GDPR Experts in Cologne

Industry: digital sovereignty, public sector

Responsibilities:

• Project coordination (teams: consulting, development, testing, deployment/operations)

Products and standards:

• Jira, Confluence, Asana, Miro, Mural
• Open Source, Keycloak, Open Xchange, ownCloud

• Regulated environment within a German banking group (approx. 8,500 employees, hybrid cloud strategy).

• Responsible for operating, provisioning, and continuously securing business-critical platforms – including a GenAI chat application, a big data/AI platform, and data science workspaces based on Azure Virtual Desktops and VMs. Ownership of Azure DevOps projects for ShaiHulud and React2Shell, as well as BSI alerts – Security Operations improvements across the SDLC.

• Deployment responsibility for the GenAI chat application, big data/AI platform (BDAI), and data science workspaces (AVD/VM-based) in the respective landing zones.

• Deployment & release management: end-to-end responsibility for deploying portal and service applications across multiple Azure landing zones, including technical approvals, compliance with development team deployment guidelines, and ensuring ITIL-based change and release processes via ServiceNow.

• Azure landing zones & network architecture: design, provisioning, and operation of Azure landing zones for 3-tier web applications with enhanced network segmentation, VNet peering, hub-and-spoke architectures, private endpoints, and firewall integration across separate subscriptions and tenants.

• Azure DevOps governance & operations: ownership of the Azure DevOps organization, including projects, repositories, and CI/CD pipelines; implementation of governance requirements such as branch policies, approval gates, permission models, and audit-ready operating structures.

• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform): design, implementation, and operation of a modular Terraform architecture for standardized cloud infrastructure deployment, including state management, provider versioning, reusability, and policy-as-code approaches.

• CI/CD pipeline engineering: design, operation, and optimization of complex YAML-based CI/CD pipelines with multi-stage deployments, template standardization, self-hosted agents, integrated secret management, and automated quality and security checks.

• Git migration & platform consolidation: planning and execution of repository and pipeline migration from Azure DevOps to GitLab CI/CD, including automated scripts, full Git history transfer, pipeline porting, and platform consolidation.

• Container & platform operations (AKS): operation and security assessment of containerized workloads on Azure Kubernetes Service, centralization of on-premises container registries for ACR.

• OpenShift (OCP) security reviews: security assessment of code baselines, build pipelines, and deployment processes for on-premises OpenShift clusters with critical applications, and derivation of specific hardening recommendations.

• Shift-left security & DevSecOps transformation: introduction of a company-wide shift-left approach for early security integration in development and deployment processes, enabling developers to perform self-led security checks and sustainably reduce vulnerabilities before production (IDE integrations, pre-commit hooks, local scanners).

• Software supply chain security: analysis and mitigation of supply chain risks in NPM- and Yarn-based applications through dependency audits, CI/CD pipeline hardening, token rotation, and restriction of risky build and lifecycle mechanisms.

• Frontend & framework security (React / Next.js): security assessment and coordination of critical vulnerability remediation across platform applications and web frameworks, including coordination and complementary technical mitigations with all teams following BSI alerts.

• Software composition analysis (SCA): introduction and operation of automated vulnerability scans for container images, pipelines/artifacts, and third-party dependencies, including SBOM exports within CI/CD pipelines.

• SAST/DAST integration: design and piloting of static and dynamic application security tests in close collaboration with security architecture and development teams, for continuous improvement of code and runtime security, and establishing operational acceptance tests.

• Artifact & registry consolidation: analysis and consolidation of all package and container repositories for service applications and AKS workloads, aiming for a centralized, secured registry strategy with centralized vulnerability scanning and governance.

• Dependency-Track & SBOM strategy: advising the compliance board on introducing a central SBOM and vulnerability management platform to increase enterprise-wide dependency transparency and accelerate CVE response capability.

• CI/CD pipeline hardening: security analysis and cleanup of the existing pipeline landscape by removing unused pipelines, improving secrets hygiene, implementing least-privilege principles, and isolating build agent environments.

• Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) optimization: analysis and tuning of existing Azure WAF rules (OWASP Top 10 Core Rule Set, DSR/SDC, custom rules) to defend against known vulnerabilities and exploit patterns, including reducing false positives and improving threat detection.

• Documentation & stakeholder communication: creating and maintaining technical documentation, runbooks, and architecture overviews in Jira and Confluence, as well as active knowledge transfer between operations, development, security, and compliance stakeholders.

• Led the global HRIS transformation program (16 country units): program setup, PMO, phase planning, status reporting, and steering up to partner/SteerCo level
• Built an HR readiness assessment framework (6 dimensions, weighted scoring) as a decision basis for implementation and AI maturity — mandated by the board as the project outcome
• HR process architecture: analysis of 80+ level-3 processes and 87 ISO process documentations across 13 country clusters; gap analysis and harmonization roadmap
• Designed agentic AI HR processes (hiring, onboarding, probation period management) on SAP S/4HANA Private Cloud and ServiceNow — human-in-the-loop design, process screening for agentic potential, decision paper at partner level
• HRIS market analysis: vendor screening, criteria framework, and evaluation logic for system selection
• HR target operating model: organizational analysis, archetype framework (9 dimensions), governance design for a global HR function
• Self-assessment tools and workshop formats for 16 country HR teams incl. nomination and stakeholder management; SharePoint project hub and communication architecture
• AI-supported consulting delivery: my own Claude-based working model for analysis, document creation, and project management — one consultant delivering program output

The Helaba ATLAS project aims to modernize core systems and make them future-proof. As part of the subproject, the existing legacy system for international payments is being replaced by a modern web-based application.

• Analysis of functional and technical requirements
• Analysis and optimization of business processes
• Process modeling
• Preparation and facilitation of workshops
• Defining project scope and prioritizing requirements
• Business process management (analysis, modeling, and optimization)
• Specification of user stories
• Designing business and authorization concepts
• Testing and acceptance
• Designing mockups in Figma
• Creating the UI/UX style guide for web applications Approach: Scrum (agile) Technologies: Jira, Confluence, MS Teams, Conceptboard, Java, Vaadin, Figma

• Full product responsibility from a business perspective: requirement analysis, UX design, product strategy, and go-to-market implemented without an internal dev team using fully AI-supported development (Claude Code / Anthropic)
• Technical differentiation: KRITIS-compliant air-gapped deployment (Windows/NSIS), GDT interface for PVS integration, DATEV-LODAS export for payroll
• Managed pilot operation with initial external client (Dormagen medical practice): structured requirement gathering, test support, error analysis, and release management
• Developed rollout and sales strategy for market entry in the segment of private practices and small medical centers
• Human-in-the-Loop development principle: business decision → AI implementation → manual review → approval → release – each sprint documented in Jira (TIME project), every change traceable via co-authored commits
• Product outcome: Tauri/Rust desktop app with GDT watcher, multi-tier model (Starter/Professional/Enterprise), cloud mirror on Hetzner/Traefik, complete ISMS framework based on ISO 27001 and BSI basic protection as product foundation
• Direct method validation for the test manager role: hands-on experience with quality assurance of AI-generated products from a user perspective, review gate discipline, release approval under GDPR and the EU AI Act

• End-to-end implementations of Marketing Cloud Next (Growth/Advanced), from discovery workshop to go-live — Data 360 (Data Cloud) setup, data streams and mapping, identity resolution rules (match & reconciliation), consent management, Sales Cloud integration.
• Campaign orchestration across the MCN flow types — segment-, event-(forms & engagement), schedule- and record-triggered flows (Salesforce & Data Cloud) plus API-based on-demand sends; segmentation and activation with Data Graphs, Calculated Insights, and Einstein personalization.
• Multilingual email template systems with dynamic, personalized content; deliverability (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) and GDPR-compliant double opt-in journeys.
• Operational support for Marketing Cloud Next orgs in ongoing consulting projects — campaign operations, data quality, performance analysis, and release readiness: campaigns deliver on schedule, credit costs stay predictable.
• At the same time, Account Engagement (Pardot) client projects — audits, implementations, lead scoring & grading; AE-MCN migration assessments; Agentforce grounding and guardrails.

• Spearheaded strategic and operational oversight of IT infrastructures to accelerate innovation and ensure audit-proof delivery.
• Acted as key liaison between management, business departments, and engineering, actively engaging in coding, cloud architecture, and CI/CD to resolve critical path challenges.
• Engineered and implemented an AI Governance Program to manage risks and ensure compliance with the EU AI Act, reducing AI use-case approval times from 8 to 3 weeks.
• Delivered and deployed secure AI systems into production (RAG-based knowledge platforms), resulting in a 35% decrease in standard support ticket volume.
• Established robust security standards and governance frameworks for APIs (OAuth2/OIDC, mTLS) and cloud platforms (AWS/GCP) to guarantee compliance and system integrity.
• Hardened cloud infrastructure by implementing Zero Trust principles and a comprehensive observability stack (logging/alerting), achieving 99.9% availability in a 24/7 on-call environment.

• Built and successfully established a qualitative online market research software platform (Software-as-a-Service) as a boutique provider and grew it into a top 5 provider in the DACH region
• Product ownership and project management for the SaaS software platform in over 20 countries, and since 2017 for the mobile iOS and Android app
• Defined and implemented the product vision and roadmap, product and interface design, product backlog management and prioritization, including customer requirements and stakeholder input
• Advised corporate clients on structured user feedback and led user experience studies (in-home use tests, diary studies, user acceptance testing)
• Collaborated on digital product development projects in a corporate environment (apps & IoT applications) and facilitated workshops with D-level stakeholders in German and English
• Responsible for acquisition and account management of corporate clients in German-speaking countries and across Europe
• Built and led the Professional Services team both functionally and disciplinarily, with a focus on data protection and GDPR compliance

• CFO of the company
• Consulting in processes and process management
• Consulting in information security ISO 27001
• Consulting Scrum / Agile Management
• Project management for IT projects, especially doctors' practices
• Digitalization projects
• Data protection / data security training

• Planning EXO migration

• Designed and led the development of an automated short-video generation system.
• Built a scalable AWS backend using Step Functions, Lambda, S3, ECS Fargate, and DynamoDB.
• Developed video rendering with OpenCV and FFMPEG; ensured maintainable Python code.
• Supervised and mentored a Python developer and trained the client in AI workflows.
• Decreased end-to-end production time from hours to minutes.
• Created a modular, extensible architecture designed to support future AI models.

• Conducted OT security assessments at European manufacturing facilities
• Analyzed and improved IT security processes and infrastructure
• Revised SOC processes in conjunction with the internal SOC team
• Conducted OT incident training and tabletop exercises
• Facilitated C-level workshops to align European OT security strategy
• Evaluated regulatory changes related to NIS2 and their relevance to the client

• Consulting on regulatory requirements in IT governance, IT security, KAIT, KAMaRisk & KAGB, ITIL, COBIT
• Development of emergency manuals and a BCM concept according to KAIT requirements, based on the BSI IT-Grundschutz standard 200-4
• Preparation of documents for the PwC audit
• Redesign of access management and risk management according to KAIT
• Administration, user management and setup of RE-VC
• Vendor management
• Establishment of filing structure and naming convention
• Change management including communication plan