Christian Wolf

Head of Innovation

Berlin, Germany

Experience

Sep 2020 - Present
4 years 11 months
Heidelberg, Germany
Hybrid

Head of Innovation

C. Josef Lamy GmbH

  • Full-time: hybrid remote/Berlin/Heidelberg
  • Built an innovation division at the new Berlin site, recruited the core team, and defined a repeatable innovation process in just 2 months
  • Designed 4 innovative digital product concepts beyond the writing instruments range in only 3 months
  • Fully developed a complex software/hardware product for higher productivity and mental health of creative workers (kōno), business planning, conducted market tests independently, and made launch strategy recommendations
Nov 2019 - Jun 2020
8 months
Berlin, Germany
Hybrid

Interim Head of Sales and Business Development

Wunderflats GmbH

  • Temporary cover: hybrid remote/Berlin
  • Led department with 2 team leads (Sales, Business Development), direct management of 27 team members
  • Coached low performers with significant performance gains
  • Recruited talent to support the company’s rapid growth
Apr 2018 - Aug 2020
2 years 5 months
Berlin, Germany

Consultant and Interim Manager

nu technologies GmbH

  • Advised innovative companies on founding, business setup, and financing strategies
  • Interim management in leadership positions
Aug 2015 - Mar 2018
2 years 8 months
Berlin, Germany
Hybrid

Co-Founder and Managing Director

parlamind GmbH

  • Full-time: hybrid remote/Berlin
  • Company exit to a call-center software provider in 2018 with profit for early investors
  • Built the company from an AI research project (University of Potsdam), developed and implemented all business processes (HR, accounting, etc.)
  • Raised over €2.3M in seed funding from public agencies and private early investors, responsible for investor relations
  • Set up a B2B sales process, gained the first 120+ beta customers (B2B)
Jan 2015 - Feb 2021
6 years 2 months
Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany

Advisory Board Member

asgoodasnew electronics GmbH

  • Advised management on strategy issues
  • Negotiated two further financing rounds of €7M and €15M
Mar 2014 - Aug 2015
1 year 6 months
Berlin, Germany

Startup Fundraiser and Strategy Consultant

nu technologies GmbH

  • Advised innovative companies on growth and financing strategies
Nov 2008 - Feb 2014
5 years 4 months
Berlin, Germany

Founder and Managing Director

asgoodasnew electronics GmbH

  • Full-time: Berlin/Frankfurt (Oder)
  • Ran a profitable company (> €100M annual revenue, 150 employees)
  • Scaled the business from 0 to over 100 employees and €20M revenue (B2C)
  • Built company processes (software development, device testing, refurbishment, HR, accounting, etc.), recruited a junior management team, mentored them
  • Raised seed to Series C (> €10M), negotiated a TV ad deal worth over €25M
  • Expanded business to Austria, Poland, and Spain
Apr 2007 - Sep 2008
1 year 6 months
Berlin, Germany

Consultant and Interim Manager

Self-employed

Nov 2006 - Aug 2007
10 months
Berlin, Germany

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Qiro GmbH

Jun 2004 - Mar 2007
2 years 10 months
Berlin, Germany

Innovation Lab Project Manager, Customer Behaviour & Needs Intern

Deutsche Telekom Laboratories

Aug 1997 - Sep 1999
2 years 2 months
Höhr-Grenzhausen, Germany

Marketing Assistant, trained as Industrial Clerk

Rastal GmbH & Co. KG

Summary

I love solving problems. Finding and fixing them is my life’s mission. That’s why I became an entrepreneur and innovator.

My passion is for radically innovative products and business models—ideally digital. But I’m just as excited to take on any entrepreneurial challenge and support other business owners as a partner in first or second leadership roles.

As an entrepreneur or CEO/COO/CDO, I build agile structures (people, tools, processes) from the ground up or reshape them for future challenges. When I hit my limits, I tap into my extensive international network.

As Head of Innovation, VP, or division head, I define innovation processes for the whole organization, recruit top creatives and engineers, and guide concepts from ideation to launch. For finding and developing new product ideas, I rely on user- and customer-centered methods like Design Thinking.

As an interim manager in first or second leadership, I solve urgent problems of any kind, from covering short-term gaps to radically reshaping underperforming teams or divisions. I’m most effective where a user- and customer-focused approach is needed: innovation, product management, marketing, sales, or operations.

My greatest strengths are building and leading creative, multidisciplinary teams (from recruiting to peak productivity). I lead with agile and participative methods, combining visionary and servant leadership. An open, honest culture with communication at eye level is essential to me, and I always contribute to it.

Languages

English
Native
German
Native
Polish
Intermediate
French
Elementary

Education

Jan 2002 - Jun 2002

Jönköping International Business School

Erasmus Exchange Semester · Jönköping, Sweden

Oct 1999 - Feb 2005

Europa-Universität Viadrina

Diploma in Business Administration · International Business Administration · Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany · 1.7

Certifications & licenses

Organizational Design and Management

HEC Paris

Design Thinking for Innovation

University of Virginia