Security by Design Experts in Germany

• Short description: Lead a group-wide project to establish standardized cloud governance for Microsoft Azure, including policies, security and compliance controls, automation, and cost and operations control while preserving the autonomy of decentralized business units within regulatory boundaries.

• Tasks and activities:

• Overall responsibility for the design, setup, and implementation of an enterprise-wide cloud governance structure (Azure), incl. target picture, roadmap, and operating model.

• Management of internal and external stakeholders (C-level, IT, Security, Compliance, Cloud Architecture, DevOps) incl. decision-making and escalation management.

• Planning and facilitation of workshops on cloud strategy, governance principles, and the design of areas such as Identity, Connectivity, and Platform Management.

• Definition, implementation, and rollout of cloud policies (Azure Policy / custom policies), security standards, and compliance requirements (including GDPR, ISO 27001, BSI C5).

• Building a cloud governance framework aligned with the Azure Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF), incl. landing zone and guardrail concepts.

• Introduction of automation solutions for governance, security, and cost control (policy/control automation, IaC, CI/CD-based control mechanisms).

• Implementation of cloud security and compliance monitoring mechanisms as well as continuous improvement processes.

• Establishment and operationalization of FinOps in an enterprise environment (central and decentralized FinOps teams), incl. cost management strategies, reporting, and guardrails.

• Integration of governance policies into DevOps processes (e.g. CI/CD principles for security and compliance checks, GitLab Runner concept in spokes, GitLab CI/CD for CAF landing zones).

• Implementation of access concepts incl. RBAC design and "break glass" mechanisms (emergency access) as well as certificate automation (ACME / step-ca).

• Achievements:

• Created a unified, auditable governance and control set for Azure (policies, standards, compliance mapping) and thus laid the foundation for scalable cloud usage in a regulated environment.

• Established repeatable automation for governance, security, and cost control (IaC + CI/CD), reducing manual effort and implementation risks.

• Improved operational and decision-making capabilities across central and decentralized units (clearer roles, responsibilities, escalation paths, balance between autonomy and group requirements).

• Significantly increased workload compliance for lift-and-shift migrations.

• Technologies used:

• Microsoft Azure Policy, custom policies.

• Terraform, OpenTofu, Terragrunt.

• step-ca (ACME).

• Entra ID.

• Azure Firewall.

• Azure networking, hub-and-spoke architecture.

• Azure vWAN (evaluation).

• Azure Front Door, Azure Application Gateway.

• Azure ExpressRoute.

• Azure Key Vault.

• NetBox.

• GitLab (on-premises).

• Infrastructure, concepts used:

• Cloud shared responsibility model.

• Hub-and-spoke connectivity / central shared services (from a hub-spoke context).

• Central governance with decentralized delivery (business unit autonomy with guardrails).

• Methods used:

• Scrum.

• Stakeholder management (C-level to engineering).

• Cloud governance, Azure Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF).

• DevOps, CI/CD.

• Cost and FinOps approaches: tagging/chargeback models, budget/alert concepts, reserved instances/savings plans vs. on-demand scenarios, sensitivity analyses.

• RBAC, "break glass" concepts.

• ACME / certificate automation.

• GitLab Runner concept in spokes, GitLab CI/CD pipelines for CAF landing zones.

• Innovation/pilot project eGesundheit Deutschland
• SaaS company in the media sector, NRW
• Secure software development lifecycle, NRW
• BSI IT-Grundschutz expert opinions for several clinics

• Led client projects end-to-end — from scoping and cloud strategy to sprint planning and stakeholder alignment
• Planned and implemented secure Azure Landing Zones using Infrastructure as Code
• Developed governance frameworks and cloud security controls tailored to enterprise environments
• Executed cloud readiness assessments and managed cloud migration initiatives from evaluation to handover
• Facilitated client workshops and agile ceremonies (sprint planning, backlog refinement, standups)
• Built internal Cloud Competence Centers to foster knowledge sharing and best practices across teams
• Development of a general Cloud Service Portal

• Perform secure code reviews and provide secure-coding guidance across the application and platform architecture.
• Engineer infrastructure security and design security-monitoring architecture, incident-response playbooks and Security-by-Design controls.

• Lead Architecture in an interdisciplinary architecture team covering enterprise, solution, NOOTS, cloud and security architecture as well as regulatory and European interoperability requirements.

• Public / Government

• Development and management of target architectures, principles, standards and technical guardrails; assessment of Security-by-Design, IAM, data protection and interface/integration architectures; architecture reviews, security assessments, risk analyses, and preparation of decision records, target visions, roadmaps and decision papers. Architectural knowledge and consideration of relevant AD-NOOTS requirements, particularly for IAM, authorization, secure integration and interoperability.

• Technologies / Methods: Enterprise Architecture, Solution Architecture, Security Architecture, Cloud Architecture, NOOTS / EU-OOTS, IAM, Authorization, Security-by-Design, API/Integration Architecture, Interoperability, Risk Analysis, Architecture Governance

• Security and integration requirements as well as technical decisions are structured in reliable architecture and decision artifacts.

• Working as a freelance ICT journalist for print and online media, as well as a communications consultant for medium-sized German and Dutch IT companies.
• Creating specialist publications, white papers, and journalistic articles on topics such as AI, IT sustainability, climate protection through low-code development, and the introduction of the electronic invoice, etc. (>100 work samples in the original can be viewed at [link])
• Analyzing and reporting on cybersecurity trends, including the NIS-2 directive, Security by Design, and the development of associative computers.
• Conducting expert interviews with specialists and executives on technological innovations such as digital shadows in production and predictive maintenance.
• Numerous publications in trade media such as Wirtschaftsinformatik & Management, IM+io, IT&Production, Digital Business Magazin, eGovernment Computing, etc.

Enterprise & Cloud Security Architect supporting the modernization of the SDK application landscape as part of the KVNeo transformation program. Responsible for enterprise architecture, cloud governance, security architecture, and the definition of technical standards for strategic business applications.

Key responsibilities include architecture governance, target architecture development, cloud and integration architecture, security-by-design, and the translation of regulatory requirements into sustainable technical solutions across multiple business domains.

Responsibilities and achievements

• Designed and reviewed target architectures for strategic insurance applications and enterprise services.
• Developed architecture documentation based on Arc42 and Architecture Decision Records (ADRs).
• Defined governance models, architecture principles, and technical guidelines for cross-domain initiatives.
• Supported the modernization of archive, document management, and output management platforms.
• Designed integration architectures using REST APIs and event-driven communication patterns.
• Led architecture discussions with enterprise architects, development teams, product owners, and business stakeholders.
• Translated regulatory requirements such as DORA and ISO/IEC 27001 into practical architecture decisions.
• Designed security concepts covering Identity & Access Management, authorization, authentication, auditability, and logging.
• Supported SIEM integration, security monitoring, and enterprise logging concepts.
• Evaluated technical risks, technical debt, and architecture improvements while providing decision papers for architecture boards.
• Established architecture governance processes and contributed to enterprise-wide transformation initiatives.
• Supported cloud governance activities and the definition of secure cloud architecture standards.
• Facilitated architecture workshops and coordinated cross-functional stakeholders across business and IT.

Technologies & Methods Microsoft Azure • Arc42 • Architecture Decision Records (ADR) • REST APIs • Event-Driven Architecture • Microsoft Entra ID • Active Directory • IAM • SIEM • Cloud Governance • Enterprise Architecture • Security Architecture • Azure API Management • Jira • Confluence • Draw.io • DORA • ISO/IEC 27001 • Agile • Scrum

• Successful implementation of vulnerability management with DefectDojo
• Consulting and implementation of technical and process-related aspects of vulnerability management with DefectDojo
• Consulting on the implementation of a secure software development lifecycle
• Skills: Gitlab, DefectDojo, Vulnerability Management, SCA, SAST, DAST, Python, Kubernetes, ArgoCD, Docker, AWS, Azure, Whitesource/Mend, Greenbone

• Cloud Computing Fundamentals & Architecture: Expertise in core cloud concepts, including the three main Service Models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and diverse Deployment Models (Public, Private, Hybrid, Multi-cloud).
• Modern Application Deployment Strategies (GCP Focus): Instruction on the GCP Application Hosting Spectrum, covering Virtual Machines, Containers (Kubernetes and Cloud Run), Platform as a Service (App Engine), and Serverless Computing (Functions as a Service - FaaS).
• Data Management & Big Data Analytics: Comprehensive coverage of Cloud Storage options (Object, Block, File) and Database solutions, including Relational (Cloud SQL), NoSQL (Firestore, BigTable, Memorystore), and serverless enterprise data warehousing (BigQuery).
• DevOps and Infrastructure Automation: Skills in DevOps principles, including Continuous Integration (CI), Continuous Delivery (CD), Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using tools like Terraform, and implementing effective Monitoring and Logging for system observability.
• Emerging Technologies & Responsible Cloud Use: Focus on crucial topics like Cloud and IoT Security, Identity and Access Management (IAM), data privacy, and the ethical considerations of cloud and massive data collection.

• Technical program ownership for the IPv6 migration at DRV RP and DRV BW, with a focus on migration planning, execution structure, and cross-functional technical coordination.
• Designed and implemented an operational control model with dashboard, action board, KPI portfolio, risk register, and decision index to translate technical topics into structured delivery artifacts.
• Coordinated technical groundwork for architecture and rollout across IPv6 addressing, segmentation, dual-stack target design, test-lab planning, and cross-team dependencies.
• Supported security and compliance-related requirements in the context of BSI, NIS2, and critical infrastructure, translating them into traceable evidence, risks, and management reporting.
• Achievement: Established a reusable intake-to-governance workflow for systematically capturing technical actions, risks, open issues, and evidence requirements.
• Achievement: Created an operational baseline for technical program execution with measurable KPIs, clear ownership, and transparent decision support.

• Redesigning cablewise infrastructure with CAT 8.1 keystones, measuring the speed and quality of the new installation with Pockethernet, documentation at a local saddlery
• CAT 8.1 installation and building a data center, site linking, VPN and VLAN configuration for a local car dealership, implementation of IT-Security standards like virus protection (G Data) and firewalling (OPNSense)
• Relocation of a tax office with redesign of the IT infrastructure, virus protection (G Data) and backup solutions (QNAP)
• Planning, conception and implementation of an inhouse data center, BSI-compliant for commercial laundry (including Proxmox-based virtualization of existing infrastructures, QNAP, G Data, OPNSense, APC)
• Implementation and conception of security solutions in the SME sector
• Collaboration on the IT-security concept for the Bremen network of authorities (in the dLAN network)
• Creation of IT-security concept VOIS (modules MESO, KFZ/iKFZ) including audit preparation for KBA
• Expansion of the IT-security concept for the online service for electronic residence registration (eWA) to include use as an eFA (one-for-all) service (nationwide)
• Expansion of the IT-security concept to include modules wos & wvp
• Concept development for the implementation of DIN SPEC 27076 at MSEs and SMEs
• Creation and evaluation of emergency concepts
• Creation and evaluation of response actions and BCM plans
• Assessment of existing business continuity management (ISO 22301)
• Development of BCM strategy options
• Conducting awareness training

• Development of comprehensive services in cybersecurity, IT governance, and AI
• Building and delivering strategic security solutions such as vCISO service, ISMS, SOC-as-a-Service (SIEM, SOAR, use cases, playbooks, threat hunting, incident response), AI-driven risk and compliance tools, and frameworks for outsourcing and third-party risks
• Supporting companies in meeting regulatory requirements and certifications (ISMS, NIS-2, DORA, CRA, KRITIS, ISO 27001, TISAX, BSI IT Baseline Protection, EU AI Act)
• Promoting innovations in cybersecurity automation, AI governance, and secure digital transformation
• Responsible for company growth, client relations, and strategic partnerships

• Implemented comprehensive NIS 2 compliance programs through detailed gap analyses against ISO 27001, Siemens policies and controls
• Developed measurable success criteria for sustainable compliance structures
• Analyzed complex supply chains for systematic assessment of third-party risks

• Project 1: Multi-Tenant SaaS Platform: Data Integration & Pricing Management
• Objective: New development of ELT pipeline (replacement for Java 6 legacy), integration of heterogeneous source systems (CSV, Excel, Email, external DBs), event-sourcing for complete auditability, multi-tenant architecture for tenant-capable data processing
• Challenge: Processing millions of records daily, audit compliance, data isolation between different tenants
• Solution: Stakeholder workshops for requirements analysis, event-driven architecture with Axon Framework and Apache Kafka, AWS services (EC2, S3, Lambda, SQS, API Gateway) for cloud integration, PostgreSQL with tenant-specific schemas for multi-tenant data isolation, REST API design with Spring Boot for external system integrations, comprehensive testing strategy (JUnit, Spring Test, Postman, PACT, ArchUnit)
• Results: ELT performance improved from 30+ min to 1-5 min; 2-3 hours daily saved through workflow automation; 10-20 hours/week saved through event-sourcing auditability; 100% audit compliance; secure multi-tenant data isolation for 10+ tenants
• Project 2: Multi-tenant CRM System Modernization
• Objective: Migration of CRM system (20+ years PHP/MySQL) to Java microservices, Domain-Driven Design implementation, establishment of Test-Driven Development, multi-tenant-capable SaaS architecture for multiple customer tenants
• Challenge: Remodeling complex business logic, no existing test culture, scalable tenant management with data isolation
• Solution: Comprehensive testing strategy (JUnit, Spring Test, Postman, PACT, ArchUnit), multi-tenant architecture with tenant-specific databases, REST API design with Spring Boot for cross-tenant integration, Kubernetes and Docker for container orchestration
• Results: 2× performance improvement; deployment time reduced from 40+ min to 5-7 min; migration without production outages; scalable multi-tenant solution for 15+ customer tenants
• Technologies: Java, Spring Boot 3.x, Angular, Apache Kafka, AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, SQS, API Gateway), PostgreSQL, Axon Framework, Kubernetes, Docker, GitLab CI, REST API