Nils Van Laak - Freelance Consultant

Q: Where is Nils based?

Nils is based in Berlin, Germany and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Nils speak?

Nils speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Nils have?

Nils has at least 16 years of experience. During this time, Nils has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 10 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 5 months . Note that Nils may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Nils's latest experience?

Nils's most recent position is Freelance Consultant at Freelancer .

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

In recent years, Nils has worked for Freelancer and Intraprenör GmbH .

Q: Which industries is Nils most experienced in?

Nils is most experienced in industries like Professional Services , Advertising , Media, and Entertainment and Publishing . Nils also has some experience in Construction , Information Technology (IT) , and Education .

Q: Which business areas is Nils most experienced in?

Nils is most experienced in business areas like Project Management , Marketing , and Finance . Nils also has some experience in Sales , Research and Development (R&D) , and Human Resources (HR) .

Q: Which industries has Nils worked in recently?

Nils has recently worked in industries like Professional Services , Information Technology (IT) , and Education .

Q: Which business areas has Nils worked in recently?

Nils has recently worked in business areas like Research and Development (R&D) , Human Resources (HR) , and Marketing .

Recommended expert

Berlin, Germany

Experience

Jan 2024 - Dec 2025

2 years

Berlin, Germany

Freelance Consultant

Freelancer

Moderation of AI use case workshops for the data and AI strategy consultancy DAIN STUDIOS
Moderation of an AI and Prompting training for the smart data and AI strategy consultancy DAIN STUDIOS
Moderation of an AI and Prompting training for the AI consultancy Form21

Jan 2021 - Dec 2024

4 years

Berlin, Germany

Senior Consultant to People, Culture and Organisation

Intraprenör GmbH

Project ownership: Leading complex, varied, multi-month, partially international consulting projects in the areas of New Work, Employee Experience/HR, and Transformation
Client relations: Responsible for direct client contact in projects, supporting stakeholders at management level, and developing long-term partnerships
Leadership: Collaborating with the founding team on equal footing and taking responsibility for team members and their professional and personal development within projects
Content and methodology: Leading project teams to conduct culture analyses, design innovative concepts, prototypes, workshops, trainings, and communication formats
Business development: Managing client relationships in the CRM tool and developing service offers with persuasive presentation and storytelling skills to acquire new clients
Research: Developing research designs for projects to generate tangible and targeted insights
Company-wide introduction of OKRs including e-learning design at a fitness company and the parent company's IT department to operationalize the strategy
Team lead for mission statement development (e.g., vision, mission, company values, leadership principles) for the consumer goods company share and the mobility operations company Vimcar, in English
Development of digital hybrid leadership formats for executives at a major German insurance company
Design and production of the company podcast as part of the marketing strategy

Jan 2020 - Dec 2021

2 years

Berlin, Germany

Freelance Consultant

Freelancer

Development of an AI and Data Literacy online course for the smart data and AI strategy consultancy DAIN STUDIOS
Design and facilitation of a Design Thinking sprint for students on sustainability

Jan 2017 - Dec 2020

4 years

Berlin, Germany

Consultant and Design Thinking Coach

Partake Beratung GmbH

Project management for digital initiatives, coordinating client needs by involving strategists, designers, and freelancers
Development of innovative concepts and ideas for workshops, team developments, and change initiatives, as well as their implementation with an experienced team in agile processes
Design and delivery of training on agile project management (Design Thinking, Scrum, Kanban) in the context of digital transformation
Analysis of client and employee needs, development of mission statements, and creation of suitable communication materials
Documentation, presentation, and facilitation of client meetings and project results in all project phases
Design and execution of a 6-month leadership and transformation journey for partners at PwC
Design and execution of a change initiative for Lufthansa Cargo IT (130 employees)
Design and execution of a team development with a new mission statement for Lufthansa Customer Services
Support for change management of an internationally deployed HR software for LIDL (Schwarz IT)
Design and execution of a 4-month innovation journey for Stadtwerke Bremen

Jan 2016 - Dec 2017

2 years

Berlin, Germany

Co-founder of the Design Thinking collective

Luftmenschen Kollektiv

Design and/or facilitation of Design Thinking workshops for Deutsche Bahn, Berliner Sparkasse, and Mercedes-Benz
Design and delivery of a 4-month train-the-trainer program to implement Design Thinking at Premium Aerotec

Jan 2016 - Dec 2016

1 year

Berlin, Germany

Creative Guide

Jovoto GmbH

Assisted with the Jovoto Future of Work Crowdstorms to explore future ways of working with project partners Adidas, Vitra, Cisco, Volkswagen

Jan 2010 - Dec 2015

6 years

Project Manager

Scholz & Friends

Jan 2010 - Dec 2015

6 years

Marketing Controlling

Springer Science+Business Media

Jan 2010 - Dec 2015

6 years

Online Marketing

Stiftung Warentest

Jan 2010 - Dec 2015

6 years

Consultant

antoni

Jan 2010 - Dec 2015

6 years

Business Development

yourpainting

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 Professional Services (10 years), Information Technology (6 years), Advertising (6 years), Media and Entertainment (6 years), Construction (6 years), and Education (2 years).

Professional Services

Information Technology

Advertising

Media and Entertainment

Construction

Education

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 Project Management (14 years), Marketing (10 years), Research and Development (6 years), Human Resources (6 years), Finance (6 years), and Sales (6 years).

Project Management

Marketing

Research and Development

Human Resources

Finance

Sales

Summary

Project manager and organizational developer with extensive experience leading interdisciplinary teams as well as successfully designing, implementing, and supporting personal development initiatives and transformation processes – from startups to DAX corporations.

Expertise in innovation management, user-centered design, and AI projects, combined with a clear focus on goal-oriented and cross-functional collaboration in organizations.

Skills

Hybrid Learning Design & Digital Prototyping (Miro, Figma)
Account Management For Smes & Corporate Clients
Design & Facilitation Of Workshops & Learning Journeys
Proposal Development & Pitch Presentations
Planning & Execution Of Design Sprints & Agile Workflows
Agile, Multi-stakeholder Project Management
Culture & Employee Experience Design
Research Design (Qualitative & Quantitative)
Okr Training & Implementation As Okr Master
Ai Use Case Development & Ai Enablement
Offsite & Team Development Format Design
Video & Podcast Production (Storytelling)

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Oct 2020 - Jun 2023

Irgendwie Anders e.V.

Training as a Gestalt Therapist · Gestalt Therapy

Oct 2015 - Jun 2016

HPI School of Design Thinking

Design Thinking · Potsdam, Germany

Oct 2013 - Jun 2016

University of Potsdam

Master in Business Administration, focus: Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship · Business Administration · Potsdam, Germany

...and 2 more

Certifications & licenses

Cambridge ESOL Certificate of Proficiency in English (C2)

Profile

Created

January 2026

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Frequently asked questions

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

Where is Nils based?

Nils is based in Berlin, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Nils speak?

Nils speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Nils have?

Nils has at least 16 years of experience. During this time, Nils has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 10 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 5 months. Note that Nils may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Nils be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Nils would be well-suited for roles such as: Freelance Consultant, Senior Consultant to People, Culture and Organisation, Consultant and Design Thinking Coach.

What is Nils's latest experience?

Nils's most recent position is Freelance Consultant at Freelancer.

What companies has Nils worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Nils has worked for Freelancer and Intraprenör GmbH.

Which industries is Nils most experienced in?

Nils is most experienced in industries like Professional Services, Advertising, Media, and Entertainment and Publishing. Nils also has some experience in Construction, Information Technology (IT), and Education.

Which business areas is Nils most experienced in?

Nils is most experienced in business areas like Project Management, Marketing, and Finance. Nils also has some experience in Sales, Research and Development (R&D), and Human Resources (HR).

Which industries has Nils worked in recently?

Nils has recently worked in industries like Professional Services, Information Technology (IT), and Education.

Which business areas has Nils worked in recently?

Nils has recently worked in business areas like Research and Development (R&D), Human Resources (HR), and Marketing.

What is Nils's education?

Nils holds a Master in Business Administration from University of Potsdam, a Bachelor in Design Thinking from HPI School of Design Thinking, a Bachelor in International Business from University of Kent in Canterbury and a Bachelor in International Business and Management from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.

Does Nils have any certificates?

Nils has 1 certificate: Cambridge ESOL Certificate of Proficiency in English (C2).

What is the availability of Nils?

Nils is immediately available part-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Nils?

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