Chief Information Officer in Germany

• Team leadership: Prioritization and coordination of four cross-functional teams.
• Platform strategy: Development and implementation of strategies to optimize existing IT platforms.
• Stakeholder management: Active management of expectations and communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Program and innovation management: Prioritization and coordination of cross-department projects as well as innovation initiatives.
• Product Owner consulting: Advising Product Owners with a focus on product development and continuous product improvement.
• Organizational development: Improving communication and decision-making structures across all organizational levels.
• Change management: Implementing best-practice change management methods to ensure continuous optimization and innovation.
• Quality assurance: Ensuring high quality standards in processes, services, and deliverables.

• Responsible for infrastructure, operations, network and VoIP, security, quality assurance, as well as asset management and business continuity
• Planning and implementation of all requirements related to NIS 2.0
• Responsible for application development
• Company-wide implementation of SAP S/4Hana and leading development of new business processes, incl. cut-over planning
• Digital transformation and cultural transformation toward a "doer mentality"
• Realignment of infrastructure (hybrid)
• Restructuring of the organization with partial outsourcing
• Management of four direct reports with a total of 25 internal and external employees
• Budget responsibility of up to €25 million

• -- ENGLISH Version (Deutsche Version unten) ---

Experience

• Ex-BCG Platinion: 14 years as Manager & Chief IT Architect, leading large-scale IT transformations in complex group structures
• 20+ years of C-level consulting across AI/IT strategy, enterprise architecture, IT organization, transformation, M&A due diligence, project recovery, and interim management
• IT leadership experience with cross-functional, intercultural teams of up to 100+ people
• Hands-on background in software engineering, IT architecture, and project management
• Fortune Europe 500 focus; numerous international projects; SME and start-up experience

Core services:

• IT strategy, enterprise architecture (EAM), target architectures and roadmaps
• PE/M&A/carve-out IT/tech due diligence, asset valuation, cost estimation
• GenAI transformation, process automation, and AI governance
• IT reorganization, target operating model (TOM), agile transformation
• IT governance, development and ITSM process optimization (BizDevOps, SAFe)
• Review and recovery of critical large-scale IT programs
• Planning and steering of transformation programs and IT project portfolios
• IT vendor and platform selection (RfI / RfP)
• Coaching & Interim management

Industries (selection): Insurance, financial services & banking, energy & utilities, telecommunications, retail & consumer goods, logistics, media, industry & engineering, healthcare, professional services

Projects (selection):

• M&A Buy-side IT/Tech Due Diligence of an Acquisition in the Energy Sector (Utility, Smart Home) — AI-augmented with Anthropic Claude

• AI Initiative for LLM-Based Optimisation and Automation of Sales and Billing Processes

• Interim management Enterprise Architecture & group target architecture/roadmap development (METRO)

• Reorganization: Design and introduction of agile IT target operating model at international wholesale group (METRO)

• Design and implementation of agile BizDevOps target operating model (E.ON Grid Solutions)

• Platform/vendor selection for renewal of core insurance solution of start-up (ELEMENT Insurance)

• Establishment of project assurance capability and review/recovery of critical transformation projects (ERGO)

• Enterprise architecture management and development of divisional/solution architectures (Deutsche Post DHL)

• Strategic pricing architecture decisions in digital sales application landscape (E.ON Energie)

• IT due diligence: Architecture evaluation and monetary valuation of IT assets (ProSiebenSAT.1 Media)

• Interim management of group-wide security/compliance programme (ERGO)

• Enabling an application landscape for different sales organizations and product structures (E.ON Energie)

• Realignment of business/IT strategy and InsurTech platform selection (RfI, RfP) (nexible, ERGO Digital Ventures)

• Stabilization/optimization of an agile/SAFe business/IT DevOps landscape transformation (Lufthansa AirPlus)

• Process optimization and design/management of digitization and robotics introduction in power plants (RWE Nuclear)

• BSS target architecture development for fixed/mobile networks convergence (Deutsche Telekom)

• Optimization of IT organization model and methodology in application development and testing (Deutsche Telekom)

• Evaluation of fulfillment of a general contractor agreement for run-off/migration of contract portfolios (ERGO)

• -- DEUTSCHE Version (English version above) ---

Experience

• Ex-BCG Platinion: 14 years of strategy and implementation of large-scale IT transformations in complex corporate structures (Manager & Chief IT Architect)
• 20+ years of C-level-adjacent IT consulting: IT strategy, enterprise architecture, IT organization, transformation, due diligence, project recovery, and interim management
• IT leadership responsibility for cross-functional, intercultural teams of up to 100+ people
• Solid hands-on experience in software development, IT architecture, and project management
• Focus on Fortune Europe 500, numerous international projects; SME and start-up experience

Industries: insurance · financial services & banking · energy · telecommunications · retail & consumer goods · industry & engineering · logistics · media · healthcare

Services (focus areas):

• IT strategy, enterprise architecture (EAM), IT landscape target visions and roadmaps
• M&A/carve-out IT/tech due diligence, asset valuation, and cost estimation
• GenAI transformation, process automation, and AI governance
• IT reorganization, target operating model (TOM), agile transformation
• IT governance, development and ITSM processes (BizDevOps, SAFe)
• Review and recovery of critical large-scale IT projects
• Planning/steering of transformation programs and IT project portfolios
• IT service provider/platform selection (RfI, RfP)
• IT project management (agile, classic, hybrid)
• Coaching & interim management

Projects (selection):

• M&A buyer-side IT/tech due diligence of an acquisition in the energy sector (utility, smart home) — AI-augmented with Anthropic Claude
• AI initiative for LLM-supported optimization and automation of sales and billing processes
• Interim management of Enterprise Architecture and development of group target architecture in wholesale (METRO)
• Reorganization: design and introduction of an agile IT target operating model (TOM) at an international wholesale group (METRO)
• IT reorganization: introduction of an agile BizDevOps target operating model (TOM) at an energy group (E.ON Grid Solutions)
• Platform selection / vendor selection for renewal of the core insurance solution of a B2B2C start-up (ELEMENT Insurance)
• Process optimization, digitalization, and introduction of robotics in power plants (RWE Nuclear)
• Assessment of fulfillment of a general contractor agreement for run-off/migration of life insurance portfolios (ERGO)
• Business/IT strategy and InsurTech platform selection for a digital insurer/start-up (nexible, ERGO Digital Ventures)
• Enabling an energy application landscape for multiple sales units (E.ON Energie)
• Strategic architecture decisions in price management of a digital sales application landscape at an energy group (E.ON Energie)
• Stabilization/optimization of an agile DevOps IT transformation in business travel and payment management (Lufthansa AirPlus)
• Interim management in a group-wide security and compliance program of a global insurer (ERGO)
• Building project assurance capability as well as review and optimization/recovery of critical IT projects in an insurance group (ERGO)
• Building enterprise architecture management and development of domain and solution architectures for a logistics group (Deutsche Post DHL)
• M&A IT due diligence – evaluation and valuation of IT assets in the media sector (ProSiebenSAT.1 Media)
• Development of BSS target architecture and roadmap for fixed/mobile convergence (Deutsche Telekom)
• Optimization of IT governance/organization and methodology in application development and testing at a telecommunications group (Deutsche Telekom)

• Optimization of business results and expansion of sales activities
• Responsible for personnel organization
• Introduction of a document management system (DMS)
• Introduction and optimization of the ERP, CMS and CRM landscape
• Introduction of digital signatures
• Increase in revenue, reduction in costs and increase in EBIT

• Brought back passion and motivation to corporate IT, initiating a new self-understanding of roles and responsibilities
• Marketed the CIO domain and restored dysfunctional communication between CEO and IT and other C-level executives
• Addressed issues such as lack of demand management and budget challenges
• Rolled out an IT roadmap for each C-level domain
• Established IT governance and a new target operating model

• Situation: Inherited a patchwork of aging proprietary systems accumulated over 20+ years — custom-built shop, pharmacy operations, logistics, and product data management. No standardization, no automation, no modern delivery practices.
• Team: Found a centralistic hero culture with one manager handling more than 20 direct reports. Removed the bottleneck, replaced low performers, brought resistant team members back on track or managed them out. Hired fresh talent that brought new energy and capability.
• Delivery: Unified nine brands into a single platform, improving delivery speed by roughly 10x and eliminating cross-brand inconsistencies. Launched a new mobile app that tripled mobile revenue share within 12 months.
• AI: Implemented AI coding tools across development departments. Continuously working on trainings and knowledge sharing for developers. Delivered analytics and agentic automation for customer care inbound emails, and initiated agentic call automation.
• Operations: Introduced automated build and deployment pipelines, initiated cloud migration, and brought the core pharmacy system onto a maintainable, current foundation.
• Governance: Took back project prioritization from ad-hoc business demands by introducing transparent capacity planning — the biggest “no” enforced and the most impactful change for the organization.

• Built Collective Minds as an AI-first company, embedding AI into operating model, delivery and client solutions.
• Built and lead an international offshore delivery organization of 25 professionals, complemented by senior specialists in Germany.
• Act as Interim CDO for ALWITRA, supporting the company-wide digitalization agenda across ERP, CRM, enterprise knowledge, AI, data and operating model.
• Advise managing directors, CIOs and IT leaders on transformation strategy, target operating models, governance, prioritization and execution.
• Own program structures, budgets, staffing, vendor coordination, risks and executive stakeholder communication.
• Develop scalable technology and delivery models across AI, CRM, IAM, integration and manufacturing-related initiatives.

IT infrastructure / SAP Grantor / SAP BTP transformation project at the Berlin Ministry of Finance to digitalize public funding programs. The goal was a clean-core-oriented SAP BTP solution architecture with CAP/RAP services, APIs, integrations, and operational readiness for run, AMO, and AMS structures.

• Industry: Federal authority, FM Berlin
• Budget 2026: 5 million EUR
• Planned budget for 2027: 8.7 million EUR
• Team size: 45 FTE

• Development and implementation of a long-term financial strategy in cooperation with the board and other executives

• Responsibility for budgeting, financial forecasting, and liquidity planning

• Monitoring the company's financial performance and identifying risks and opportunities

• Defining core financial principles

• Developing strategies to optimize business processes

• Improving or implementing management information systems

• Leading financial communications, maintaining relationships with shareholders and investors, and overseeing internal audit

• Personnel management and general services

• Designing a financial, controlling, and reporting system for the company

• Ensuring the accuracy and completeness of all financial reports and documents

• Compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements in finance

• Leading the finance team and coordinating with external auditors and tax advisors

• Managing off-balance-sheet transactions (acquisitions, mergers, divestitures)

• Cash management and financing administration

• Maintaining third-party relationships with bankers and auditors

• Monitoring and validating company controlling (planning, budget, reporting, data analysis)

• Preparing and managing annual financial statements, accounting, management reports, Federal Gazette filings, and support for auditors

• Handling legal and tax matters

• Preparing financial business plans for the parent company and future subsidiaries

• Consolidating results

• Coordinating due diligence and financial audits

• Implementing effective financial controls and procedures

• Optimizing financial processes and systems to increase efficiency

• Assessing investment opportunities and risk management strategies

• Preparing studies on industrial and financial investments

• Liquidity management

• Developing a comprehensive IT strategy to support company goals

• Ensuring the security and integrity of all IT systems and data

• Responsibility for selecting, implementing, and maintaining IT infrastructure and applications

• Monitoring compliance with all IT policies, regulations, and standards

• Identifying and managing IT risks and security threats

• Working with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that IT systems meet business requirements.

• Interim management, strategy, organization, and management consulting

• 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

• Technical lead of a team developing agentic chatbot solutions (React, TypeScript, Python, FastAPI)
• Architecture design for multi-LLM dialog systems - focus on maintainability, UX, and autonomous execution
• Stakeholder alignment, CI/CD processes, and AI integration at enterprise level

• Digitalization of accounting, signature/approval, and onboarding processes
• Restructuring of the IT department
• Introduction of a digital sales tool
• Implementation of an AI webinar series
• Introduction and optimization of information security
• Administration and optimization of the MS Office 365 environment

• Executed post-carve-out stabilization, system consolidation and cybersecurity uplift. Re-assessed system landscape and assets and designed new IT strategy for future. Implemented new IT operating model focusing on product-centric organization and re-internalization of critical resources.
• Successfully designed new IT operating model of the company, based on massive reduction of external dependencies, insourcing of key positions and upskilling of employees.
• Massive reduction of IT cost in the first three years (-40m$), bringing IT spend level below Gartner industry benchmark (1.27%).
• Introduced new product-centric organization based on fusion teams between business and IT across the company.
• Administered implementation of corporate-wide IT/OT cybersecurity program with more than 60 projects.
• Continuous improvement of enterprise IT/OT cybersecurity maturity level with significant increase in the first two years (CMMI >3.5, C2M2 >2.5).
• Governed successful implementation of the business transformation program within IT area by overachieving the savings target by $8m.
• Initiated and created new cloud-based data management platform based on best-in-class technology.
• Implemented first company-wide Microsoft Copilot AI program based on various business cases, leveraging GenAI and AgenticAI.