Christopher Deckert
Freelance Consultant & Interim Manager | ex-Founder | ex-Zalando
Experience
Mar 2016 - Sep 2021
5 years 7 months Berlin, Germany
Co-Founder and Managing Director (Operations, Sales, Finance)
IVY & OAK GmbH
- Co-founded one of the fastest growing European fashion brands focused on sustainable manufacturing
- Led financial setup (incl. hiring experienced CFO) and fundraising; achieved win of low eight-digit € venture capital invest from well-known investors
- Designed organizational setup including SCM, customer service, legal and HR, sales and marketing, integration of warehouse logistics provider, and introduction of ERP system
- Developed B2C and B2B go-to-market strategy with focus on DACH and then expansion to Europe
- Managed day-to-day B2C sales operations (focus: performance marketing) and B2B sales (focus: acquisition of key accounts such as Zalando, ABOUT YOU, Breuninger, KaDeWe)
- Led a team of 20 FTE. Provided direction on hiring, training, coaching and development, problem resolution and decision-making, conducting performance evaluations, as well as managing performance issues and terminations
Jun 2013 - Apr 2015
1 year 11 months Berlin, Germany
Co-Founder & CEO
KIRONDO GmbH
- Established first C2B2C online shop for second-hand clothing in DACH
- Led financial setup and fundraising; achieved over a mid-seven-digit € venture capital investment from well-known investors and managed investor relations
- Responsible for 35 FTE including experienced leadership team; Enabled high-performance environment, provided strategic direction, supported problem resolution and decision-making, conducted performance evaluations, as well as managed performance issues and terminations
- Led the search and evaluation for potential buyers and managed negotiation with Spanish competitor (percentil.com) and achieved successful sale
Nov 2012 - Jun 2013
8 months Moscow, Russian Federation
Global Operations Manager
ROCKET INTERNET GmbH
- Consulted Rocket Int. incubated companies "The Iconic" (AUS) and "La Moda" (RUS) focused on logistics
- Rolled out same-day delivery service for the Sydney and Melbourne metropolitan regions
- Launched self-operated delivery fleet in Russian metropolitan regions (Moscow, St. Petersburg)
Sep 2011 - Sep 2012
1 year 1 month Berlin, Germany
Category Manager "Home & Living"
ZALANDO GmbH
- Launched new category "Home & Living" with P&L responsibility; Managed ~8M€ in annual budget
- Led a cross-functional team of 18 FTE, including buyers, marketeers and operation-specialists; Provided strategic direction and mentorship, managed operations, and conducted performance evaluations
- Integrated product-specific requirements into corporate service centers such as marketing, tech and customer experience
Mar 2010 - Sep 2011
1 year 7 months Berlin, Germany
Director of Operations
ZALANDO GmbH
- Led development of in-house consulting unit for the area of operations
- Hired and managed a team of 12 FTE including onboarding, training, supporting problem resolution and decision-making
- Supported operations business units (customer service, text and image production, warehouse logistics) in scaling volumes to be processed (~500% YoY) and process optimization
- Conceptualized and supported implementation of first self-operated logistics center
Summary
Seasoned Entrepreneur & Executive with over 10 years of experience in scaling companies and driving organizational growth.
I combine strategic vision with a hands-on, results-oriented approach, consistently demonstrating my ability to roll up my sleeves and execute when needed.
With a broad skill set across various industries, I am adaptable and open to new challenges that drive innovation and success.
Currently pursuing a systemic coaching certification, I’m committed to becoming an even more effective, people-centric leader.
Languages
German
Native
English
Advanced
Education
Aug 2008 - Dec 2009
Queen’s University
Semester Abroad · Kingston, Canada
Aug 2006 - May 2009
University of Mannheim
B. Sc. · Business Administration · Mannheim, Germany · 1,9 (Top 10%)
Jul 1996 - May 2005
Angell Gymnasium
General university entrance qualification (Abitur) · Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany · 1,3
Certifications & licenses
Systemic coaching certification
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