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

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

Initial situation: The product and delivery organization had structural weaknesses in efficiency, controllability and collaboration. There was also no clear target architecture for AI-driven product and organizational development. At leadership level, there was limited transparency over roles, responsibilities and operational performance.

Responsibility & approach:

• Analyzed the existing product, delivery and organizational structures regarding processes, governance and controllability
• Assessed the architecture and platform for scalability, future readiness and AI integration
• Developed a target vision for an AI-first product and delivery operating model
• Derived concrete measures to improve operational excellence and collaboration
• Acted as a sparring partner with the leadership team for structured organizational development

Results & impact:

• Created transparency over structural bottlenecks, performance and decision-making logic
• Developed a target structure for a scalable AI-first product and delivery setup
• Improved decision-making and controllability at leadership level
• Established a solid foundation for subsequent transformation measures
• Defined concrete levers to improve efficiency, collaboration and time-to-market

Consolidation and development of a cloud & managed services platform organization

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

Responsibility & approach:

• Consolidated and restructured the private cloud, public cloud and data center & network areas
• Led and managed performance of a team of around 120 employees
• Developed a unified product and service portfolio across all platform areas
• Defined the technology stack and managed technology partnerships and implementations
• Developed and executed go-to-market strategies, including sales enablement and organizational training

Results & impact:

• Expanded a unified cloud and managed services platform organization
• Launched a standardized service and product portfolio across public and private cloud services
• Transformed from a traditional system integrator to an IT-as-a-Service model
• Increased the share of recurring revenue from cloud and managed services
• Improved scalability and controllability of the platform and service business

Initial situation: Private equity investors and deal teams need reliable evaluations of technology, architecture, delivery capability and organization before transactions. Often there is no transparency on scalability, technical risks, tech debt and necessary transformation measures. There is also high pressure to quickly translate technological risks into solid investment and implementation decisions.

Responsibility & approach:

• Carried out technical due diligence mandates in software, SaaS and platform companies
• Analyzed architecture, infrastructure, data, security, delivery capability and engineering organization
• Assessed scalability, tech debt, governance and operating model structures
• Translated technical findings into investor-ready decision-making and prioritization logic
• Derived concrete risks, measures and transformation implications for post-deal phases

Results & impact:

• Provided transparent and prioritized decision-making foundations for investors and deal teams
• Delivered clear assessments of technological risks, scaling ability and organizational maturity levels
• Reduced investment and transformation risks through structured analysis and recommendations
• Ensured strong handover to operational transformation and post-deal mandates
• Connected technical due diligence with 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
• Accountability for IT roadmap, governance, 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 across seven locations
• Accountability for IT strategy, technology decisions and enterprise architecture management
• Leading turnaround management and restructuring of the IT organization
• Implementation of performance management and restructuring of inefficient organizational and site structures
• Improving system availability through the introduction of continuous deployment and application monitoring, as well as preparing the business unit for due diligence and sale processes

• Member of the European management team responsible for infrastructure and technology processes of the European customer service organization
• Leading 75 employees and responsible for a budget of USD 10.7 million
• Managing infrastructure and technology programs to support global CRM, workforce management, and content management systems
• Implementing Lean Six Sigma, ITIL, and process management standards to improve service and operational processes
• Executing transformation and rationalization initiatives to enhance efficiency, customer satisfaction, and operational control