Katharina Neumann
Consultant Multibrand Strategy & Activation
Experience
Consultant Multibrand Strategy & Activation
HAMBURG SÜD/ A.P. Moller - Maersk
- Responsible for developing and implementing global brand and marketing strategies for various group brands
- Revised brand strategy (positioning, brand essence, brand pillars, etc.) and prepared/accompanied the global roll-out
- Defined marketing and CRM strategy and developed a marketing plan including communication and campaign management to establish the new positioning
- Created a migration plan for various brands as part of the group restructuring
Interim Management Innovation & Product Portfolio
LIKE MEAT/ The Livekindly
- Overall responsibility for optimizing the product portfolio including developing, implementing and launching innovations and new products
- Developed and introduced new product categories and items
- Redesigned packaging including design
- Achieved +13% revenue growth through innovations and the relaunch of the existing range
- Optimized the new product development process from idea generation to successful market launch, including realigning responsibilities and interfaces (R&D, Packaging, Regulatory, Quality, Production, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Finance)
Consultant / Corporate Strategy Development
GLOBALG.A.P.
- Advised and supported the CEO and board members on revising the corporate strategy
- Reviewed purpose, positioning and company strategy, including defining the key pillars to realize the growth strategy
- Facilitated the strategy process at board level and aligned the board and top management on a common direction through intensive stakeholder management
Consultant / Restructuring and Management of the Digital Transformation Process
Private equity company (NDA)
- Supported and advised the management board in transforming the holding and individual companies into a future-ready organization, focusing on organization, IT and HR topics
- Restructured the organization in terms of structures, relevant business processes and systems to ensure future viability
- Supported change management activities
- Initiated the digital transformation process, including implementing a new ERP system and defining workflows
Consultant / Business Model, Brand and Marketing Strategy Revision
Private Equity (NDA)
- Advised the shareholders to secure the investment and unlock the company's business potential
- Realigned purpose, positioning and business model to explore new growth opportunities
- Implemented initial levers for Season '19
- Created a roadmap for further expansion and growth over the next two years
Expert / Innovation Excellence Workshop Series
Consumer Goods/Non-Food (NDA)
- Support and advise executive management and department heads to optimize the rate of successful innovations and time-to-market
- Redefine and successfully implement the innovation process
- Increase the innovation rate
Consultant / Development of Customer Experience Management Strategy
CREDITPLUS BANK
- Support and advise division management in identifying and defining structural and content measures to optimize the customer experience
- Identify levers to strengthen customer focus and competitive differentiation
- Develop a Customer Experience (CX) concept and an action plan to set up a new cross-functional Customer Experience Management role
Consultant / Development of Data Driven Marketing including Performance Measurement and Control
VAILLANT GROUP
- Support and advise the Commercial Director and marketing divisions in developing and implementing data driven marketing
- Build a key metrics system for marketing and sales
- Develop and roll out a precise, standardized performance monitoring system across all countries with KPIs and ROI measurement
- Ensure full commitment from all stakeholders and country organizations
Consultant / Development of Future Concept for Lifestyle/Outdoor Brand
WEBER STEPHEN (EMEA)
- Support the board and VP Marketing in defining the strategy for the brand’s future lifestyle concept
- Conduct extensive market, customer, and trend analyses and create a future map
- Develop strategic options to advance the brand and secure buy-in from key stakeholders
Consultant / Optimization and Operationalization of Annual International Marketing and Budget Planning
VAILLANT GROUP
- Project lead for realigning and implementing efficiency improvements in planning all marketing activities
- Restructure international marketing planning and redefine the planning process at the global level
- Introduce a planning and budgeting tool
- Create a foundation for optimizing marketing effectiveness and efficiency with improvements up to 30%
- Ensure full commitment from all parties (headquarters and country organizations)
Consultant / Revision of brand & marketing strategy and operationalization within international marketing planning
WEBER STEPHEN (EMEA)
- Supported and advised the board and department heads to ensure a consistent brand presence and efficient approach in international market operations (EMEA)
- Transformed from a decentralized to a centrally controlled structure for EMEA marketing and budget planning
- Refined the brand and marketing strategy taking country-specific conditions into account
- Laid the groundwork for optimizing marketing effectiveness and efficiency, achieving increases up to 15%
Consultant / Restructuring marketing and establishing central marketing for EMEA
WEBER STEPHEN (EMEA)
- Responsible for restructuring marketing as part of the global reorganization
- Established the Central Marketing division in an international context and restructured the marketing departments in eight country organizations
- Established operating and collaboration models for headquarters and local markets
- Overhauled central marketing processes
- Selected, developed, and coached a new SVP Marketing
Consultant / Realignment of strategic marketing and budget planning
WEBER STEPHEN
- Supported and advised the board on optimizing and improving the efficiency of EMEA-wide marketing activities
- Improved the content and structure of the planning process, including redefining the collaboration model between regions
- Synchronized marketing activities and leveraged synergies and efficiency potential by developing joint initiatives
Consultant / Expanding competitive edge and strengthening brand reputation through customer/brand experience optimization
UNION INVESTMENT
- Advised the executive board and head of marketing on developing brand perception and expanding premium market leadership
- Designed cross-functional customer journeys with updated service design concepts across touchpoints (NPS +6 pts.)
- Optimized customer journey management
- Established an internal brand ambassador program to strengthen customer focus, brand profiling, and internal brand engagement
Expert / Product portfolio optimization and category relaunch
ARLA FOODS
- Advised and supported the marketing department in revising and defining the future product portfolio
- Developed and managed a future-proof brand portfolio and product concept for one of the key SBUs
Principal
KEYLENS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
- Leading and executing marketing- and sales-oriented consulting projects from strategy to operational implementation in the retail, consumer goods, and services sectors
- Key areas: growth strategy, brand strategy, marketing-/sales strategy, marketing performance programs as well as marketing organization and processes
- Practice Leader Marketing Performance & Efficiency
- Leading project and client teams as well as client partner agencies
- Examples: optimizing media spend (10% savings), optimizing international marketing planning processes, increasing lead generation (>10%) and customer retention (>5%), optimizing corporate market research, reviewing and developing a franchise concept in the healthcare/medical technology sector
Consultant / Interim Manager / Strategic Realignment including Marketing Restructuring
PROMARKT (REWE)
- Full responsibility for designing and implementing the strategic realignment (project lead followed by interim head of marketing role)
- Development and successful implementation of a comprehensive brand relaunch including new positioning, branding and 360° marketing and advertising concept
- Restructuring of the marketing department and securing full board commitment to the business case for revitalizing the retail brand
Consultant / E-Commerce Strategy Development
PEEK & CLOPPENBURG
- Advising the executive board on developing the e-commerce strategy including options for implementation
- Designing a holistic cross-channel marketing approach and creating a detailed roadmap for implementation
Consultant / Marketing Restructuring and Enhancing Marketing Effectiveness and Efficiency
PEEK & CLOPPENBURG
- Project lead for realigning marketing
- Restructuring marketing and redefining the communication strategy with clear target group messaging and an effective marketing mix
- Shaping the retail brand profile and increasing overall marketing efficiency by 10–15%
Consultant / Strategic Realignment including Restructuring of the International Marketing & Sales Organization
BEGO GROUP
- Project lead of a customer-centric corporate transformation and full responsibility for revising the corporate strategy to realize growth potential
- Restructuring the international marketing and sales organization including structure, roles, responsibilities (RACI) and core processes
- Introducing and building a new global marketing department including role profiles and job descriptions
- Developing and implementing a corporate and brand strategy with a new architecture and a double-digit increase in customer satisfaction compared to the previous year
Project Manager / Introduction of New Intranet Platform and SharePoint Migration
R+V VERSICHERUNGEN
- Led the project to implement a functional concept from a previous sales optimization project
- Created the project plan including time, cost, and resource planning, as well as detailed work packages
- Led project committees and served as liaison to the project sponsor, the Sales and IT Board
- Structured and managed the creation of sales-relevant content (blueprint) and ensured on-schedule implementation despite high time pressure and limited resources
Consultant / Restructuring the Sales Organization to Increase Impact and Efficiency
R+V VERSICHERUNGEN
- Advised and supported the Sales Board and Head of Marketing in the reshaping to boost sales efficiency
- Implemented a target-group and needs-oriented information culture along with corresponding communication concepts, processes, and tools
- Achieved measurable productivity increase in the field sales organization and sales partners (1 additional customer meeting per day)
- Increased sales organization satisfaction by 23%
- Restructured the field sales support organization and developed a functional concept for digital sales information
Consultant / Development and Implementation of a Multidimensional Brand/Marketing Performance Control System (Brand Score Card)
GALERIA KAUFHOF
- Led the project to develop and implement a multidimensional brand/marketing performance control system (Brand Score Card)
- Developed and launched the Brand Score Card for continuous performance monitoring of all private labels using financial, customer, and market data
- Established a cross-functional learning approach for continuous optimization, including defining processes across all areas (Marketing/CRM, Purchasing, Sales, Controlling)
Interim Head of Marketing
STAPLES
- Full responsibility for the marketing department (Advertising, CRM, and Market Research) with ten staff (three direct reports)
- Realigned the marketing department in terms of content, organization, and structure
- Increased sales by 18% compared to the previous year
- Laid the foundation for extensive optimization of marketing effectiveness and efficiency with improvements up to 20%
Partner
BRAND BUILDERS Strategy Consulting (later KEYLENS)
- Led and executed brand consulting projects from strategy definition to operational implementation in retail, industry, and services
- Focused on brand management, growth strategies, marketing strategy, communications, market research, and marketing organization
- Built and led the Analytics & Research/Knowledge Management division
- Project-managed and provided technical leadership for client-specific teams (up to 40 people) and partner agencies (Design, ATL/BTL, Online, CRM, PR)
- Examples: Marketing master plan (+10% efficiency), private label strategy, corporate branding, SBU restructurings, company relaunch (+15% revenue/+11 NPS), home automation strategy (+22% revenue), service quality (+8% NPS)
Interim Managing Director Germany & Head of Marketing DACH
SCOTTS CELAFLOR GmbH
- Interim Managing Director (07–12/2001) in addition to leading marketing: restructuring Germany (120 employees), cost optimization program, works council negotiations, reporting to European and global headquarters
- Head of Marketing DACH with P&L responsibility (€100M revenue) and 18 team members in Germany, plus professional leadership of marketing in Austria/Switzerland (7 people)
- Achievements: double-digit revenue growth and No. 2 market position in Germany, shift to consumer-centric marketing, acquisition of the Substral brand, launch of a master brand strategy, innovation process and future-proof portfolio, development of the Professional Business business plan
Marketing Manager / Senior Product Manager / Key Account Manager
HENKEL KGaA / HENKEL Italia S.r.l.
- Brand and product management with a focus on innovation, consumer insights, campaign development, and P&L responsibility (up to €60M revenue), leading a team of up to six people
- Development and launch of a new international master brand
- Double-digit revenue increases through innovative specialty detergents and cleaning products (formulations, USP, packaging, design)
- Development and execution of international ATL/BTL brand campaigns
- Introduction of international methods/models for measuring marketing efficiency (ROI)
Summary
Experienced marketing expert with a background as a management consultant, interim manager and marketing executive, with proven expertise in developing and implementing growth strategies. Combines insights, analysis, strategic marketing and operational measures to drive sustainable business growth. Demonstrated track record of strengthening market position and delivering effective solutions that have immediate impact and contribute to long-term success. Skilled in optimizing and transforming marketing organizations into customer-focused, innovative and growth-oriented teams. Passionate, empathetic and hands-on manager who drives project success and fosters collaboration for shared value. Over 12 years of leadership experience overseeing up to 5 departments with 25+ employees.
Skills
Growth Strategy & Business Development
Brand Strategy & Activation
Strategic & Operational Marketing
Consumer/customer Insights Management
Innovation & Product Management
Marketing Organization & Processes
Project Management
Stakeholder Management
Strategic Mindset With Strong Analytical Skills And A "Get-things-done" Attitude
Excellent Communicator Who Interacts At All Levels And Has Very Good Presentation Skills
Empathetic Leader And Coach With Proven Ability To Motivate, Guide And Develop Teams
Cross-functional Collaboration And Collaborative Management Of External Partners (E.g., Creative Agencies)
Strategy Development Models
Okr Management Method
Change Management
Process Optimization
Workshop Facilitation
Business Model Canvas/design Thinking
Ms Office; User-level Ms Project, Asana, Jira, Google Analytics, Selected Ai Tools
Consumer Goods & Retail
B2c Services
B2b Services & Industries
Languages
Education
Freie Universität Berlin
Diploma in Business Administration · Business Administration · Berlin, Germany
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