Florian (Dr.) Forster
Senior Director, Global Education Excellence
Experience
Jan 2024 - Nov 2024
11 months Germany
Senior Director, Global Education Excellence
IU.org - International University Group
- Led agile transformations of 170 FTEs for Germany, the UK, and Canada, boosted efficiency by +15% and employee NPS by +36 bps
- Directed a 20-member AI/SaaS team to develop GenAI solutions for video/text development, cutting costs by 75% and increasing productivity by +50% through process training and workflow optimization
- Managed a €12M P&L, achieving €1.3M annual OpEx savings via organizational and process optimization and partner collaboration
Apr 2022 - Jan 2024
1 year 10 months Germany
Country Manager - Germany, Austria, Switzerland (DACH)
Alibaba.com
- Built and ran a go-to-market strategy for Mittelstand (SME) and built a high-performing sales and marketing team of 12 FTEs
- Negotiated and secured 10 strategic partnerships, grew B2B customer base to 100+, delivered the highest global basket value of +30%
- Served as media spokesperson at 25+ industry events, boosted brand visibility and sales pipeline to 1000+ qualified leads
Sep 2019 - Apr 2022
2 years 8 months Germany
Head of Operational Excellence & Head of Customer Care & Head of Product
zooplus.com
- Delivered strategic guidance to the COO and board by establishing an agile Project Management Office (PMO, 12 FTEs), setting OKRs to prioritize operational and strategic improvement initiatives for 300+ FTEs across 9 departments
- Initiated digital transformation of the global customer service team (30 FTEs, 600 agents) for 5M inquiries p.a. in 22 languages with 5 BPOs. Head of Product: launched new CRM, reduced budget by -15%, and improved customer satisfaction by +25%
- Championed a €900K carbon footprint offsetting program, optimized supply chain processes, and positioned Zooplus as the industry leader in sustainability
Oct 2018 - Sep 2019
1 year Germany
Head of International Strategic Innovation
Dirk Rossmann - A.S. Watson Group
- Established and led a European innovation hub, driving New Retail and digital transformation while enhancing cross-border collaboration for six European entities
- Advised C-level on strategies to optimize operations and redesign business processes (e.g., self-checkout, loyalty app), improving efficiency and fostering innovation
Jun 2016 - Oct 2018
2 years 5 months Germany
Acting Country Leader - Marketplace Prime Now Germany
Amazon.com
- Launched ultra-fast delivery service in 9 months, exceeding revenue targets by +50% through cross-functional collaboration with a team of 8 and 5 strategic partners
- Created a new logistics and organizational structure, reduced costs by 25%, and improved delivery efficiency and scalability through technical leadership
- Co-founded a recognized initiative promoting inclusivity across thousands of Amazon employees, improved cross-team collaboration, and drove employee engagement
Jan 2015 - Present
9 years 4 months Munich, Germany
Founder, CEO, Strategic Consultant & Advisor
Forster&Co
Helping organizations thrive in today's fast-paced, ambidextrous world by proving excellence in digital, strategy, and transformation through principles grounded in academia and successfully applied at international corporations
May 2014 - Jun 2016
2 years 2 months Germany
Senior Program Manager - Marketplace Germany & Europe
Amazon.com
- Coordinated cross-functional collaboration between 50 stakeholders to launch the European Fulfillment Network, reducing fulfillment costs by -20% while enhancing delivery speed and customer satisfaction
- Developed and deployed an innovative data collection tool for EU Account Managers, improving seller insights by 5x accuracy and speed, driving business growth and customer satisfaction
- Streamlined operations procedures for long-tail selection and returns, driving a +5% to +25% increase in product assortment and profitability across key European markets
Jul 2010 - Nov 2013
3 years 5 months Switzerland
Head of Business Incubator & Co-founder
HSG Entrepreneurship Campus
- Co-founded a business accelerator, raising €1M+ in venture funding and supporting the launch of 13 start-ups
- Designed and led founder programs, boosting awareness and participation among entrepreneurial students and alumni
Nov 2008 - Jul 2010
1 year 9 months Germany
Project Leader & Startup Coach
WHU Accelerator
- Launched an entrepreneurial ecosystem engaging 100+ students, alumni, and corporations. Securing €500K in venture funding
- Established a mentoring program for entrepreneurial students, successfully ran two prestigious international business plan competitions
May 2006 - May 2010
4 years 1 month Germany
Head of Business Development Central Europe
fon.com - FON Technology S.L.
- Built strategic partnerships with major European corporations (e.g., DTAG, KPM, XING), driving market expansion in the telecom and media sectors. Scaled a peer-to-peer business model to achieve 2M+ hotspots globally, pioneering pre-SaaS innovations
- Launched an urban Wi-Fi Community showcase, increasing user engagement by 3x and enhancing public network visibility in key cities
Summary
Decisive and empathetic leader in digital innovation and operations with 13+ years of global experience across 20+ countries.
Honored as a ‘Top 100 Thought Leader in E-Commerce‘, I excel in scaling high-performing teams from 0 to 650 FTEs, managing P&Ls exceeding €12M, and leveraging AI- and tech-driven solutions to drive growth, operational efficiency, and sustainable results.
Adaptable to complex VUCA environments, I combine hands-on execution with strategic vision to solve challenges and deliver transformative outcomes. My expertise is underpinned by a top-notch postdoctoral education in entrepreneurship and technology, alongside certifications in Systemic Business Coaching and Generative AI - enabling me to foster trust-based cultures, empower teams, and implement innovative strategies. Known for navigating ambiguity with agility and decisiveness, I thrive on creating lasting impact through strategic change, cross-functional leadership, and the development of positive, goal-oriented cultures.
Languages
English
Native
German
Native
French
Intermediate
Spanish
Elementary
Education
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Dipl.-Kfm. Univ., equivalent to Master in Business and IT · Management and Computer Science · Munich, Germany · Magna cum laude
University of St. Gallen (HSG) - Institute of Technology Management
Entrepreneurship · St. Gallen, Switzerland
University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business
Sustainability and Cluster of Innovation · Berkeley, United States
Certifications & licenses
Generative AI
Systemic Business Coaching
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