David Thiel - Digital Growth and Strategic Partnerships

Q: Where is David based?

David is based in Hamburg, Germany .

Q: What languages does David speak?

David speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary), Dutch (Elementary) .

Q: How many years of experience does David have?

David has at least 15 years of experience. During this time, David has worked in at least 12 different roles and for 7 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 3 months . Note that David may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is David's latest experience?

David's most recent position is Digital Growth and Strategic Partnerships at AskBrian .

Q: What companies has David worked for in recent years?

In recent years, David has worked for AskBrian , ReturnHeroes , Twinner Group , and Thiel Consulting .

Q: Which industries is David most experienced in?

David is most experienced in industries like Information Technology (IT) , Automotive , and Energy . David also has some experience in Transportation and Logistics , Manufacturing , and Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas is David most experienced in?

David is most experienced in business areas like Operations , Strategy and Planning , and Project Management . David also has some experience in Finance , Legal and Compliance , and Sales .

Q: Which industries has David worked in recently?

David has recently worked in industries like Information Technology (IT) , Automotive , and Energy .

Q: Which business areas has David worked in recently?

David has recently worked in business areas like Finance , Project Management , and Strategy and Planning .

Recommended expert

Hamburg, Germany

Experience

Oct 2023 - Present

2 years 5 months

Germany

Digital Growth and Strategic Partnerships

AskBrian

Developed a strategy for product-led growth in the B2C business for the AI-assistant Brian
Led the self-serve business and developed a stellar customer journey

Jan 2022 - Feb 2023

1 year 2 months

Germany

Co-Founder and COO

ReturnHeroes

Developed the business and financial plan for the company
Pitched to VC, corporate VC and Business Angels
Ran a small scale project for proof of concept

Dec 2020 - Feb 2022

1 year 3 months

Germany

Director Global Operations & Twinner RD

Twinner Group

Shaped the global expansion of the business and setting up global teams for operations, customer support and technical field services
Drove the reorganisation of the Operations and R&D teams
Led a team of 30 hardware engineers developing the Twinner Space for vehicle digitalisation
Developed the Hardware and Software Product Roadmap for the organisation

Jun 2020 - Present

5 years 9 months

Self-employed strategy consultant & startup advisor

Thiel Consulting

Led the project management of the legal processes in a battery joint venture of 4bn$ investment
Developed the competitive strategy for an EV company, resulting in a 1bn$ acquisition project
Designed operations processes to scale an autonomous vehicle fleet to > 500,000 active vehicles
Developed a competitive strategy for a micro-mobility company for M&A activities
EU Business Development for The Routing Company, a SAAS solution for on-demand transit authorities
Finance and Operations for Pure plus mobility, an urban mobility company

Oct 2018 - Jun 2020

1 year 9 months

Germany

General Manager, JUMP Bicycles Berlin

Uber Technologies

Launched e-bikes and scooters in Berlin, the fastest growing city in JUMP history resulting in global #1 trip volume with >10m$ annual revenue while outperforming unit economic targets
Shaped the JUMP policy and comms effort to support unlocking business in Germany, a key market for the Uber business. Additionally, representing JUMP on panels at events such as the IAA
Built and led a local team of 150 people in Berlin and recruited talent across Europe for the business

Nov 2016 - Sep 2018

1 year 11 months

Netherlands

Head of Marketplace Efficiency & Product Experience EMEA

Uber Technologies

Defined the 2017/18 strategy for Marketplace & Product experience in EMEA
Scoped and rolled out product features to reduce the risk exposure of the business model in EMEA
Increased profitability by centralising critical marketplace analytics, processes and decisions saving up to 30% of marketplace related headcount in the region

May 2016 - Oct 2016

6 months

Netherlands

Regional Operations Manager Quality and Efficiency EMEA

Uber Technologies

Built and rolled out a Quality management process for partner drivers in EMEA improving the quality experience for riders as well as for drivers while saving 100h+ weekly Ops time in the region
Standardised and centralised the city backend tech setup for 100+ cities in 45 countries in EMEA
Developed a strong cross-functional network with global and regional stakeholders (e.g. Tax, Legal, Marketing, Support, Product, Operations)

Jun 2014 - Apr 2016

1 year 11 months

Switzerland

Operations & Logistics Manager Germany and Switzerland

Uber Technologies

Led the business setup, partner acquisition and operations with hundreds of drivers in Düsseldorf
Led the standardisation and rollout of quality and efficiency processes in WestCH
Developed partnerships with large businesses and regulators

Apr 2013 - May 2014

1 year 2 months

Germany

Consultant

Porsche Consulting GmbH

Developed & Implemented restructuring efforts at a factory for a leading automobile manufacturer
Reduced product- & process-related cost in industrial products and consumer goods
Built a scaled-up business plan for fuel cell technologies in the automobile industry

Apr 2011 - Jul 2011

4 months

Germany

MBA Intern

Porsche Consulting GmbH

Identified and negotiated key performance indicators for a global project organisation at a leading automotive manufacturer
Analysed the cost structure of products and developed recommendations for cost reduction of up to 30% based on benchmark activities

May 2010 - Feb 2011

10 months

Belgium

Quality Engineer

Toyota Motor Europe

Initiated and coordinated a cross-functional team to improve the quality image reflected in European automotive rankings. As a result, Toyota achieved several No 1 rankings in European magazines
Increased office efficiency by 30% in the European Headquarter by developing a training module, training-the-trainer and conducting workshops for 400+ employees

Oct 2008 - Apr 2010

1 year 7 months

Belgium

Trainee Program

Toyota Motor Europe

Managed Pan-European projects to reduce vehicle quality concerns through activities such as initiating field parts recovery, forming working groups with technical specialists and local sales and marketing staff and coordinating the implementation of quality improvement activities in production

Industries Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.

Experienced in Information Technology (10 years), Automotive (9.5 years), Energy (5.5 years), Transportation (3.5 years), Manufacturing (1 year), and Professional Services (0.5 years).

Information Technology

Automotive

Energy

Transportation

Manufacturing

Professional Services

Business Areas Experience

The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.

Experienced in Operations (11 years), Strategy (9 years), Project Management (7.5 years), Product Development (5.5 years), Finance (5.5 years), and Legal (5.5 years).

Operations

Strategy

Project Management

Product Development

Finance

Legal

Summary

16+ years of international experience ranging from voice of customer initiatives with the global quality leader Toyota, business case development, restructuring and process improvement with Porsche Consulting, hyper-growth scaling and P&L ownership at Uber and executive management at Twinner Group. Currently diving deeper into the AI application layer with AskBrian while also advising startups and running freelance strategy projects in the technology, automotive and mobility space.

My peers describe me as a self-starter with strong analytical skills, ’no bs’ mentality, and the skill to get complex projects with large stakeholder groups done fast. At the foundation of my actions, I live and work by the values of respect, integrity and humility.

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Elementary

Dutch

Elementary

Education

Aug 2012 - Dec 2012

Duke Fuqua School of Business

MBA Exchange Program · United States

Aug 2011 - Dec 2012

ESADE Business School

Master in Business Administration · Business Administration · Spain

Jul 2007 - Dec 2007

University of the South Pacific

Student Exchange Program · Fiji

...and 1 more

Certifications & licenses

Certificates In Leadership And Strategy

ESADE Business School

Profile

Created

February 2024

Last Update

March 2025

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is David based?

David is based in Hamburg, Germany.

What languages does David speak?

David speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary), Dutch (Elementary).

How many years of experience does David have?

David has at least 15 years of experience. During this time, David has worked in at least 12 different roles and for 7 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 3 months. Note that David may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would David be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, David would be well-suited for roles such as: Digital Growth and Strategic Partnerships, Co-Founder and COO, Director Global Operations & Twinner RD.

What is David's latest experience?

David's most recent position is Digital Growth and Strategic Partnerships at AskBrian.

What companies has David worked for in recent years?

In recent years, David has worked for AskBrian, ReturnHeroes, Twinner Group, and Thiel Consulting.

Which industries is David most experienced in?

David is most experienced in industries like Information Technology (IT), Automotive, and Energy. David also has some experience in Transportation and Logistics, Manufacturing, and Professional Services.

Which business areas is David most experienced in?

David is most experienced in business areas like Operations, Strategy and Planning, and Project Management. David also has some experience in Finance, Legal and Compliance, and Sales.

Which industries has David worked in recently?

David has recently worked in industries like Information Technology (IT), Automotive, and Energy.

Which business areas has David worked in recently?

David has recently worked in business areas like Finance, Project Management, and Strategy and Planning.

What is David's education?

David holds a Master from Duke Fuqua School of Business, a Master in Business Administration from ESADE Business School and a Bachelor in Aerospace Engineering – with honours from UAS Aachen.

Does David have any certificates?

David has 1 certificate: Certificates In Leadership And Strategy.

What is the availability of David?

David is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of David?

David's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.