Building, Leading And Optimizing It Departments And Projects
It Operations & Infrastructure: Application Operations, Data Center Management, System Architecture
Security & Risk Management: Compliance With Regulatory Requirements (Bafin, Bait, Bsi, Gdpr, Marisk, Vait)
Strategic It Consulting: Evaluating And Implementing Innovative Technologies
Provider & Vendor Management: Contract Negotiation, Budget Control, Performance Monitoring
Process & Change Management: Developing And Implementing New Process Landscapes
Business Continuity & Outsourcing: Transition Management, It Procurement, License Management
Project Management: It Rollouts, Migrations, Access Management, Implementation Of New Technologies

Industry Expertise

Banks & Financial Services (Development Banks, Savings Banks, Life Insurers)
It Service Providers & Software Development
Insurance & Healthcare
Industry (Materials Engineering, Manufacturing)
Sports Organizations
Public Administration

Hardware & Communication Systems

Architecture & Infrastructure: Client-Server Architecture (C/S), Host/Mainframe (Ibm & Siemens), Cluster Systems
Data Centers & Relocations: Data Center Moves Including Hardware Rollout, Building Infrastructure, It Container Solutions
Networking & Virtualization: Cisco, Token Ring, Vmware, Terminal Servers (Citrix)
Operating Systems: Linux, Unix, Z/Os (1.13 – 2.17), Windows Server
Email & Communication: Ms Exchange (Outlook), Lotus Notes (10.0 – 7.0), Ms Lync, Avaya, Blackberry
It Service & Management: It Service Desk, Remedy, Bpm Systems
Visual Communication: Mindjet Mindmanager (Coreldraw, Corel Painter)

Applications, Operating Systems & Software

Microsoft Environment: Windows (Win11 – Win95), Ms Office (M365, 2000 – 2025, Cloud/Hybrid), Ms Project (2007 – 2023), Sharepoint
Erp Systems: Sap R/3, S/4hana (Fi, Co, Mm, Swift Clearing)
Hr/Hcm: P&I, Loga, Paisy
Datev (Financial Accounting, Accounting)
Process & Workflow Management: Dms, Crm, Archiving, Inventory Management Tools
Specialized Software: Murex (Trading System), Product Lifecycle Management (Life Factory), Time Tracking & Access Control (Plan Zeit), Trellix / Mcafee, Adobe, Visio (2021 – 2010)
Mainframe & Host Technologies: Novell, Opc, Ca1, Vse/Esa, Cics, Asm, Rsm, Tso/Ispf, Jcl Procedures, Mvs/Xa Utilities

Methods, Tools & Databases

Project Management & Methodologies: Gpma, Pmi, Prince2, V-Modell, Agile (Scrum, Kanban)
It Management & Governance: Itil (V2 & V3), Itms, Itscm, Ito, Mis, Qs/Qm, Risk, Cor
Change & Release Management: Change, Coordination, Config, Capacity, Asset & Event Management
Security & Compliance: Access Management (Ad, Permission Assignment, Role Concepts), Windows Security, It Procurement, License & Outsourcing Management
It Operations & Databases: Ms Sql, Oracle (Versions 1.1 – 12), Db2 (Ims, Db39), Sql, Aris, Dwh (Data Warehouse), Cmdb, Bcm, Mercury System, Peoplesoft
Programming Languages & Web Technologies: C, C++, Cobol, Assembler, Ms Visual Basic, Html, Xml, Asp

Transition Projects

Data Center Relocation, Facility Management Relocations & It Setup Planning
Overall Coordination & Organization, Alignment, Space Planning, Data Center Rack Spaces, Cooling Systems, Qb Representative And Security Officer
Point Of Contact For Management, Executive Board, Senior Management As Well As All Affected Business Units And External Vendors
Transition Manager For Provider Change And Their Entire Applications
Network Architecture (Lan, Wan, Voip, Video Streaming)
Network Security (Firewall, Proxy, Load Balancer, Nac, Pki)
Hardware Platforms (Ibm System Z, X86, Ibm Power, Vmware Esxi)
Storage & Backup Infrastructure
Operating Systems (Z/Os, Linux, Z/Vm, Ms Windows, Solaris, Aix)
Middleware (Directory Services Ldap And Ad, Mail System Ms Exchange)
Application Server Ibm Websphere, Interfaces Ibm Mq Series, Monitoring And Surveillance Systems Hp Openview And Nagios
Databases (Db2 Z/Os, Ms Sql, Oracle)
Transition / Transformation Of It Services And Application Systems
Deployment (Software Distribution) Loading Additional Software / Service Packs Via Sccm Or Other Tools

Personality

Analyst: Logical, Responsible, Organized
Doer: Engaged, Strong In Implementation & Assertiveness, Empathetic, Pragmatic, Passionate About Innovation, Digital Agility
Senior Partner: Reliable And Charismatic Presence, Strategic Foresight, Resilience

Leadership Skills

Span Of Control: Leading Teams Of Around 60 Employees (Internal & External)
Disciplinary And Technical Leadership: Developing It Departments, Coaching Employees
Entrepreneurial Skills: Economic Thinking And Acting
Transformation & Change Management: Implementing New Technologies And Processes
Stakeholder Management: Close Coordination With Boards, Executive Management And External Partners

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Technical Secondary School and High School

German Abitur · Wiesbaden, Germany

IBM Deutschland AG

Computer scientist, system analyst and programmer · Wiesbaden, Germany

Johannes Gutenberg University

Diploma in Business Administration and Diploma in Computer Science · Business Administration and Computer Science · Mainz, Germany

Certifications & licenses

Driver's licenses Class A1 and B / Class I + III

ITIL Foundation V2 & V3

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 22

Experience in Insurance 21.5 y

Avg length 1 y 10 m

Longest experience 8 y 4 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 1 (Germany)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS), Interim Manager & Department Head in the End-2-End Workplace Division “Windows Security, MS-SQL & Packaging, Applications,”, Interim Transition Manager

Main industries Insurance, Banking and Finance, Information Technology

Main business areas Information Technology, Project Management, Operations

Qualifications

Certifications earned 2

Profile

Created

January 2026

Last Update

May 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Where is Robert based?

Robert is based in Idstein, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Robert speak?

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

How many years of experience does Robert have?

Robert has at least 41 years of experience. During this time, Robert has worked in at least 19 different roles and for 22 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 10 months. Note that Robert may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Robert be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Robert would be well-suited for roles such as: Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS), Interim Manager & Department Head in the End-2-End Workplace Division “Windows Security, MS-SQL & Packaging, Applications,”, Interim Transition Manager.

What is Robert's latest experience?

Robert's most recent position is Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS) at Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank.

What companies has Robert worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Robert has worked for Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank, FI Finanz Informatik GmbH & Co. KG, VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG, SV SparkassenVersicherung Informatik GmbH, and SIGNAL IDUNA Gruppe & Lebensversicherung AG.

Which industries is Robert most experienced in?

Robert is most experienced in industries like Insurance, Banking and Finance, and Information Technology. Robert also has some experience in Sport, Government and Administration, and Professional Services.

Which business areas is Robert most experienced in?

Robert is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology, Project Management, and Operations. Robert also has some experience in Procurement, Finance, and Human Resources.

Which industries has Robert worked in recently?

Robert has recently worked in industries like Banking and Finance, Insurance, and Information Technology.

Which business areas has Robert worked in recently?

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

What is Robert's education?

Robert attended Technical Secondary School and High School for German Abitur.

Does Robert have any certificates?

Robert has 2 certificates. These include: Driver's licenses Class A1 and B / Class I + III and ITIL Foundation V2 & V3.

What is the availability of Robert?

Robert will be available part-time from June 2026.

What is the rate of Robert?

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

How to hire Robert?

To hire Robert, click the Meet button on the profile to request a meeting and discuss your project needs.

Average rates for similar positions

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1050

700

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Market avg: 1048-1208 €

The rates shown represent the typical market range for freelancers in this position based on recent contracts on our platform.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

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