Born and raised in Germany (Munich) I stepped right into my families creative footprints and enjoyed designing things like car models in clay, tree houses, drawing and building small furniture and when the Adobe and Macromedia computer editing programs got handy in 1996 I started illustrating and designing logos and all kinds of visual stuff digitally. With my passion for visual design I started to intern at the branding agency UNID and turned quickly into a strategic thinking Graphic Designer creating valuable brands and marketing collateral.
During my civilian service in 1996 I started to increase my income and sales skills with freelance Sales Promotion, leading teams for several promotion agencies for major German brands like BMW, PRO7, DF1, PREMIERE, BR.
In sync with the internet popularity I became native to the web, teaching myself designing and coding websites and interactive cd-roms, and winning my first web design pitch to build a web application for a social non profit organization back in 1999. >>
When I wasn't designing for my clients, I was crazy about windsurfing any time the wind blew which led to redesign the leading German windsurf magazine's website using my ability to combine empathy, creativity and rationality to meet user needs and business objectives.
Striving for perfection, excellence and mastery of design principles, standards and methodologies, I desired to become a 'real designer' with the best education and highest certification possible. After I had build the necessary skills and work samples to apply for the Communication Design degree program at the University of Applied Sciences I finally became one of the very few elected students.
While studying I freelanced as in-house Art Director for a global telecommunication start-up and developed more and more diverse design and strategy skills. >>
With the first internet hype I had gained a "Swiss Army Knife" reputation by managing, directing, designing and developing brands and website for clients along my way. During my graduation I was inquired to work as Key Account & Project Manager for the German direct marketing agency Graffiti, and took the opportunity to foster my skills working for key accounts like DAB - Direct Banking, Investorworld, IDG, ComCon AG.
As part of my universities final project I had incorporated "MANUEL MARK - Marketing & Design", and after graduating in Design I did a strategic design consulting project for a German technology venture capital firm. After analyzing and advising their portfolio companies, I decided to join and work for one of their companies as Executive Creative Director, juggling strategy and consistency across traditional and online media. RABA.TT was first mover in the off- & online couponing market in Germany. Leading a small team we had been working for clients and co-operation partners like Coca-Cola, TUI, Karstadt, AZ Bertelsmann, Rewe, Gruner & Jahr, UCI. >>
From 2003 I managed branding, marketing and web design projects for a wide range of own clients like GQ, Marry Kay Cosmetics, BMW BKK, DaKine Shop, Herbalife, Match.com, Siemens, Cariba AG, Verweyen Consulting.
During a kick off meeting, for building a web application for a German kitesurfing magazine, I was asked to give kitesurfing a try and got hooked ever since. My new passion resulted in consulting as Lead Product Designer, Executive Creative Director for the worlds first kiteboarding brand WIPIKA Intl. Working within a creative international team environment I developed innovative brand, product line and web strategies, creating holistic consumer experiences that connect products, packaging, merchandising and advertisements while maintaining quality and consistency across all channels - building the trust that successful brands live by. >>
Practicing design on a high level I gained deep knowledge of user experience design and enjoy keeping up-to-date with latests innovations, trends and technologies; always learning and maintaining a good blend of right- and left-brain thinking with a strong interest in anthropology, human factors, neuroscience, sociology, cognitive and behavioral psychology.
Following my entrepreneurial spirit and my passion I founded a web 2.0 venture in California in 2007. Creating user-centered online solutions to enrich, simplify and connect peoples every day lives; making applications to perform to their optimum level of presumed performance, engaging and of utmost ease of use. After generating high-level strategies, we got funding for Dayboox, a social online and mobile application. Collaboratively working across timezones, we finally got the web and iphone application developed and on the market in 2008. >>
With over a decade of valuable experience and appreciation for the constructive wisdom of working in a highly collaborative team environment, I am working as independent expert consultant for international companies that are leaders in their sectors. Contributing holistic and innovative design solutions, bridging the gap between user needs and business objectives, translating fantastic business ideas from napkin sketch to great designed and high performing products, with capabilities covering the entire spectrum from management, strategy, and brilliant design.
If you don't have the necessary skills or enough resources or need an independent expert opinion solving the problem at hand, simply contact me. Bring value to your company.
Work Experience Chart