Thomas Gaiser - Interim Digital Product Manager

Q: Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Stuttgart, Germany and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Thomas speak?

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

Q: How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 13 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 9 different roles and for 8 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 4 months . 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 Interim Digital Product Manager at Novartis Pharma GmbH .

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

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Novartis Pharma GmbH , HfWU Nürtingen , Grubengold GmbH , Neckar Hub Stuttgart – Mein Hub-Netzwerk der Neckar Hub GmbH , and DEalog – Top20 project in the #WirVsVirus hackathon by the federal government .

Q: Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology , Sport , and Professional Services . Thomas also has some experience in Government and Administration , Manufacturing , and Education .

Q: Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Product Development , Strategy , and Business Intelligence . Thomas also has some experience in Sales , Marketing , and Project Management .

Q: Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Professional Services , Information Technology , and Government and Administration .

Q: Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Product Development , Sales , and Strategy .

Recommended expert

Stuttgart, Germany

Check rate

Experience

Apr 2025 - Nov 2025

8 months

Interim Digital Product Manager

Novartis Pharma GmbH

Defined and established a clear product strategy and roadmap to align product development with business goals and market trends
Led and prioritized product requirements for cross-functional, international stakeholder groups (TA, brand family, content managers, legal)
Efficiently managed the development process in international agile teams for on-time and on-budget delivery of critical product releases
Led product launch and marketing activities in coordination with channel orchestration experts
Monitored and analyzed product performance metrics (KPIs) to optimize and maximize business value with data-driven insights

Aug 2024 - Dec 2024

5 months

Digital Platform Manager

Novartis Pharma GmbH

Developed and integrated digital platforms for a coherent, cross-channel customer experience
Designed and implemented IT systems in an agile way to manage marketing and sales efficiently
Evaluated automation potentials and brought in forward-looking ideas for process optimization
Planned and executed change management and training for field teams and marketing to ensure system adoption
Managed external international service providers and agencies to achieve goals
Actively transferred digitalization across the organization to drive digital transformation

Mar 2024 - Present

2 years 3 months

Germany

Lecturer in Digital Business Models

HfWU Nürtingen

Conducted the course "Digital Business Model Transformation" (bachelor level)
End-to-end development of digital business models with a lean approach, including hands-on use of relevant business model tools
Taught in English to strengthen interaction with international teams and stakeholders
Authored the book chapter "Developing a Digital Business Model" for the Springer anthology "Handbook of Digital Management"

Oct 2023 - Dec 2023

3 months

Innovation Consultant / Venture Developer

Grubengold GmbH

Designed and initially implemented the end-to-end product roadmap to measure development steps
Developed the customer journey and conducted user interviews for in-depth market research
Managed projects and processes for internal and external customer communications to keep stakeholders informed and aligned
Prepared market research, user insights, and product strategy in presentation decks for top management as decision support

Feb 2023 - Aug 2023

7 months

Digital Platform Manager

Novartis Pharma GmbH

Shaped and executed the platform vision and roadmap to significantly improve user experience
Precisely defined requirements as user stories and acceptance criteria to steer agile development processes
Continuously monitored KPIs and ran iterative tests for data-driven performance optimization
Managed interfaces between local and global departments, IT, and partners
Handled technical and administrative processes as well as project planning and coordination of the CMS migration
Directed external service providers and agencies for result-oriented roadmap execution

Mar 2021 - Present

5 years 3 months

Germany

Site Manager / Strategic Advisor

Neckar Hub Stuttgart – Mein Hub-Netzwerk der Neckar Hub GmbH

Strategic development of the business model to tap into new offline and digital revenue streams
Advising, coaching and mentoring startups in the region from concept to scale-up
Building brand and network in the Stuttgart area, including strategic analysis and acquisition of partners

Mar 2020 - May 2023

3 years 3 months

Co-Founder / Team Lead / Product and Project Manager

DEalog – Top20 project in the #WirVsVirus hackathon by the federal government

Developed a dual information platform (back office for institutions and an app for citizens) to close information gaps in the state-run warning infrastructure (BBK/NINA)
Coordinated the backlog in close collaboration with the development team; conducted market and customer analyses including interviews and created user stories to guide feature development
Validated the MVP in the Arnsberg district (NRW) and negotiated with the city of Heilbronn for the live application rollout
Analyzed and acquired cooperation partners and managed complex stakeholder relationships (government, authorities, municipalities)
Secured funding from the BMBF and a three-month engagement scholarship through ProjectTogether gGmbH

Nov 2019 - Dec 2019

2 months

Germany

Strategic Advisor

Next Shed der Eberspächer Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG

Contributed to the development of a new digital service offering in the smart home / smart city area
Strategically developed the architecture and feature set of an IoT platform as the technological foundation for a new ecosystem
Provided a conceptual blueprint as a basis for investment decisions and the setup of the new business field

Feb 2015 - Dec 2017

2 years 11 months

Germany

Product Manager

J. Schmalz GmbH

Supported the evolution of the online shop in close cooperation with the eCommerce department
Managed content for the online shop and all sales materials
Optimized and established content creation processes to increase efficiency and quality
Coordinated interfaces for internal standardization and guided technical draftsmen in creating product documentation to ensure compliance and quality

Jan 2013 - Jun 2020

7 years 6 months

Germany

Founder

insightity – Entwicklung datenbasierter Fan-Services

Conceptualized data-driven business models to diversify the offering and unlock new revenue sources
Managed end-to-end requirements based on the entire customer/fan journey in cooperation with VfB Stuttgart, 1. FC Köln, and SC Freiburg
Conducted market and stakeholder analyses to validate the business idea within the context of the Bundesliga
Identified concrete potentials to improve the profitability and sustainability of the fan service offering

Industry Experience

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

Experienced in Information Technology, Sport, Professional Services, Government and Administration, Manufacturing, and Education.

Information Technology

Sport

Professional Services

Government and Administration

Manufacturing

Education

Business Area Experience

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

Experienced in Product Development, Strategy, Business Intelligence, Sales, Marketing, and Project Management.

Product Development

Strategy

Business Intelligence

Sales

Marketing

Project Management

Summary

As a freelance expert in product strategy and digital transformation and as an experienced interim product manager for digital products, I bring 12 years of hands-on expertise in agile development and validation of digital products (web portals, apps) with a lean approach. A key strength is my solid knowledge in AI applications, which allows me to design and optimize new digital products with a focus on modern automation and AI marketing strategies.

My guiding principle is to create added value in a structured way by strategically combining what exists with new ideas and a dash of creativity. This strong entrepreneurial mindset and action, among other things through my own experience in founding companies and advising startups, as well as my deep understanding of the interfaces between business and IT, always ensure the strategic overview and the management of complex projects to reach goals successfully.

My proactive hands-on mentality shows in conceptualizing and implementing innovative solutions, where transparency and close collaboration with all stakeholders are the keys to success.

Skills

Hard Skills In End-To-End Product Management: Agile Product Development (Scrum/Kanban), Product Roadmapping & Backlog Management (Jira / Confluence)
Requirements Management: Lean Startup / Mvp Validation, Web/App Design (Wireframing, Prototyping)
Business Transformation & Innovation: Ai Strategy, Ai Marketing Applications, Automation, Business Model Innovation
Consulting & Coaching: Interface Management (Business / It / Ux), Teaching Assignments (Digital Transformation)
Soft Skills For Strategic Oversight: Holistic Thinking, Customer Focus, And P&L Awareness
Communication & Alignment: Stakeholder Management, Conflict Resolution, And Transparent Collaboration
Conceptual Strength: Analytical Mindset, Creative Problem-Solving, And Structured Approach
Proactive Execution: Independent Work, Initiative, And Strong Result Orientation
Software: Microsoft 365 Products, Google Workspace Products, Slack, Teams, Zoom, Miro, Confluence, Jira, Trello, N8n, Make.Com, Manus, Text, Audio, And Video Ai Tools (Chatgpt, Gemini, Claude, Etc.)

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Intermediate

French

Intermediate

Education

Oct 2004 - Feb 2012

University of Stuttgart

Diploma in Technology Management · Technology Management · Stuttgart, Germany · 2.3

Certifications & licenses

Professional Scrum Master I

scrum.org

Professional Scrum Product Owner I

scrum.org

Prompt Engineering For ChatGPT

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 10

Experience in Information Technology 10.5 y

Avg length 2 y 3 m

Longest experience 7 y 5 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 1 (Germany)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Interim Digital Product Manager, Digital Platform Manager, Lecturer in Digital Business Models

Main industries Information Technology, Sport, Professional Services

Main business areas Product Development, Strategy, Business Intelligence

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Certifications earned 3

Profile

Created

January 2026

Last Update

May 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Stuttgart, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Thomas speak?

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

How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 13 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 9 different roles and for 8 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 4 months. 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: Interim Digital Product Manager, Digital Platform Manager, Lecturer in Digital Business Models.

What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is Interim Digital Product Manager at Novartis Pharma GmbH.

What companies has Thomas worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Novartis Pharma GmbH, HfWU Nürtingen, Grubengold GmbH, Neckar Hub Stuttgart – Mein Hub-Netzwerk der Neckar Hub GmbH, and DEalog – Top20 project in the #WirVsVirus hackathon by the federal government.

Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology, Sport, and Professional Services. Thomas also has some experience in Government and Administration, Manufacturing, and Education.

Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Product Development, Strategy, and Business Intelligence. Thomas also has some experience in Sales, Marketing, and Project Management.

Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Professional Services, Information Technology, and Government and Administration.

Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Product Development, Sales, and Strategy.

What is Thomas's education?

Thomas holds a Master in Technology Management from University of Stuttgart.

Does Thomas have any certificates?

Thomas has 3 certificates. These include: Professional Scrum Master I, Professional Scrum Product Owner I, and Prompt Engineering For ChatGPT.

What is the availability of Thomas?

Thomas is immediately available part-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.