Stefan Rinderknecht-Leadership Expert | Advisor | Mentor | Speaker
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Experience
Leadership Expert | Advisor | Mentor | Speaker
Expert in leadership, customer focus, and efficiency with more than 27 years of experience in leadership and transformation.
My approach builds trust, innovation, and clarity – and empowers teams to consistently align with their customers' needs and succeed in dynamic markets.
Sabbatical for personal & professional development
- Intentional break for reorientation 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 acquiring new retail partners and building a B2B channel. Organized strategic initiatives such as trade fair appearances at IFA and with Euronics.
- Results: €15 million additional revenue in the B2B channel (2022), €20 million revenue within 12 months through new partnerships, 80% revenue growth above target in the Nest area through expansion into B2B2C sales channels.
Principal New Business Development
Amazon EU SARL
- Challenge: Development of 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 million revenue growth over three years, establishment of a resilient sales model that opened up new industries and expanded the offering.
Senior Advisor
Herax Partners
- Challenge: Lack of market insights for M&A activities in the German loyalty market.
- Actions: Conducted a detailed market analysis to identify strategic acquisition targets.
- Results: Well-founded recommendations for the M&A strategy as well as a solid basis for decision-making for targeted investments.
Interim Sales Director
Ionos SE
- Challenge: Inefficient integration of the subsidiary Fasthosts into the IONOS group structure.
- Measures: Optimization of tools and processes by aligning them with headquarters, adjustment of staffing capacity to reduce costs, leading a team with €23 million in revenue responsibility.
- Results: Successful integration of Fasthosts, clear increase in efficiency, and process harmonization.
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 without economic viability.
- Measures: Reorganization of the team to increase efficiency, reduction of staff to adjust costs. Introduction of an affiliate model to offset point transactions.
- Results: 10% annual revenue growth through effective cross- and upselling, successful management of a revenue volume of €50 million 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, limited revenue sources outside the flight segment.
- Measures: Building and managing 65 retail partners in 35 countries, developing a retail concept to expand airport shops in Germany, responsibility for two strategic top management initiatives at board level:
- 15% cost reduction through repositioning services for status customers
- Increase in user activity through everyday partnerships, development of a white-label loyalty system with shopping and logistics services for external partner programs.
- Results: €17 million in annual revenue with a 5-person sales team and consistent double-digit annual growth, the white-label solution generated an additional €1 million in revenue in the first year, reduction of program costs while maintaining customer satisfaction, significantly increased user activity through new partnerships.
Managing Director
Rinderknecht Consulting
- Challenge: Unclear market entry strategy and lack of coordination between marketing and sales at Telenorma C.A. (Venezuela).
- Measures: Conducting detailed market and competitor analyses. Development of a strategic concept for repositioning market development. Development of 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 Germany
Challenge: Weak loyalty among exclusive hi-fi specialist retailers and a lack of structure and efficiency in trade marketing.
Measures: Development of a targeted dealer loyalty program with tailored marketing plans. Restructuring of trade marketing through new processes and the creation of an efficient organizational structure.
Result: Stronger dealer loyalty in the premium segment, better alignment between marketing and sales, and higher efficiency in trade marketing.
Client: Deutsche Telekom
Challenge: Unclear market access for the IT segment and lack of processes for targeted customer acquisition.
Measures: Conducting a market and competitor analysis along the IT value chain. Development of a framework for customer acquisition and partner management.
Result: Development of a targeted market entry strategy aligned with internal processes and market requirements.
Senior Consultant
KPMG Consulting
Client: Kappa Germany (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 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, development of a strategic roadmap for optimization.
Result: Streamlined 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, establishment of a product management department in the spare parts area.
Result: Improved market positioning and establishment of scalable product management.
Client: Volkswagen AG
Challenge: Missing 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
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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 Strategy, Sales, Marketing, Operations, Customer Service, and Human Resources.
Summary
Experienced sales and growth expert with leadership experience in 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 loyalty programs, and increasing revenue and efficiency. Led teams of up to 20 employees and held P&L responsibility for up to €50 million. Works analytically, pragmatically, and with a strong focus on execution – with a clear emphasis on customer value, sustainable partnerships, and market-close scaling. Interculturally experienced, multilingual, and used to dealing with complex decision-making structures – both operationally and at board level.
Skills
Leadership & Transformation: General Management, Business Unit Leadership, Building High-Performing Teams, Cultural Change, Change Management
Sales & Business Development: B2b/B2c/B2b2c, Market Entry, International Expansion, Channel Development
Customer Obsession & Retention: Building Customer-Focused Organizations, Key Account Management, Crm Excellence
Strategic Partnerships: Developing Partner Ecosystems, Collaborations To Scale Growth
Portfolio & Performance Management: Offer Development, Cross-/Upselling, Campaign Management, Data-Driven Decisions
Structure & Scaling: Process Optimization, Introducing Efficient Systems, Building Scalable Organizational Units
Technology & Consumer Electronics
E-Commerce & Retail
Loyalty Programs & Customer Retention Systems
Telecommunications & It Services
Aviation & Mobility
Automotive Accessories & Industry
Customer-Focused & Entrepreneurial – Decisions In The Interest Of Both The Customer And The Business
Strategic Thinker, Operationally Strong – Visionary, But Execution-Driven
Leadership With Clarity & Trust – Enabling Responsibility Instead Of Controlling
International & Interculturally Experienced – Multilingual, Adaptable, Confident In Complex Environments
Hands-On Mindset – Direct, Pragmatic, Solution-Oriented
Languages
Education
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
Diplom-Kaufmann · Münster, Germany
Hoechst AG & Industrie- und IHK Frankfurt am Main
Industrial clerk · Frankfurt, Germany
German School "Colegio Humboldt, Caracas"
Caracas, Venezuela
Statistics
Experience
Global Experience
Expertise
Profile
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