Sven Krahn-Interim CTO / CTPO (Software-, Cloud- & AI-Transformation)

Assessment of the product, delivery, and AI organization with a realignment of operational excellence, target architecture, and AI-first operating model

Initial situation: The product and delivery organization showed structural weaknesses in efficiency, control, and collaboration. In addition, there was no clear target architecture for AI-driven product and organizational development. At leadership level, transparency about roles, responsibilities, and operational performance was limited.

Responsibility & approach:

• Analysis of the existing product, delivery, and organizational structures with regard to processes, governance, and controllability
• Evaluation of architecture and platform in terms of scalability, future readiness, and AI integration
• Development of a target picture for an AI-first product and delivery operating model
• Derivation of concrete measures to improve operational excellence and collaboration
• Sparring with the leadership team on structured organizational development

Results & impact:

• Creation of transparency around structural bottlenecks, performance, and decision logic
• Development of a target structure for a scalable AI-first product and delivery setup
• Improved decision-making ability and controllability at leadership level
• Creation of a solid foundation for downstream transformation measures
• Definition of concrete levers to improve efficiency, collaboration, and time to market

Consolidation and setup of a cloud & managed services platform organization

Initial situation: After the founding of the business unit “Application Platforms,” there was no unified product portfolio, no clear go-to-market structure, and no defined technology and platform strategy. In addition, there was organizational fragmentation between private cloud, public cloud, and data center & network, as well as a lack of standardized cloud and managed service offerings.

Responsibility & approach:

• Consolidation and restructuring of the private cloud, public cloud, and data center & network areas
• Leadership and performance management of a team of around 120 employees
• Development of a unified product and service portfolio across all platform areas
• Definition of the technology stack and management of technology partnerships and technical implementation
• Development and execution of go-to-market strategies including sales enablement and organizational training

Results & impact:

• Expansion of a unified cloud and managed services platform organization
• Introduction of a standardized service and product portfolio across public and private cloud services
• Transformation from a traditional system house to an IT-as-a-Service model
• Increase in recurring revenue through cloud and managed services
• Improved scalability and controllability of the platform and service business

Initial situation: Private equity investors and deal teams need reliable assessments of technology, architecture, delivery capability, and organization before transactions. Transparency about scalability, technical risks, tech debt, and necessary transformation measures is often missing. In addition, there is strong pressure to quickly translate technology risks into solid investment and implementation decisions.

Responsibility and approach:

• Execution of technical due diligence mandates in software, SaaS, and platform companies
• Analysis of architecture, infrastructure, data, security, delivery capability, and engineering organization
• Evaluation of scalability, tech debt, governance, and operating model structures
• Translation of technical findings into investor-ready decision and prioritization logic
• Derivation of concrete risks, measures, and transformation implications for post-deal phases

Results & impact:

• Creation of transparent and prioritized decision bases for investors and deal teams
• Clear assessment of technology risks, scalability, and organizational maturity levels
• Reduction of investment and transformation risks through structured analysis and recommendations
• Strong fit for operational transformation and post-deal mandates
• Link between technical due diligence and operational transformation and implementation logic

• Strategic and operational responsibility for the enterprise cloud platform of 1&1 IONOS CLOUD
• Budget and personnel responsibility for around 140 employees in development, IT operations, office IT, and customer support
• Management of international data center, infrastructure, and third-party technology environments
• Responsibility for IT roadmap, governance, as well as technology decisions and innovation management
• Ensuring operational stability, scalability, and operational excellence of the cloud platform

• Budget and personnel responsibility for over 600 employees in shared services, business process management, software development, infrastructure, and IT operations at seven locations
• Responsibility for IT strategy, technology decisions, and enterprise architecture management
• Management of turnaround management and restructuring of the IT organization
• Introduction of performance management and restructuring of inefficient organizational and location structures
• Improvement of technical availability through the introduction of continuous deployment and application monitoring, as well as preparation of the business unit for due diligence and sales processes

• Member of the European management team with responsibility for infrastructure and technology processes in the European customer service organization
• Managed 75 employees and had budget responsibility of USD 10.7 million
• Managed infrastructure and technology programs to support global CRM, workforce management, and content management systems
• Introduced Lean Six Sigma, ITIL, and process management standards to improve service and operations processes
• Carried out transformation and rationalization measures to improve efficiency, customer satisfaction, and operational control