Thomas Blasi - CIO of the corporate group

Q: Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Illertissen, Germany .

Q: What languages does Thomas speak?

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

Q: How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 34 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 11 different roles and for 10 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 1 month . Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is CIO of the corporate group at Badische Stahlwerke GmbH .

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

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Badische Stahlwerke GmbH and ETO GRUPPE TECHNOLOGIES GmbH .

Q: Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing , Energy , and Transportation . Thomas also has some experience in Information Technology , Metals and Mining , and Construction .

Q: Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology , Project Management , and Operations . Thomas also has some experience in Strategy , Logistics , and Customer Service .

Q: Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Manufacturing and Metals and Mining .

Q: Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology , Strategy , and Operations .

Recommended expert

Illertissen, Germany

Experience

Oct 2024 - Present

1 year 6 months

Kehl, Germany

CIO of the corporate group

Badische Stahlwerke GmbH

Member of the strategic management team
Responsible for 50 direct reports and functional responsibility for 25 more
Realigned the global IT strategy and merged individual IT divisions of the business units
Led the central international IT organization of the corporate group
Budget responsibility of €20 million p.a.
Strategic advisor to the executive board
Contributor to the company's strategic decisions as a leadership team member
Driver of digitalization
Evolved the global team structure across entities in a matrix setup
Initiated and implemented process changes
Operated and provided the central IT infrastructure including the data center for the entire group
Designed the global application architecture
Implemented AI-powered solutions
Responsible for IT governance based on ISO 27001
Rolled out Microsoft M365
Conducted an ERP selection process for the corporate group
Designed and implemented the new organizational structure as a foundation for future success
Introduced requirements management, project portfolio management and capacity planning for cross-company IT within six months

Jan 2021 - Sep 2024

3 years 9 months

Stockach, Germany

Vice President Digitalization

ETO GRUPPE TECHNOLOGIES GmbH

Member of the leadership team
Responsible for 28 direct reports and functional responsibility for 10 more internationally in the USA, Mexico, China, India and Poland
Realigned the global IT strategy and advanced digitalization
Led the central international IT organization of the corporate group
Budget responsibility of €15 million p.a.
Strategic advisor to the executive board as a business enabler in developing digital business models
Contributor to the company's strategic decisions as a leadership team member
Promoted digitalization
Evolved the global team structure to support further internationalization and build service hubs
Initiated and implemented process changes
Operated and provided the central IT infrastructure including the data center for the entire group
Built an IoT platform
Designed the global application architecture
Responsible for IT governance based on TISAX
Integrated sites in India and China into the corporate SAP system
Certified an information security system under TISAX
Created B2B models by integrating new entities into the corporate structure
Defined an IT strategy aligned with the corporate strategy
Reduced IT costs by 20% and implemented cost-recovery based on a service catalog
Built B2B expertise within the company in development, sales and service
Established the IT Process Excellence function to create added value in business processes

May 2019 - Dec 2020

1 year 8 months

Ulm, Germany

Head of IT/Organization Department, authorized representative

SCHWENK Zement KG

Member of the leadership team
Responsible for 35 direct reports and functional responsibility for 10 more internationally in the USA, Namibia, Latvia and Norway
Realigned the global IT strategy and advanced digitalization
Led the central international IT organization of the corporate group and its 120 subsidiaries
Budget responsibility of €16 million p.a.
Strategic advisor to the executive board as a business enabler in developing digital business models
Created a team structure to reduce direct reporting lines
Initiated and implemented process changes
Operated and provided the central IT infrastructure including the data center for the entire group
Coordinated the global application landscape
Coordinated IT security based on ISO 27001
Led the integration and optimization program for the Nordic and Baltic entities
Took over an ongoing project and corrected the underperformance of the external service provider → delivered on time and within budget despite Corona
Introduced a global IT project portfolio management system to create transparency and prioritize all global IT projects, leading to significant cost savings

Nov 2016 - Apr 2019

2 years 6 months

Wildpoldsried, Germany

Global Vice President IT

sonnen GmbH

Responsible for 20 direct reports and 5 additional functional reports
Established the global IT department and led the entire IT function
Budget responsibility of €8 million p.a.
Shaped corporate strategy and developed the derived IT strategy
Built a global IoT platform connecting 20,000 devices in a global grid
Coordinated global IT security under ISO 27001
Designed and operated multichannel platforms for customers and partners using Salesforce CRM
Analyzed and refined the IT architecture and interface management
Ensured worldwide quality and uninterrupted IT services based on service level agreements
Led strategic international projects such as the SAP S/4HANA rollout and ISO 27001 implementation
Reduced personnel costs by €150,000 by integrating all CRM systems in Germany and the USA
Cut license and consulting costs by €200,000 annually
Standardized international business processes by implementing SAP S/4HANA → reduced end-to-end process times by two weeks

Sep 2013 - Oct 2016

3 years 2 months

Blaubeuren, Germany

Director IT

Centrotherm photovoltaics AG

Responsible for 15 direct reports
Led the entire IT department including national and international subsidiaries
Budget responsibility of €5 million p.a.
Developed and evolved the IT strategy
Ensured quality and availability of all IT services worldwide
Managed IT project portfolio and change management
Defined, built and implemented a service catalog as a basis for internal chargeback and IT controlling enhancements
Defined and implemented a service catalog including internal charging models
Coordinated corporate programs and IT service providers
Evolved IT governance with a focus on IT security
Coordinated information security worldwide
Led IT project portfolio management
Implemented an ERP system as a basis for the company-wide Business Process Transformation program
Increased IT's value contribution and improved internal perception of IT

Aug 2011 - Aug 2013

2 years 1 month

Blaubeuren, Germany

Head of IT Business Application Support Non-ERP

Centrotherm photovoltaics AG

Responsible for 8 employees
Building, leading, and developing a qualified team
Budget responsibility of €1 million per year
Advising international business units on IT and organizational issues (USA, Asia including China, Russia, Europe)
Analysis, design, development, and operation of business applications
Optimization of business processes throughout the business process lifecycle
Managing applications such as proAlpha, SOLIDWORKS, EPLAN, d.3 DMS, Typo3 CMS, and Update7 CRM for sales, marketing, and service
Introduction of the Update7 CRM system for sales and service
Standardizing server, client, and network standards to support rapid company growth
Improving customer transparency across all sales segments
Saving €250,000 per year in sales costs through more efficient processes

Apr 1999 - Jul 2011

12 years 4 months

Unterroth, Germany

Head of IT

Butzbach GmbH Industrietore

Responsible for 5 employees
Member of the corporate group management team
Budget responsibility of €1.5 million per year
Managing the department across three locations (Unterroth, Kellmünz, Illertissen)
IT operations for subsidiaries in France, Poland, and the Czech Republic
Developing an IT strategy based on the corporate strategy
Continuous business process reengineering of current and target processes using ARIS
Interface management with specialist departments
Leading the ERP selection and implementation of Infor LN
Implementing the 3D CAD system SOLIDWORKS with integrated PLM system PRO.FILE
Leading national and international projects, including IT integration of the French plant and implementing window manufacturing software in Poland
Increasing efficiency, reducing lead times and complexity
Saving approximately €500,000 in design costs through digital platform strategies

Jul 1996 - Mar 1999

2 years 9 months

Erbach an der Donau, Germany

Head of IT Service Center

Astra-Hödlmayr GmbH

Responsible for 2 employees
Member of the international management team
Managing the department at 3 locations (Erbach, Rosenheim, Oberau)
Budget responsibility of €800,000
Establishing the central IT organization in Erbach
Software development focusing on logistics solutions
Operational management of the data center
Managing external service providers
Setting up user and application permissions, designing server and network components
Configuring clients and servers, customizing in-house software
Creating SLAs and managing escalations
Training in commercial professions
Infrastructure project for data linking with ADAC for automated data exchange
Increasing efficiency by introducing Windows NT and reducing the IT budget by 10%

Jan 1995 - May 1996

1 year 5 months

Illerkirchberg, Germany

Freelance Programmer

Robert Hengl GmbH

Conducting requirement analyses and requirements engineering with clients
Project management as part of software development
Providing support to clients after software implementation
Leading development projects such as freight cost calculation, handling general cargo transports, and custom integration of client orders with clients' own systems

Apr 1994 - Sep 1994

6 months

Aichach, Germany

Freelance Subcontractor

Büro + Technik Kreuzer GmbH

Network design and operation
Supporting business applications
Selling software to the construction industry

Feb 1992 - Mar 1994

2 years 2 months

Neu-Ulm, Germany

Freight forwarding clerk

Honold GmbH & Co. KG

IT tasks

Industry Experience

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

Experienced in Manufacturing, Energy, Transportation, Information Technology, Metals and Mining, and Construction.

Manufacturing

Energy

Transportation

Information Technology

Metals and Mining

Construction

Business Area Experience

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

Experienced in Information Technology, Project Management, Operations, Strategy, Customer Service, and Logistics.

Information Technology

Project Management

Operations

Strategy

Customer Service

Logistics

Summary

Very experienced international leader responsible for multicultural teams of up to 50 internal and 25 external staff in global IT organizations with multiple subsidiaries
Extensive knowledge in IT management and digital transformation
Broad and deep expertise in redesigning business processes
Led sustainable change management projects in complex international matrix organizations across the USA, Asia, Europe, Africa and Russia under high pressure
Highly analytical, conceptual thinker with fast execution and a trained eye for the entire company
Profound methodological skills and their expert application
Contributor to strategic corporate decisions

Skills

Service Management
Project Management
It Governance / Information Security
Requirements Management
Erp Systems
Sap Erp
Sap S/4hana
Infor Erp Ln
Proalpha
Databases
Oracle
Ibm Informix
Microsoft Sql Server
Mechanical And Plant Engineering
Logistics
Building Materials
Software Development
Industrial And Hangar Doors
Windows And Doors
Facade Systems
Photovoltaics
Semiconductor And Microelectronics
Energy Storage Systems, Battery Storage Technology
Renewable Energy
Measurement Technology And Sensors
Automotive
Agriculture
Iot
Steel Industry

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

May 2000 - Jun 2001

Industrie- und Handelskammer Saarbrücken

Business Engineer · Business Engineering · Saarbrücken, Germany

Dec 1992 - May 1995

Industrie- und Handelskammer Offenbach

Organizational Programmer · Programming · Offenbach, Germany

Sep 1989 - Feb 1992

Honold GmbH & Co. KG

Freight Forwarding Clerk · Neu-Ulm, Germany

...and 1 more

Certifications & licenses

COBIT 5 Foundation

Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering – IREB

Enterprise Architect according to TOGAF (Enterprise Architecture Management)

ITIL 4 Foundation

Information Security Officer according to ISO/IEC 27000 series

Managing Successful Programs – MSP Practitioner

Oracle – Oracle Certified Associate

PRINCE2 / Registered Practitioner

Professional Scrum Master

Project Management Professional (PMP)

SAP Certified Associate – Design Thinking

SAP – Cloud Platforms – Certificate Development Associate

SAP – SD Application Associate Consultant

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 11

Experience in Manufacturing 23 y

Avg length 3 y

Longest experience 12 y 3 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 1 (Germany)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles CIO of the corporate group, Vice President Digitalization, Head of IT/Organization Department, authorized representative

Main industries Manufacturing, Energy, Transportation

Main business areas Information Technology, Project Management, Operations

Qualifications

Certifications earned 13

Profile

Created

January 2026

Last Update

March 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Illertissen, Germany.

What languages does Thomas speak?

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

How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 34 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 11 different roles and for 10 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 1 month. Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Thomas be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Thomas would be well-suited for roles such as: CIO of the corporate group, Vice President Digitalization, Head of IT/Organization Department, authorized representative.

What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is CIO of the corporate group at Badische Stahlwerke GmbH.

What companies has Thomas worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Badische Stahlwerke GmbH and ETO GRUPPE TECHNOLOGIES GmbH.

Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing, Energy, and Transportation. Thomas also has some experience in Information Technology, Metals and Mining, and Construction.

Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology, Project Management, and Operations. Thomas also has some experience in Strategy, Logistics, and Customer Service.

Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Manufacturing and Metals and Mining.

Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology, Strategy, and Operations.

What is Thomas's education?

Thomas attended Industrie- und Handelskammer Saarbrücken for Business Engineering.

Does Thomas have any certificates?

Thomas has 13 certificates. Among them, these include: COBIT 5 Foundation, Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering – IREB, and Enterprise Architect according to TOGAF (Enterprise Architecture Management).

What is the availability of Thomas?

Thomas is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Thomas?

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