Thomas Polanski - E-Commerce Product Owner and AI Consultant

Q: Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Leipzig, 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 21 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 16 different roles and for 17 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 3 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 Project Manager & Product Owner – M&A Integration at voxa c/o IC Music and Apparel GmbH .

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

In recent years, Thomas has worked for voxa c/o IC Music and Apparel GmbH , MANN+HUMMEL , Viessmann Selection-Shop , B2B Customer App / JTL Integration , and Monsterzeug GmbH .

Q: Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology , Retail , and Professional Services . Thomas also has some experience in Transportation , Manufacturing , and Automotive .

Q: Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

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

Q: Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

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

Q: Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

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

Recommended expert

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Leipzig, Germany

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Experience

Jan 2025 - Dec 2025

1 year

Leipzig, Germany

Project Manager & Product Owner – M&A Integration

voxa c/o IC Music and Apparel GmbH

Project management of the legal and system-side integration of Taschenkaufhaus into the Voxa group: conversion of all contracts, accounts, and system access rights on the defined cutover date
Migration from Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 to 2013: analysis of all existing interfaces, redefinition of processes, and coordinated go-live without interrupting operations
Integration of the complaints and returns process into MS Dynamics NAV 2013; major process simplification through standardization
Introduction of a new POS system (Shopify POS) in all stores: requirements analysis, configuration, rollout, and employee training
Use of n8n automation workflows for data reconciliation between marketplaces and ERP; manual processes significantly reduced

Jan 2024 - Mar 2026

2 years 3 months

Ludwigsburg, Germany

Application Consultant · Akeneo PIM Expert & AI Process Integration

MANN+HUMMEL

Strategic realignment of the Akeneo PIM cloud platform in the 'Final Datamodel' project: definition of the central data model for the Life Science & Environment area
Design and implementation of data flows, including the use of AI-based product data enrichment
Development and adaptation of interfaces to Magento 2 (online shop) and AEM (Adobe Experience Manager) for channel-specific product data distribution
Data migration and mapping from SAP / SAP 4HANA and other upstream systems from various business units into the central PIM
Operational project coordination in Jira; close alignment with business, IT architects, and international stakeholders

May 2023 - Jun 2024

1 year 2 months

Allendorf, Germany

Business Analyst, Strategy Consultant & PO – Shop Relaunch & Fulfillment

Viessmann Selection-Shop

Complete as-is analysis of the existing merchandising solution: technology, processes, fulfillment, accounts payable/receivable management, marketing, and customs together with all stakeholders
Development and alignment of a new merchandising and sales strategy as the basis for system selection
Evaluation and selection of new shop and fulfillment providers (including Magento 2, Shopware, logistics providers)
Technical contract negotiations with the new fulfillment partner; coordination of the complete logistics move
Project management for the shop relaunch up to go-live; ensuring a smooth handover to operations

Jan 2023 - Mar 2023

3 months

Leipzig, Germany

Product Owner & Automation Architect

B2B Customer App / JTL Integration

Design and implementation of a complete REST API with n8n: order import from app into JTL, customer data and invoice retrieval, order history - all through structured n8n workflows
Automated weekly/monthly collective invoicing with bank debit: invoicing process fully digitized and without manual intervention; DATEV integration with cost center logic
Setup of JTL WMS with batch management via GS1 QR code for scanner-based, decentralized goods receiving in the HUB
Management of the internal developer team; technical architecture and business requirements definition

Aug 2022 - Dec 2023

1 year 5 months

Hanover, Germany

Product Owner Customer Success – Customer Communication & Process Automation

Monsterzeug GmbH

Introduction of a first/second-level structure with Greyhound CRM: topic routing, domain structure, and automated reply rules significantly reduce manual handling
Direct JTL-Wawi integration into Greyhound for instant order visibility in service - no more system switching needed
Consolidation of all communication channels into one central platform

Jan 2022 - Dec 2022

1 year

Munich, Germany

Product Owner Multi-Channel E-Commerce

Multi-Channel E-Commerce

Nov 2021 - Aug 2022

10 months

Stuttgart, Germany

Product Owner E-Commerce / Inventory Management – ERP Relaunch & Group Integration

Nuclear Blast (Believe Group)

ERP evaluation from 8 systems through to selection: structured RFP process with stakeholder workshops, POC with Plentymarkets and JTL-Wawi including test data migration and key user tests
Mapping of complex financial flows in the e-commerce context: correctly mapped separate purchase, payment and delivery data (release dates) in JTL and JTL2Datev
Integration of accounts receivable accounting into the group financial system Sage X3: transfer of balances to the general ledger, reconciliation with the parent company Believe
Setup of JTL WMS with digital warehouse processes, release date logic, international shipping with additional carriers
Relaunch of Magento shop in a global structure with internationalization, multi-currency capability, SEO optimization for country markets

Jul 2020 - Aug 2021

1 year 2 months

Berlin, Germany

Product Owner – Payment, Accounting & ERP

Artvera GmbH & Co KG

Replaced Lexware with JTL-Wawi under extreme time pressure: pragmatic order import via shop connector for more than 25 shops
Europe-wide payment setup: evaluation and change of payment service provider; connection of new PSP for B2C and B2B, direct debit with credit check and fraud detection
Correct VAT mapping in JTL for several EU countries (intra-community supplies, OSS process), different tax rates by product group and country
Introduction of JTL2Datev: mapping of accounts receivable accounting in DATEV, automatic payment matching, foreign currency accounts and exchange rate logic
Switzerland connection: shipping processes and customs clearance for CH customers correctly set up in invoicing and accounting
Introduction of Greyhound CRM as the central communication system for chat, phone and email across all shops and languages

Jan 2020 - Jun 2020

6 months

Munich, Germany

Product Owner E-Commerce

Uptodate Ventures

Apr 2019 - Dec 2019

9 months

Leipzig, Germany

Product Owner – IoT, App Development & B2B Marketing

BesserMITTAG

Architecture and project management for an IoT fridge: standard catering fridge with Raspberry Pi control, real-time monitoring and app connection via WebSocket
Development of a cross-platform app in React Native: barcode scanning (Firebase ML Kit), push notifications, live chat, booking of removed items via Magento API
Setup of B2B marketing automation with Mautic & HubSpot CRM: lead nurturing workflows, Google Ads, LinkedIn and building an outbound sales team

Mar 2018 - Apr 2018

2 months

Tbilisi, Georgia

E-Commerce Consultant

GIZ / CONOSCOPE

Aug 2017 - Apr 2019

1 year 9 months

Weiden in der Oberpfalz, Germany

Project & Requirements Manager E-Commerce / CRM

A.T.U Auto-Teile-Unger

Project manager for the OTV relaunch: conceptual redesign (design thinking), agile implementation (Scrum), and integration of live staff capacity – rollout in nearly 600 stores
Automated KPI reports for management and regional managers on availability and booking utilization
Requirements management for the new PSP process and e-commerce architecture (Spryker / Magento)
PIM integration via Tradebyte for external marketplaces; CRM concepts for customer retention in shop, OTV, and stores

Oct 2014 - Present

11 years 11 months

Leipzig, Germany

Managing Director & Managing Director

eORDER GmbH

Founded and led an e-commerce agency focused on Magento 2 and Akeneo PIM
Responsible for project and staff acquisition, accounting, and strategic company development
Built and scaled AI-supported product data and automation projects for clients

Oct 2011 - Aug 2014

2 years 11 months

Leipzig, Germany

Managing Director

nextORDER eBusiness GmbH

Introduced ERP and PM software (Redmine), BI system (data warehouse, Talend, Pentaho), and payment integrations
IT and process management for a logistics site with up to 3,000 shipments/day

Nov 2007 - Sep 2014

6 years 11 months

Leipzig, Germany

Shop & Marketing Manager

puzzle.de / fou-de-puzzle.com

Sep 2007 - Sep 2016

9 years 1 month

Leipzig, Germany

E-Commerce Consultant

AIDA-Onlineshop.de

Sep 2005 - Jan 2014

8 years 5 months

Leipzig, Germany

Project Manager & Online Marketing

Starkalender.de

Industry Experience

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

Experienced in Information Technology, Retail, Professional Services, Transportation, Manufacturing, and Automotive.

Information Technology

Retail

Professional Services

Transportation

Manufacturing

Automotive

Business Area Experience

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

Experienced in Project Management, Information Technology, Marketing, Strategy, Sales, and Product Development.

Project Management

Information Technology

Marketing

Strategy

Sales

Product Development

Summary

Most consultants can either talk to the business or to developers. I can do both - because I come from business administration, but I still think in systems, interfaces, and data flows.

Two university degrees in business administration and economics plus a bank apprenticeship taught me one thing: processes have to make financial sense.

I do not just analyze - I understand what a bad checkout flow, an incorrect VAT setup, or inefficient product data maintenance actually costs a company. And I know how to change that.

More than 20 years in e-commerce have shown me every building block of a digital business: shop, PIM, ERP, WMS, payment, logistics, marketplaces, accounting. That makes me a Product Owner who does not need to be explained first - I know the processes, I know the pain points, I know the systems. I am system-agnostic, question existing processes, and recommend what really fits - no vendor bias, no favorite tool. Stakeholders at C-level and developers in the daily standup: I speak both languages fluently.

Today I combine that with what currently has the biggest impact: AI integration and process automation with n8n. Not as a buzzword - but in productive use. I introduced LLM-based product data enrichment at a global industrial group. Built complete REST API layers with n8n that fully eliminated manual processes. The question in every project is: Where can we automate? Where does AI create real business value?

I take responsibility. Not as a consultant who delivers a report and moves on - but as someone who is in it, thinks along, delivers, and stays there even when things get tight.

Skills

Ai Integration
N8n Automation
Akeneo Pim
E-Commerce
Business Analysis
Accounting & Payment
Sap / 4hana
Project Management
Jtl-Wawi / Wms
Magento 2
Vat / Xrechnung / Zugferd
Datev Integration
Scrum / Agile
Shopify
System Architecture

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

University of Leipzig

Diplom Economist · Economics · Leipzig, Germany

IHK Munich

Bank Clerk IHK, foundation: payment transactions, credit, commercial accounting · Munich, Germany

University of Leipzig

Diplom Business Administrator: controlling, financing, marketing · Business Administration · Leipzig, Germany

Certifications & licenses

ISO42001 Foundation

PECB

TÜV Reihnland

Akeneo Solution Specialist

Google Analytics & GTM

JTL Partner / Wawi / WMS

Magento Solution Specialist

Odoo ERP

Scrum Product Owner (in progress)

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 17

Experience in Information Technology 21 y

Avg length 2 y 11 m

Longest experience 11 y 10 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 2 (Germany, Georgia)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Project Manager & Product Owner – M&A Integration, Application Consultant · Akeneo PIM Expert & AI Process Integration, Business Analyst, Strategy Consultant & PO – Shop Relaunch & Fulfillment

Main industries Information Technology, Retail, Professional Services

Main business areas Project Management, Information Technology, Marketing

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Certifications earned 8

Profile

Created

May 2026

Last Update

July 2026

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Frequently asked questions

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Thomas is based in Leipzig, Germany.

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

Thomas has at least 21 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 16 different roles and for 17 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 3 months. Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Based on recent experience, Thomas would be well-suited for roles such as: Project Manager & Product Owner – M&A Integration, Application Consultant · Akeneo PIM Expert & AI Process Integration, Business Analyst, Strategy Consultant & PO – Shop Relaunch & Fulfillment.

Thomas's most recent position is Project Manager & Product Owner – M&A Integration at voxa c/o IC Music and Apparel GmbH.

In recent years, Thomas has worked for voxa c/o IC Music and Apparel GmbH, MANN+HUMMEL, Viessmann Selection-Shop, B2B Customer App / JTL Integration, and Monsterzeug GmbH.

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology, Retail, and Professional Services. Thomas also has some experience in Transportation, Manufacturing, and Automotive.

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

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

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

Thomas holds a Master in Economics from University of Leipzig and a Master in Business Administration from University of Leipzig.

Thomas has 8 certificates. Among them, these include: ISO42001 Foundation, AI Manager, and Akeneo Solution Specialist.

Thomas is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

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.

To hire Thomas, click the Meet button on the profile to request a meeting and discuss your project needs.

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Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

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Daily rate avg. 846 €

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Median rate 800 €

The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.