Dejan Kosmatin

Investor, Consultant, CSO (Strategy & Sales)

Hamburg, Germany

Experience

Oct 2023 - Present
1 year 10 months
Berlin, Germany

Investor, Consultant, CSO (Strategy & Sales)

Our Greenery GmbH

Reporting line: n/a (CEO/Founder) Industry: Vertical food production, Indoor Farming (HW & SW), +10 employees Scope/Project Description:

  • Business development focusing on strategic sales build-up in the German-speaking region, with international roll-out
  • Fundraising and investor sourcing for Pre-Seed and Series A phases
  • Market and competitor analysis to validate product–market fit and niche identification using the Jobs-to-be-Done method
  • Business model analysis using Business Model Canvas, SWOT, Customer Journey Mapping, and positioning for strategic alignment
  • Resource and investment planning with partner management concept for cooperation partners (for service offerings)
  • Development of sales strategy with concepts, methods, and all tools, processes, workflows (automation)
  • Designing the GTM (Go-to-Market) strategy as a flywheel, with Value Proposition Canvas, segmentation, roadmap, and action plan
  • Creation of presentations, a qualified proposal template, email campaigns, articles, social media posts, etc.
  • Conducting expert interviews, participating in webinars, panel discussions, and industry events
  • Delivering sales services in the qualified segment (ICP) via cold outreach: email, phone, video, demos, trade fairs, events
  • Developing a KPI system to measure success of own performance and customer value measurement (Value Mapping)
  • Creation of pitch decks, ESG and impact reporting for investor sourcing (cold outreach and at networking events) Languages: English, German Location: Berlin, Hamburg (remote)
Jan 2021 - Present
3 years 7 months
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Freelance Journalist

Contentway Group B.V. / Contentway GmbH

Reporting line: Senior Campaign Manager, Executive Board Industry: Media agency – digital and print media Scope/Project Description:

  • Crafting qualitative, high-quality contributions on economic and technological topics for cross-media campaigns (digital and print), distributed to relevant target groups to grow Contentway clients’ businesses
  • Contributing to the mission: ensuring clients’ messages reach and influence their audience for maximum attention and results (storytelling)
  • Research, information gathering, and analysis aimed at selling existing and potential clients’ products/services to interested readers through text/storytelling
  • Writing contributions for print and online media while maintaining high journalistic standards and strict editorial guidelines: technical and promotional articles, expert interviews, editorial pieces, partner content, advertorials
  • Conducting interviews with experts from business, science, and education Languages: German, English Location: Remote
May 2021 - Aug 2022
1 year 4 months
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Investor, Consultant & Business Analyst

Confidential

Reporting line: Shareholder Industry: Holding company (operational/organizational) Scope/Project Description:

  • Analysis of individual business ideas and investment projects of the holding
  • Evaluation of market and growth opportunities and creation of business models
  • Analysis of individual business ideas and assessment of entrepreneurial chances in the DACH market
  • Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of individual business cases, especially the lease and investment project in Monfort Castle (Langenargen)
  • Consultant and representative of the holding during market exploration, information requests, and subsequent two-stage tendering process
  • Development of an operating concept with partnerships considering the holding’s business interests and the goals and expectations of the municipality of Langenargen (offer for lease takeover and tourism development at Lake Constance via Monfort Castle)
  • SWOT analysis, market and competition analysis regarding sales and growth potential
  • Strategy draft for market entry (Go2Market) for food business, luxury car rental, gastronomy, and tourism
  • Operations strategy (concept for implementation regarding processes and investment needs for each business model) Languages: German, English Locations: Lindau and Langenargen (Lake Constance), Hamburg, Amsterdam
Aug 2020 - Present
5 years
Kraków, Poland

Sales Partner for D-A-CH Region

Benhauer sp. z o.o.

Reporting line: Partnership Director, CEOs/Founders Industry: Software as a Service (SaaS), 250 employees Scope/Project Description:

  • Strategic sales build-up in the German-speaking region
  • Customer acquisition through operational sales of the software solution (SALESmanago)
  • Background research, market and competitor analysis, sales process analysis
  • Development of the SaaS sales strategy for SALESmanago in the German-speaking region
  • Designing sales materials in German (presentations, qualified proposals, email campaigns, articles, expert interviews, webinars, podcasts, etc.)
  • Delivering sales services for customer acquisition (cold outreach: pitches by phone and web demos, at trade fairs, events & networking) Languages: English, German Location: Hamburg (remote)
May 2019 - Aug 2019
4 months
Hamburg, Germany

Sales & Customer Experience Consultant, Head of Customer Service

LemonSwan GmbH

Reporting line: Founders, CEO/COO, CEO/CFO Industry: IT/Platform, Online service, 40 employees Scope/Project Description:

  • Increasing customer win-back rate
  • Optimizing customer service processes and interfaces with internal departments (Marketing, CRM, Product, Finance)
  • Strategic establishment of the department with a sales focus
  • As-is/to-be analysis to identify weaknesses and success potentials in customer service
  • Analysis and evaluation of service process steps (tool landscape suitability, workflow efficiency, personnel resources)
  • Increasing conversion rate (customer win-back)
  • Developing goodwill and discount policy (pricing)
  • Introducing KPIs for efficiency measurement and optimization
  • Analyzing and evaluating customer/user feedback for internal departments (Product, Marketing, CRM)
  • Interface management with collections, dunning, data protection, and legal
  • Developing work instructions and business rules, decision tables
  • Collaboration with call centers for outbound sales
  • Establishing a customer service hotline
  • Creating text modules (macros) and FAQs Languages: German, English
Aug 2018 - Dec 2019
5 months
Hamburg, Germany

Sales & Business Development Consultant, Head of Partner Management

27km Entertainment GmbH & Pictima GmbH

Reporting line: Shareholders, CEO and COO Industry: Film and video production holding, 80 employees Scope/Project Description:

  • Introducing a structured sales system
  • Strategic sales build-up
  • Customer acquisition through outbound
  • Background research, company, market and competition analysis, process analysis
  • Strategic sales build-up based on structural and qualitative analysis
  • Quantitative evaluation and elaboration of results, development of sales strategy
  • Designing sales with recommendations for synergies (holding), product development
  • Implementing a sales system with appropriate tools (quote management, etc.) and optimizing existing processes for outbound business
  • Providing sales services focused on customer acquisition (cold outreach, pitches by phone, at trade fairs, events and networking, proposal creation, etc.)
  • Conducting presentations, training, workshops, and coaching/training Pictima staff
  • Implementing the sales concept with success measurement (KPIs) to increase inbound conversion rate
  • Collaborating with partner & service agencies (advertising, marketing, communication, freelancers, technical/equipment, etc.) Languages: German, English Locations: Hamburg and nationwide trade fairs
Jan 2018 - Jul 2018
7 months
Vienna, Austria

Sales & Business Development Consultant and Freelancer

Lunchzeit Florian Gansemer und Damien Antipa GbR

Reporting line: Founders (CEO and CTO) Industry: IT/Software as a Service (SaaS), 8 employees Scope/Project Description:

  • Analyzing and optimizing business processes with a sales focus
  • Developing a comprehensive marketing and sales strategy
  • Implementing strategic concepts and operational sales of the software solution
  • Market and competitor analysis (needs assessment and market fit)
  • Structural and qualitative analysis (product, service, benefit, pricing…)
  • Target client identification, benefit argumentation, and lead qualification
  • Developing and implementing a comprehensive sales system for SaaS solutions: sales strategy, customer categorization (A/B/C logic), sales cycle with 7-step process and flowchart, sales plan with KPIs
  • Designing B2B2C SaaS proposal management to increase conversion rate
  • Developing a marketing strategy focusing on referral marketing: company representation at trade fairs and events, writing articles, meet-up events in co-working spaces, technical presentations
  • Customer and investor acquisition: creating business cases, developing pitches and presentations, executing the sales system (cold outreach, web demos, meetings, trade fairs) Languages: German, English Location: Hamburg
Jan 2016 - Dec 2017
1 year
Hamburg, Germany

Consultant and Turnaround Manager

Buckstay Group GmbH

Reporting line: Shareholder Industry: Management & HR consulting, 50 employees (peak) Scope/Project Description:

  • Assessing Buckstay Experts within Buckstay Group
  • Forming the basis for stabilization or liquidation decisions
  • Developing a comprehensive corporate strategy for stabilization of Buckstay Group
  • Competence and resource analyses, synergy potential evaluations in the group, plus sales process and service-related recruiting/project results analysis
  • Identifying and elaborating structural and process optimization potentials (KPI analysis, employee interviews, SWOT analyses, benchmarking, etc.)
  • Analyzing strategic strengths and weaknesses, market and competition challenges (core competencies, personnel structure, scale and network effects)
  • Reviewing the need for strategic reorientation and assessing improvement potential in internal processes and organizational structure
  • Developing and evaluating growth options (expanding/adapting service portfolio, entering new markets, diversification)
  • Crafting a restructuring strategy focusing on core business, divesting non-core activities, outsourcing functions, and changing value creation depth via a new sales strategy
  • Strategic valuation of the company and its parts for sale (alternative investment) and drafting various business model variants, culminating in a growth-oriented business plan
  • Sales controlling, employee coaching, workshops, and on-the-job training Language: German
Sep 2016 - Dec 2016
4 months
Berlin, Germany

Strategy & Organization Consultant and Interim Manager

Confidential

Reporting line: Executive Board, Global Director Sales Industry: Special machinery and plant engineering, 160 employees Scope/Project Description:

  • Reorganizing EMEA sales (inbound & outbound / inside and field sales)
  • Introducing a new sales process (Solution Selling)
  • Business expansion (new product line)
  • Corporate, market and competition analysis
  • Structural and qualitative analysis: product portfolio and diversification, revenue distribution and annual production, pricing strategy, growth/technology matrix, regional evaluation, organizational structures and processes
  • Quantitative evaluation and strategy: personnel and labor costs, revenue growth and CAPEX, developing marketing and sales strategy and business transformation plan (structured action plan and change management)
  • Results and recommendations: assessment of analyses and concepts with executive management
  • ABC analysis to determine customer development potential and resource planning (time, cost, value)
  • Re-segmentation: clustering by revenue potential and staff capacity (regions, revenue, order volume) Languages: German, English
Jan 2015 - Jun 2016
6 months
Germany

Head of Sales Europe (Interim)

Confidential

Reporting line: Managing Director Industry: Sales company (laser systems), 30 employees Scope/Project Description:

  • Building a structured sales organization for Europe (growth strategy)
  • Improving field sales performance
  • Cost reduction and revenue growth
  • Analyzing product portfolio and markets by size and growth
  • ABC analysis to determine customer development potential and resource planning (time, cost, value)
  • Re-segmentation: clustering by revenue potential and staff capacity (regions, revenue, order volume)
  • Optimizing KPI management for productivity measurement of inside and field sales organizations (sales and marketing)
  • Workshop on data quality, analysis, and CRM reporting importance (value creation)
  • Leading, steering, and coaching sales staff in inside and field sales and optimizing collaboration Language: German Location: North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW); cooperation in DACH and Eastern Europe
Apr 2015 - Dec 2015
9 months
Hamburg, Germany

Consultant & Business Analyst

Confidential

Reporting line: Shareholder Industry: Management holding company Scope/Project Description:

  • Analyzing individual business areas and companies within the holding
  • Evaluating market and growth opportunities of business models
  • Analyzing business areas and business situations
  • Valuing companies (simplified income approach)
  • Market and competition analysis regarding sales and growth potential
  • Defining and aligning corporate strategy (stabilization)
  • Drafting market entry and new business development strategies
  • Operations strategy (concept for processes and investment needs) Language: German
Jan 2014 - Present
11 years 7 months
Hamburg, Germany

Interim Manager & Strategy Consultant

+& Business | Management | Projects

  • Industries: cross-sector (B2B: products, services, SaaS)
  • Developing and implementing strategies, concepts, and problem-solving methods
  • Areas: corporate governance (management & leadership), sales, business development, operations, project management, change management (transformation), business process optimization
  • Restructuring/turnaround management (market repositioning, process optimization)
  • Leading Europe sales, business development, sales coordination and controlling
  • Introducing sales systems with change management, process optimization and KPI management
  • Defining and aligning corporate strategy (market entry and repositioning)
  • Business model and concept development (including project management frameworks)
  • Business start-up including sales & marketing planning, product management, pricing
  • Competence and resource assessment, market and competition analyses
  • Structuring and designing processes, organizational management, workshops, presentations, coaching
Jan 2014 - Nov 2014
11 months
Germany

Change Management Consultant (two projects, two locations)

Confidential

Reporting line: Division heads, department heads, team leads Industry: Technology company, >1,000 employees Scope/Project Description: Process analysis and improvement within change management for claims settlement/complaints management/tender management in Automotive Electronics and Thermotechnology divisions (two projects, two locations)

  • Analyzing and evaluating the initial situation by surveying all stakeholders
  • Conducting workshops to analyze processes for effectiveness and suitability (cross-departmental) and designing the change process architecture with core teams
  • Architecting process elements and interventions, and creating the master plan for the change process
  • Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of collaboration and performance via individual and group interviews with all team members regarding development potential and reorganization
  • Planning and preparing the change, defining performance metrics (KPIs) with management and leaders
  • Supporting the implementation phase with individual coaching and moderation Language: German Location: Baden-Württemberg (BW), two locations
Sep 2009 - Dec 2013
3 years 4 months
Hamburg, Germany

Experienced Business Unit Manager

ALTEN Technology GmbH

  • Progression: Business Manager (until 05/2010), Senior Manager (until 05/2011), Business Unit Manager (until 12/2011)

Transformation during acquisition of AEROTEC Engineering as sister company of ALTEN Toulouse:

  • Establishing a new department and developing a new business field (from 0 to over 50 employees)
  • Leading and managing the business unit (profit center) with P/L responsibility (approx. €10M gross margin/year)
  • Market and business analysis with evaluation and drafting of business concepts and strategies
  • Sales and marketing planning for business development
  • Key account management and expanding new customer business (diversification)
  • Program/portfolio management: planning, steering & controlling via steering committee and PMO
  • Bid & tender management (leading transnational bidding phases including RFI, RFQ, RFP, CFT)
  • Contract management (service, framework contracts, temporary employment)
  • Managing work packages as overall responsible (cross-border leadership)
  • Product management (customized solutions/services) Languages: English, German, French Locations: Hamburg and Northern Germany, transnational collaboration (France, UK, Spain, India)
Mar 2009 - Aug 2009
6 months
Reutlingen, Germany

Trainer, Mentor and Supervisor (volunteer)

Ministry of the Interior Baden-Württemberg “Zukunftsoffensive III – Young Generation” program

In the crime prevention program for children and youth, social work. Integration of at-risk and/or underprivileged children, adolescents, young adults, and adults of diverse backgrounds, religions, and nationalities.

  • Instructing and conducting boxing training and sparring matches in the ring with adherence to rules and fairness, aiming to measure one’s strength in fair competition and gain recognition through performance
  • Reducing hidden aggressiveness and mutual prejudices
  • Promoting mindfulness and respect for oneself and others
  • Building self-confidence and self-esteem to support personal development
  • Teaching tolerance, social and interpersonal values, and civic courage Language: German
Oct 2008 - Feb 2009
5 months
Karlsruhe, Germany

Sales & Team Manager

YACHT | TECCON Engineering GmbH & Co. KG

Building and developing a department and co-founding the quality team for Southern Germany:

  • Acquiring new clients across industries, continuous market analysis
  • Establishing the “Quality Team South” and serving as regional contact
  • Managing development projects and expanding business relationships
  • Preparing proposals and negotiating contracts
  • Disciplinary project leadership and strategic workforce planning, recruiting and hiring new staff
  • Representing the company at trade fairs, charities, and events Languages: German, English Locations: Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Baden and South Palatinate, nationwide cooperation
Aug 2004 - Jun 2006
1 year 11 months
Esslingen, Germany

Task Force Expert and Core Team Project Manager

Daimler AG (DaimlerChrysler)

Industry: Automotive Roles/Engagement:

  • Core Team Project Manager for the MCG-CORE pilot project (MercedesCarGroup – Cost Down Revenue Up)
  • Task Force expert in the 80th MPS project (Mercedes-Benz Production System)

In the context of the Daimler-Chrysler merger and transformation management:

  • Process improvement in manufacturing via MPS optimization
  • Production management within the CORE change management initiative (Cost Down – Revenue Up)
  • Developing and drafting a management and controlling concept based on Balanced Scorecard for cost reduction and efficiency improvement in transformation via KPI management
  • Evaluating optimization potentials in workshops and implementing the scorecard as a leadership tool for different management levels
  • Establishing internal communications and strategic controlling to measure and improve performance (LEAN, CIP, KANBAN)
  • Optimizing production processes across the entire value chain regarding all relevant performance factors
  • Introducing new process technology (methods and tools) in production for efficiency gains and cost reduction via Six Sigma
  • Conducting Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA/FMECA) and evaluating change parameters’ impacts
  • Optimizing the production line across the entire value chain using DMAIC Language: German Location: Esslingen-Mettingen (Stuttgart)
Jan 1997 - Aug 2002
5 years 8 months
Esslingen, Germany

Industrial Mechanic and Team Spokesperson

DaimlerChrysler

Industry: Automotive Responsibilities: Manufacturing axle components, organizing workflows and fostering teamwork, moderating and documenting regular meetings, information management Areas: axle shaft production, manufacturing (Axle Plant)

Aug 1994 - Jan 1997
2 years 6 months
Stuttgart, Germany

Apprenticeship as Industrial Mechanic

TBA Technical Vocational Training Mercedes-Benz AG

Qualification: Industrial Mechanic Specialization: Production Technology

Summary

Clarity. Execution. Growth. Are you ready? In an ever more dynamic competitive landscape, with volatile sales markets and uncertain supply chains, substantial growth is a real challenge. Rapid change and technological progress are transforming entire value chains. This complicates planning in all business areas.

The solution lies in strategic alignment. In a high-performance organization with the right processes, effective workflows deliver better results. That brings you more revenue at higher margins. Along the way, I advise you in Sales, Business Development, and Operations. But I prefer to implement my experiences directly – for greater customer value & value creation in the digital age!

As the “Hub of the Wheel,” I view your organization from various angles and connect strengths into value-oriented strategies. I implement these effectively and sustainably: in transformation, for the future.

The formula for sustainable profitability: Efficiency & Effectiveness + Impact.

Digitalization has long bridged space & time: customer needs change faster and markets become increasingly global. In many areas, they have shifted from a demand to a supply market. The convergence of new technologies & media networks all actors and changes market and industry mechanisms. This intensifies innovation dynamics and forces companies into comprehensive, cross-functional transformation. Today, it’s more about data for optimized user-friendliness, faster interactions, and individual customer experiences along the Customer Journey than about ideal product quality. View digitalization as a means to create a customer-centric cycle with orchestrated processes. With a lived corporate culture where everyone ensures the organization improves a bit every day. You’ll get my hands-on support!

Languages

Croatian
Native
German
Native
Serbian
Native
Slovenian
Native
English
Advanced
...and 2 more

Education

Jun 2005 - May 2008

PFH Private University Göttingen

Diploma in Business Administration · Economics and Business Administration · Göttingen, Germany

Sep 2002 - Jul 2004

FBW Vocational School for Business Administration Reutlingen

State-Certified Business Economist · Business Administration · Reutlingen, Germany

Aug 1994 - Jan 1997

TBA Technical Vocational Training Mercedes-Benz AG

Industrial Mechanic · Production Technology · Stuttgart, Germany

Certifications & licenses

Project Manager (GPM) – IPMA Level C according to ICB 3.0

CBM PM GmbH

SAP User Qualification: FI, CO, MM, SD

Dekra Akademie Reutlingen

Vocational and Work Pedagogical Knowledge according to the Trainer Aptitude Regulation (AEVO)

Chamber of Industry and Commerce Reutlingen

Training as Team Spokesperson/Moderator

Daimler-Benz AG