Stefan R.-Leadership Expert | Advisor | Mentor | Speaker
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Experience
Leadership Expert | Advisor | Mentor | Speaker
Stefan Rinderknecht Unternehmensberatung
Expert in leadership, customer focus and efficiency, with over 28 years of experience in leadership and transformation.
My approach builds trust, innovation and clarity, and enables teams to consistently focus on their customers' needs and succeed in dynamic markets.
Sabbatical for Personal & Professional Development
Stefan Rinderknecht
- A planned break to reflect and refocus, with a focus on family, learning, self-reflection, health, fitness and travel.
Head of Retail Partnerships Google Devices & Services
- Challenge: Limited sales channels and insufficient reach for Google hardware in Germany.
- Actions: Expanded the product portfolio and sales structure by bringing on new retail partners and building a B2B channel. Organized strategic initiatives such as trade fair appearances at IFA and at Euronics.
- Results: €15 Mio. in additional revenue through the B2B channel (2022), €20 Mio. in revenue within 12 months through new partnerships, and 80 % revenue growth above target in the “Nest” business through expansion into B2B2C sales channels.
Principal New Business Development
Amazon EU SARL
- Challenge: Developing a new B2B2C sales channel for Alexa-enabled devices in Europe.
- Actions: Built a new sales channel for business customers in industries such as energy, banking and hospitality in Germany. Expanded into France, Italy and Spain, including onboarding new distributors and developing cross-brand strategies.
- Results: €17 Mio. revenue growth in three years, and established a robust sales model that opened up new industries and expanded the range of offerings.
Senior Advisor
Herax Partners
- Challenge: Lack of market insight for M&A activities in the German loyalty market.
- Actions: Conducted a detailed market analysis to identify strategic acquisition targets.
- Results: Sound recommendations for the M&A strategy and a reliable basis for making targeted investment decisions.
Interim Sales Director
Ionos SE
- Challenge: Inefficient integration of the subsidiary Fasthosts into the IONOS Group structure.
- Actions: Optimized tools and processes by aligning them with headquarters, adjusted staffing levels to reduce costs, and led a team responsible for €23 Mio. in revenue.
- Results: Successful integration of Fasthosts, significant increase in efficiency, and harmonization of processes.
Head of Key Account Management
Rewards Arvato Services
- Challenge: Loss of the largest key account (Shell Clubsmart), limited cross-selling opportunities, and a cost structure that was not economically viable.
- Actions: Reorganized the team to increase efficiency and reduced headcount to align costs. Introduced an affiliate model to offset the cost of point transactions.
- Results: Increased revenue by 10 % p. a. through effective cross- and upselling, and successfully managed a revenue volume of €50 Mio. with a team of 20 employees.
Senior Manager
Lufthansa Worldshop and Miles & More International
- Challenge: Challenges in scaling the program internationally, high operating costs, low activity among non-frequent flyers, and limited revenue sources outside the aviation segment.
- Actions: Built and managed 65 retail partnerships in 35 countries, developed a retail concept to expand airport shops in Germany, and took responsibility for two strategic top-management initiatives at board level:
- Reduced costs by 15 % through the realignment of services for status customers
- Increased user activity through everyday partnerships and developed a white-label customer loyalty system with purchasing and logistics services for external partner programs.
- Results: €17 Mio. in annual revenue with a 5-person sales team and consistent double-digit annual growth, the white-label solution generated an additional €1 Mio. in revenue in its first year, reduced program costs while maintaining customer satisfaction, and significantly increased user activity through new partnerships.
Managing Director
Rinderknecht Consulting
- Challenge: Unclear market entry strategy and lack of alignment between marketing and sales at Telenorma C.A. (Venezuela).
- Actions: Conducted detailed market and competitive analyses. Developed a strategic concept to reposition the market approach. Developed channel-specific sales and marketing strategies.
- Result: Clear market direction and targeted measures to improve market presence and sales efficiency.
Management Consultant
COP Consulting Partners
Client: SONY Deutschland
Challenge: Weak loyalty among exclusive HiFi retailers and a lack of structure and efficiency in trade marketing.
Actions: Developed a targeted retailer loyalty program with tailored marketing plans. Restructured trade marketing through new processes and the establishment of an efficient organizational structure.
Result: Strengthened retailer loyalty in the premium segment, improved alignment between marketing and sales, and increased efficiency in trade marketing.
Client: Deutsche Telekom
Challenge: Unclear market access for the IT segment and a lack of processes for targeted customer acquisition.
Actions: Conducted a market and competitive analysis along the IT value chain. Developed a framework for customer acquisition and partner management.
Result: Developed a targeted market entry strategy aligned with internal processes and market requirements.
Senior Consultant
KPMG Consulting
Client: Kappa Deutschland (paper processing)
Challenge: Low production and sales volumes in the German market.
Actions: Analysis of production efficiency and identification of market access barriers. Development of an action plan to optimize processes and strengthen the market position.
Result: Improved production efficiency and increased sales in the German market.
Client: Lucent Technologies
Challenge: Inefficient processes in the global supply chain.
Actions: Analysis of existing processes, identification of gaps, and development of a strategic roadmap for optimization.
Result: Streamlining of global supply chain processes, reduction of inefficiencies, and optimization of international supply chain processes.
Management Consultant
HPP Consulting
Client: Daimler-Benz AG (now Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
Challenge: Unclear strategy in the truck accessories business and efficiency potential in the after-sales area.
Actions: Market analysis for the accessories segment, development of a comprehensive marketing concept, and establishment of a product management department in the spare parts division.
Result: Improved market positioning and establishment of scalable product management.
Client: Volkswagen AG
Challenge: Lack of a growth strategy for the European accessories business.
Actions: Analysis of market potential in Germany, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and France; development of a country-specific coverage strategy.
Result: Realignment of the accessories strategy in Europe with measurable revenue growth in several markets.
Industry experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.
Experienced in Retail, Tourism, Professional Services, Telecommunication, Information Technology, and Energy.
Business area experience
See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.
Experienced in Sales, Strategy, Marketing, Customer Service, Business Intelligence, and Product Development.
Summary
Experienced sales and growth expert with leadership experience at international companies such as Google, Amazon, Lufthansa and Arvato. Specialized in developing and implementing customer-focused sales strategies, building and expanding new sales channels (B2C, B2B, B2B2C), and scaling partner ecosystems across Europe. Proven success in launching new product categories, reorganizing customer loyalty programs, and increasing revenue and efficiency. Led up to 20 employees and held P&L responsibility of up to 50 Mio. €. Analytical, pragmatic and focused on getting things done, with a clear focus on customer value, lasting partnerships and scaling close to the market. Culturally aware, multilingual and experienced in navigating complex decision-making structures, both operationally and at board level.
Skills
Leadership & Transformation: Executive Management, Division Leadership, Building High-Performing Teams, Cultural Change, Change Management
Sales & Business Development: B2b/B2c/B2b2c, Market Entry, International Expansion, Channel Development
Customer Obsession & Loyalty: Building Customer-Focused Organizations, Key Account Management, Crm Excellence
Strategic Partnerships: Developing Partner Ecosystems, Collaborations To Scale Growth
Portfolio & Performance Management: Offer Development, Cross-Selling/Upselling, Campaign Management, Data-Driven Decisions
Structure & Scaling: Process Optimization, Implementing Efficient Systems, Building Scalable Business Units
Technology & Consumer Electronics
E-Commerce & Retail
Loyalty Programs & Customer Loyalty Systems
Telecommunications & It Services
Aviation & Mobility
Automotive Accessories & Industry
Customer-Focused & Entrepreneurial – Making Decisions In The Best Interests Of The Customer And The Business
Strategic Thinker, Strong Operator – Visionary, But Focused On Getting Things Done
Clear, Trust-Based Leadership – Empowering People To Take Responsibility Instead Of Controlling Them
International & Culturally Experienced – Multilingual, Adaptable And Confident In Complex Environments
Hands-On Approach – Direct, Pragmatic And Solution-Oriented
Languages
Education
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
Diplom-Kaufmann · Business Administration · Münster, Germany
Studied Business Administration, specializing in Marketing and Statistics
Hoechst AG & Industrie- und IHK Frankfurt am Main
Industrial Management Assistant · Frankfurt, Germany
Deutsche Schule "Colegio Humboldt, Caracas"
Abitur · General higher education entrance qualification · Caracas, Venezuela
Statistics
Experience
Global experience
Expertise
Qualifications
Frequently asked questions
Have questions? Find more information here.
Stefan is based in Grafing bei München, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.
Stefan speaks the following languages: German (Native), Spanish (Native), English (Advanced), French (Elementary), Italian (Elementary).
Stefan has at least 30 years of experience. During this time, Stefan has worked in at least 11 different roles and for 12 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 6 months. Note that Stefan may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.
Based on recent experience, Stefan would be well-suited for roles such as: Leadership Expert | Advisor | Mentor | Speaker, Sabbatical for Personal & Professional Development, Head of Retail Partnerships Google Devices & Services.
Stefan's most recent position is Leadership Expert | Advisor | Mentor | Speaker at Stefan Rinderknecht Unternehmensberatung.
In recent years, Stefan has worked for Stefan Rinderknecht Unternehmensberatung, Stefan Rinderknecht, and Google.
Stefan is most experienced in industries like Tourism, Retail, and Professional Services. Stefan also has some experience in Telecommunication, Information Technology, and Energy.
Stefan is most experienced in business areas like Sales, Strategy, and Marketing. Stefan also has some experience in Customer Service, Business Intelligence, and Product Development.
Stefan has recently worked in industries like Information Technology, Retail, and Professional Services.
Stefan has recently worked in business areas like Marketing, Sales, and Strategy.
Stefan holds a Master in Business Administration from Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
Stefan is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.
Daily rate distribution
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Average rates for similar positions
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The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 6 Nov 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
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