CV

My CV. Please ping me if you need an up-to-date version. (Last update July 2016.)

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Work Experience

 

2014-now: The Waving Cat GmbH: Founder and Managing Director (Berlin, Germany)

Exploring the impact of emerging technologies—especially Internet of Things (#iot)— and applying the insights through consulting, R&D, conferences and publications. Client-facing engagement focus on advisory around business and product strategy, R&D, policy, and innovation for a wide range of clients including tech, publishing, and automotive industries, as well as governments and think tanks. Self-initiated projects, products, and publications include ThingsCon (global event platform), Dearsouvenir (digital travel magazine), Understanding the Connected Home (ebook), The Good Home (exploration of better urban living), and many others.

 

09/12-2014: Advisor, Strategist & Curator (Berlin, Germany)

Watching emerging technologies, the people driving them, and their implications, which translates into a number of things: digital strategies, a great network of collaborators, curation services of sorts, and the occasional product or prototype. Advising organizations in a variety of industries and of all sizes on strategy, as well as giving talks and workshops.

 

2012-15: NEXT Berlin Conference: Program Director (Berlin, Germany)

Program Director for NEXT Berlin Conference (2012, 2013) and NEXT Service Design (2012). NEXT Berlin is one of the leading European conferences for the digital economy.

 

2013-now: Things: Co-founder & Chair (Berlin, Germany)

Things is a two-day event about the future of the hardware business (“hardware” as in connected devices, internet of things, 3D printing, etc.).

 

2012-14: UIKonf: Co-founder & Chair (Berlin, Germany)

UIKonf, the independent conference for iOS developers and the most relevant iOS developer conference in continental Europe. Hosted annually in Berlin, usually in May.

 

2013: Co-founder, director: Makers Make Ltd (London, UK)

Makers Make aimed to give independent design firms access to industrial-grade 3D printing. Discontinued.

 

2012-2013: The Alpine Review: Editor-at-Large, Europe (Montreal & Berlin)

The Alpine Review is a bi-annual, comprehensive magazine that tracks changes in thought, systems and creations around the world, a compendium of ideas for a world in transition.

 

10/10-08/12: Third Wave GmbH: Partner, Managing Director Berlin, Germany

Co-founded Third Wave GmbH, a digital strategy consultancy

  • Develop digital communications strategies with a focus on social media, sharing, innovation and openness
  • Provide external expertise through strategic recommendations, case studies, evaluations or workshops
  • Help implementing strategic recommendations by identifying and connecting internal and external partners and stakeholders, by deploying the technology, or by running workshops

 

01/06-09/10: Freelance consultant for web strategies and social media

Click here to see a list of clients I’ve worked with.

  • Develop online communication strategies with a focus on Web 2.0, blogging, social media, community building, online collaboration, knowledge management and usability
  • Provide external expertise through strategic recommendations, case studies, evaluations or workshops
  • Help implementing strategic recommendations by identifying and connecting internal and external partners and stakeholders, by deploying the technology, or by running workshops

 

10/07-2010: Netzpiloten AG: project manager Berlin, Germany

Project manager for Netzpiloten.de (formerly Blogpiloten.de), an online magazine reporting on the German Blogosphere and Social Web scene for a primarily non-technical audience. (Before that, I was Blogpiloten’s managing editor.)

  • Develop future editorial concept and structure of the online magazine Blogpiloten.de
  • Build and coordinate a network of freelance authors and bloggers
  • As managing editor: plan and manage all content, including writing some and editing all articles (link to my posts on blogpiloten.de)

 

12/2009-01/2010: ARTE: interim project manager Strasbourg, France

Interim project manager for arte.tv, a French-German public broadcaster.

  • Interim project management
  • Internal consulting for several web projects with a focus on web strategy and social media
  • Prepare a usability and information architecture optimization for arte.tv

 

05/07-09/10: keingeschenk.de GbR: co-founder Berlin, Germany

keingeschenk.de is three people based in Berlin who design motives to print on t-shirts and other printable apparel. Mostly for fun.

 

06/98-01/2008: Bihr & Lacher GbR: co-founder, consultant Karlsruhe, Germany

Bihr & Lacher GbR is a small online communication consulting agency (just two of us). Clients included SPD/Jusos, medinet AG, International House of University of Sydney, as well as a number of small enterprises and freelancers.

  • Developed web projects with a focus on strategy, content management and usability
  • Headed strategy and content workshops with up to 15 participants
  • Responsibilities included project management and client communication

 

05/2007: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC): co-author of summer school course and textbook Barcelona, Spain

 

08/06-10/06: Politik-digital.de: editor Berlin, Germany

Politik-digital.de is an online magazine about politics and the internet, particularly about e-participation. It was recognized as one of the “25 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics” by PoliticsOnline (2001/2003), and won the Grimme Online Award For Media Expertise (2001)

  • Wrote and edited articles written by freelance authors and interns
  • Planned the magazine’s topics in a team of two
  • Planned and conducted online chats with federal politicians and more than 100 users
  • Coordinated a network of about 100 freelance volunteer authors, and liaised with external partners

 

11/04-02/05: A&B.face2net: freelance consultant Berlin, Germany

A&B.face2net is one of Germany’s leading online communications agencies.

  • Contributed to the concept for the Social Democratic Party’s (SPD) online election campaign platform for the German federal elections 2005/2006
  • Analyzed, and developed a documentation of optimization potentials of a German Federal Ministry of Health and Social Security website

 

11/02-11/04: Europaspiegel: co-publisher, editor, webmaster Berlin, Germany

Europaspiegel was a student-run non-profit online magazine about European culture and politics. A print issue with European Union funding was Germany’s nominee for the European Youth Award 2005 in the category “Entrepreneurial spirit of young people”.

  • Co-developed the online magazine’s structure and concept in a team of 10
  • Designed and implemented the magazine’s website
  • Assisted in recruiting of freelancers
  • Co-published the online magazine’s first print issue

 

08/00-07/01: Steuernetz.de / Publishing Group VPW: online Offenburg, Germany

Online information service by publishing group VPW specialized on law and taxes

  • Updated website content and developed online tools to optimize website usability
  • Responded to daily customer inquiries and represented the company at conventions
  • Actively participated in all workshops about strategic planning and online product ideas

Education

10/01-09/07: Freie Universität Berlin:
M.A. in Communications & Media Studies, Political Science Berlin, Germany

Final thesis: “Die Bedeutung von Weblogs für die Arbeit von Politikjournalisten” (“The relevance of weblogs for the work of political journalists”), graded 1.0 (“very good”)

 

01/05-12/05: University of Sydney: Master of Media Practice Sydney, Australia

Graduated with Merit

Internships

Further Activities & Miscellaneous

06/06-07/06: volunteer editor Netzeitung Readers Edition, Berlin, Germany

Readers’ Edition is a citizen journalism project by Netzeitung One of nine initial volunteer editors during pre-launch and launch phase

03/05-11/05: social coordinator International House Sydney, Australia

  • Organized social events and functions for up to 200 international and intercultural students from more than 40 countries
  • Organized an orientation program for new residents
  • Guided trips to regional destinations
  • Participated in a leadership workshop about conflict resolution and group dynamics in intercultural environments

10/01-10/02: member of student council Department of Media & Communication Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

  • Co-published a once-per-semester magazine for freshmen
  • Provided information and support for current and prospective student
  • Organized orientation and group activities