Chief Executive Officers in Berlin

Appointed by investors to lead a critical turnaround and scaling phase for the DACH business unit of an automotive platform preparing for Series B.

• Stabilised and transformed a fractured regional team, building cohesion, autonomy, and leadership trust
• Reignited key client relationships, restoring operational continuity and driving revenue acceleration
• Increased profitability to 10% EBITDA within 2 months; scaled MRR by 1.6x within 4 months
• Improved Gross Margin from 37% to 42% in under 3 months
• Executed cross-functional strategies across commercial, operational, product, and legal
• Rebuilt management structure and hired key leadership to support long-term growth
• Negotiated SLAs and influenced product roadmap based on customer feedback and field data

• Developed healthcare and webinar platforms using React, Ionic and GraphQL.
• Built scalable frontend applications in close collaboration with designers and backend teams.

• Used OpenCode and AI-assisted software engineering to design, implement, refactor, test, and document an end-to-end RAW/SDTM/ADaM pipeline in R for Dr. Falk Pharma (07/2026), including metadata-driven transformations, automated validation rules and QC, traceability, and reproducible clinical outputs.

• Founded the online education company CareerFoundry in 2013.
• Built the first version of the product and grew it to €25M yearly revenue, 150 employees, over 1000 human teachers.
• Launched an AI tutoring service, raised €10M investment, and managed a board of international investors.

Workflow-automation SaaS for operations teams (Berlin, 120 people); full-time freelance engagement reporting to the CEO: an initial 12-month interim mandate, extended twice through the AI build-out; owned product for one squad and coached the other product managers on process.

• Led generative AI (LLM) integration into the core product: from LLM-powered steps to natural-language workflow authoring and step-level automation suggestions, plus AI-managed dynamic workflows, shipped behind eval gates with human-in-the-loop fallbacks: AI-drafted workflows grew to 31% of all new workflows, and median time-to-first-workflow fell from 3 days to 4 hours.
• Packaged the AI capabilities as a usage-based add-on priced on executed automation steps, working with sales and marketing on positioning: ~€800K added ARR in the first year, and adopting accounts churned 1.8 pp less.
• Owned the roadmap end to end: replaced feature-request-driven quarterly planning with an outcome-based rolling roadmap built on quarterly bets and explicit kill criteria, presented monthly to the executive team and quarterly to the board.
• Rebuilt the product-management operating system: weekly customer-discovery cadence incl. workshop facilitation, RFC/decision-doc reviews and a single quarterly metrics narrative; coached four product managers, one promoted to senior during the engagement.
• Closed the engagement as scoped: hired and onboarded the permanent VP Product, handed over the process playbook and roadmap, and exited on schedule in June 2026.

Development of a marketing and acquisition strategy to attract and retain new franchisees. Coaching and advising the executive management and management team.

Projects:

Project: RWE – Development of a company-wide Zero Trust cybersecurity architecture (CITADEL) Role: Senior Enterprise Cybersecurity Architect / Zero Trust Architect Company: RWE AG Description: Concept and implementation of the strategic CITADEL cybersecurity target architecture at RWE, based on the Zero Trust architecture principle and aligned with regulatory requirements such as NIS2, ISO 27001 and company-wide security governance policies. The goal was to build a measurable, auditable and scalable security architecture with a strong focus on Identity Governance, compliance transparency and operational manageability. Responsibilities & Achievements:

• Zero Trust architecture design: Developed a company-wide Zero Trust reference architecture (Identity, Device, Network, Application, Data) including trust zones, control points and enforcement mechanisms according to NIS2.
• Identity & Access Governance (IGA): Designed and introduced IGA governance structures including role models, recertification processes, segregation of duties (SoD) and lifecycle management for identities and access.
• Security governance & KPIs: Defined and implemented security KPIs and metrics to manage Zero Trust maturity, identity risks and compliance at the management level.
• Compliance & reporting: Built standardized compliance reports and dashboards to support internal audits, external assessments and regulatory evidence (e.g. NIS2).
• Architecture & stakeholder alignment: Worked closely with Enterprise Architecture, IT operations and business units to integrate the CITADEL architecture into existing IT and security landscapes.
• Strategic security consulting: Advised programs and projects on Zero Trust compliance, identity centricity and regulatory requirements in the energy and critical infrastructure (KRITIS) environment. Technologies & Methods: Zero Trust Architecture, NIS2, Identity Governance & Administration (IGA), IAM, RBAC, SoD, Entra ID, SailPoint, Zscaler, Terraform / IaC, Policy as Code, security KPIs, compliance reporting, NIST 2.0, ISO 27001, Enterprise Security Architecture, governance frameworks, risk & control management

Project: Scalable AI Workbench Platform on Microsoft Azure Role: Cloud Architect & Engineer Company: Siemens Energy Description: Design, development and operation of a secure, modular cloud infrastructure to support Data Science, Machine Learning and AI applications for various engineering teams at Siemens Energy. Responsibilities & Achievements:

• Cloud architecture: Designed and implemented an Infrastructure-as-Code solution (Terraform) for automated provisioning of Azure resources (Resource Groups, Storage Accounts, Cosmos DB, Application Insights, networking, PostgreSQL Flexible Server, Azure Container Apps, Azure Container Registry).
• Developer portal: Used Backstage with custom frontend and backend plugins (Node.js, TypeScript, React.js, PostgreSQL, Container Apps) to enable self-service and empower developers, data scientists and AI/ML engineers.
• Role-based access control: Implemented Azure RBAC to grant targeted access (e.g. Storage Blob Data Contributor, Reader) to engineering groups (e.g. AI Engineers) for relevant resources.
• Data platform engineering: Built and configured a multi-layered storage landscape (Raw, Curated, Vector data), including automated container creation and access control for advanced analytics and AI workloads.
• DevOps integration: Integrated with Azure DevOps for CI/CD pipelines to automate deployment, monitoring and compliance.
• Security & compliance: Implemented Private Endpoints, network policies and Managed Identities to ensure data protection and regulatory compliance.
• Collaboration: Worked closely with cross-functional teams to align the cloud infrastructure with business and technical requirements and drive digital transformation at Siemens Energy. Technologies: Azure, Terraform, Azure DevOps, Cosmos DB, Application Insights, Azure Storage, Private Endpoints, Azure Synapse, Azure Machine Learning, Azure Entra ID, RBAC, Backstage, Node.js, React.js, PostgreSQL, Python (automation), Git

Chair the Board of the Wisdom Age Foundation, providing strategic direction, governance oversight and international partnership development. Lead fundraising initiatives and represent the foundation in engagements with philanthropic organisations, Indigenous leaders and strategic partners to advance stewardship-based protection of globally significant ecosystems.

• Owned end-to-end operations for an early-stage startup, managing 250+ user validation interviews, structured feedback loops, and execution tracking across product and operations workstreams.
• Managed government grant operations (€250K+ funding scope) including compliance documentation, milestone reporting, budget tracking, and timeline management, maintaining 100% audit-ready submissions.
• Built centralised operational tracking systems using Notion, Google Workspace, and automated workflows, reducing manual reporting time by 70% and improving stakeholder visibility.
• Designed and implemented repeatable validation and execution workflows across 5+ parallel initiatives, reducing ad-hoc operational firefighting.
• Automated scheduling, follow-ups, and internal coordination processes, cutting manual coordination effort by 60%.
• Supported commercial validation efforts, structuring outreach and documentation that resulted in 10+ signed letters of intent with early partners - hotels and city councils.
• Coordinated and supervised 6+ interns supporting operations and research, with documented task breakdowns, review checkpoints, and quality control.
• Created 20+ pages of internal SOPs and operational documentation, enabling continuity and handover.

• Realised the ambitious mission of creating sustainable alternatives to planet-destroying palm and soybean oils by using high-tech microbial fermentation of food waste
• Built the business model and R&D strategy, and managed the company for two years
• Achieved a valuation of €7 million after just 2 rounds of pre-seed funding

• Built proprietary multi-model AI platform that dynamically allocates processing tasks across 5+ leading AI systems, matching each document type to the optimal model - delivering 40-60% cost savings compared to single-provider solutions while ensuring production-grade accuracy for enterprise operations
• Drove end-to-end strategy and execution from concept to production deployment, guiding team to build platform that transforms unstructured files into structured data outputs - working with top enterprise retailers from DACH region to reduce processing time from hours to minutes
• Built and led cross-functional team spanning engineering, product, and operations - implementing culture of technical excellence, rapid experimentation, and customer-centric development
• Positioned company to develop reusable AI automation IP across document parsing, data extraction, validation, and reconciliation - establishing production-grade infrastructure with robust error handling and audit trails, creating technology platform extensible beyond e-commerce to healthcare, logistics, and financial services verticals

Financial consulting, interim management

• Since 2020 SiGeKo for a global fashion house during shop installation across Germany
• Since 2021 HSE manager for 14 sites of an explosive ordnance clearance company
• Since 2021 Implementation of HSE quality system (AMS Bau) in 13 client sites across Germany (currently repeat audits)
• Since 2022 Multiple HSE projects in chemical parks, laboratories and production throughout Germany – regular support, coaching and instructions on-site and remote, testing of the hazardous substances register and operating instructions according to GefStoffV
• 2022 Inclusion audit for a biotech company (multiple sites in Germany)
• 2021-2023 Multiple HSEQ compliance audits for clients across Germany in chemical industry/API manufacturing and civil engineering
• Since 2023 Safety and health coordination projects (SiGeKo) for explosive ordnance clearance (former shooting ranges, diving), chemical parks and construction/civil engineering
• Since 2024-01-01 HSE manager for a global IT platform company
• 2024-01-01 to 2024-05-31 Interim head of ESH Germany & Austria for a global biotech company
• Since 2024-07-01 Head of occupational health & safety in the process manufacturing industry
• Lead of TPM SHE pillar – strategic HSE
• ISO 45001 management representative
• Planning and performing audits
• Implementing workplace safety cultural change through coaching and mentoring stakeholders, successfully supporting stakeholders to leave an intervention list and blacklist of insurers within 12 months
• Development and implementation of 5S process
• Development and implementation of permit to work process and training
• Development and implementation of local Kaizen procedure
• Development and hand-over of toolboxes on topics including 5S and safety leadership
• Leadership training and coaching on safety culture
• HSE expert according to Act on Occupational Physicians, Safety Engineers and Other Occupational Safety Specialists