Oliver Hickfang

Head of Partnerships

Berlin, Germany

Experience

Jan 2022 - Dec 2025
2 years
Berlin, Germany

Head of Partnerships

Berlinale

  • Strategy, marketing, communications, sponsorship, lead management, growth campaigns and customer success, partially AI-supported.
  • Development and process design for CRM and customer journey.
  • Planning and execution of proactive targeting strategies and innovative marketing initiatives based on market and KPI analyses.
  • Stakeholder management with internal/external interfaces and agencies.
  • Management and monitoring of SEO/SEA campaigns, website relaunches, email automation, PR and content campaigns, plus various performance marketing and social media campaigns.
  • Creation of product value propositions and development of UX/UI for website and print materials.
  • Selection, leadership and development of teams (up to 17 people).
  • Participation as speaker and moderator at conferences and trade shows.
  • Tripled lead numbers through digitization of marketing and sales processes.
  • Significant increase in profitability through optimization of the customer journey and marketing automation.
  • New customer acquisition and business development via product extensions and funnel optimization.
  • Tripled website traffic and online leads after a complex web relaunch with cross-channel performance marketing, especially social media, account-based marketing (ABM) and sales process optimization.
  • Boosted brand awareness and ticket sales through AI-driven growth strategy, international partner management and marketing for the world’s largest film festival; secured new partners.
Jan 2021 - Dec 2023
2 years
Berlin, Germany

Head of Marketing

aconium

  • Strategy, marketing, communications, sponsorship, lead management, growth campaigns and customer success, partially AI-supported.
  • Development and process design for CRM and customer journey.
  • Planning and execution of proactive targeting strategies and innovative marketing initiatives based on market and KPI analyses.
  • Stakeholder management with internal/external interfaces and agencies.
  • Management and monitoring of SEO/SEA campaigns, website relaunches, email automation, PR and content campaigns, plus various performance marketing and social media campaigns.
  • Creation of product value propositions and development of UX/UI for website and print materials.
  • Selection, leadership and development of teams (up to 17 people).
  • Participation as speaker and moderator at conferences and trade shows.
  • Tripled lead numbers through digitization of marketing and sales processes.
  • Significant increase in profitability through optimization of the customer journey and marketing automation.
  • New customer acquisition and business development via product extensions and funnel optimization.
  • Tripled website traffic and online leads after a complex web relaunch with cross-channel performance marketing, especially social media, account-based marketing (ABM) and sales process optimization.
Jan 2020 - Dec 2022
2 years
Berlin, Germany

Interim Head of Marketing

eBazaaris

  • Strategy, marketing, communications, sponsorship, lead management, growth campaigns and customer success, partially AI-supported.
  • Development and process design for CRM and customer journey.
  • Planning and execution of proactive targeting strategies and innovative marketing initiatives based on market and KPI analyses.
  • Stakeholder management with internal/external interfaces and agencies.
  • Management and monitoring of SEO/SEA campaigns, website relaunches, email automation, PR and content campaigns, plus various performance marketing and social media campaigns.
  • Creation of product value propositions and development of UX/UI for website and print materials.
  • Selection, leadership and development of teams (up to 17 people).
  • Participation as speaker and moderator at conferences and trade shows.
  • Tripled lead numbers through digitization of marketing and sales processes.
  • Significant increase in profitability through optimization of the customer journey and marketing automation.
  • New customer acquisition and business development via product extensions and funnel optimization.
  • Tripled website traffic and online leads after a complex web relaunch with cross-channel performance marketing, especially social media, account-based marketing (ABM) and sales process optimization.
Aug 2016 - May 2021
4 years 10 months
Berlin, Germany

Head of Marketing / Webmaster Lead / Head of Online Marketing

Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft (BVMW)

  • Managed and oversaw all marketing-related processes (national/international), led a marketing team (7 people).
  • Developed and executed marketing strategies and activities to increase brand awareness and generate leads (growth strategy).
  • Repositioned audiovisual media (including development/execution of a podcast and short videos/image content, especially for social media).
  • Introduced a strong incentive strategy.
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic: complete turnaround from offline-based market approach to an "online-first" strategy, including a digital lead funnel with performance marketing and social commerce, marketing automation, and reorganization of the entire marketing/sales/conversion workflow.
  • Digitized a marketing/sales funnel with 2000 events/270,000 participants, optimized CRM and SEO, restructured the customer journey including automation, led and advised 45 editors.
  • Successfully planned and executed a global brand relaunch, developed multiple marketing concepts.
  • Increased referral rates by 230% through implementation and scaling of a member acquisition program.
  • Boosted awareness and lead conversion through website relaunch including high-revenue landing pages; management of over 30 social media accounts; building lead funnels with social commerce, etc.
Oct 2014 - Jul 2016
1 year 10 months
Berlin, Germany

Head of Marketing and Communications

Benefit Media, mobile App developer

  • Led all marketing initiatives, including communications and public relations management.
  • Designed and ran advertising campaigns based on thorough market, competitor and trend analyses.
  • Identified target groups, selected marketing channels and set budgets.
  • Developed and maintained the corporate brand.
  • Monitored and analyzed performance KPIs.
  • Optimized the website and developed/refined offline materials like flyers and print.
  • Managed social media marketing including community management, mobile marketing (app marketing), and stakeholder and influencer relations.
  • Increased app downloads by 30,000 in 4 months.
  • Significantly boosted revenue through development of new products and diversification.
  • Created corporate identity including brand book.
Jul 2010 - Aug 2014
4 years 2 months
Taipei, Taiwan, Province of China

Partner, Startup Founder and CMO / Senior Manager

3digitalminds, Agentur für Digitalmarketing

  • Built and managed business activities with focus on digital marketing.
  • Held overall responsibility for strategy and marketing management across various projects.
  • Developed marketing and communications strategies.
  • Designed marketing measures to increase visibility and client base for managed companies.
  • Built, acquired, managed and advised international key accounts.
  • Co-managed international digital accounts for Saatchi & Saatchi (Publicis) as a third-party agency, executed account-based marketing and led strategic/operational online marketing projects with an international team.
  • Co-founded a D2C DIY fashion startup, held full responsibility for marketing, communications and business development as CMO.
  • Successfully launched an international affiliate program, increasing revenue by 170%.
  • Served as CMO in the spin-off of a D2C startup, built a loyal customer base, completed partial exit.
  • Achieved double-digit revenue growth across various product categories for global key accounts.
Oct 2007 - Mar 2010
2 years 6 months
Chengdu, China

Senior Manager

Allianz China Life Insurance

  • Established a new marketing/sales department with 9 staff, developed key account business with international major clients for live insurance products.
  • Developed and executed a nationwide TV, event and sponsorship campaign.
  • Introduced sound sponsorship concepts to boost image, managed strategic and operational marketing of PR, event and TV campaigns.
  • Led a nationwide roadshow with the Foreign Office, initiated C-level contacts and drove business development/growth strategy.
  • Launched new products with significant revenue growth including higher brand awareness; achieved double-digit revenue increase.
  • Built high-level networks with decision-makers as board member of the European Chamber of Commerce.
  • Expanded business in West China by securing international key accounts.
Berlin, Germany

Head of Marketing & Sales

BITKOM, Bundesverband IT

Berlin, Germany

Senior Consultant

BearingPoint/KPMG Consulting, Unternehmensberatung

Chengdu, China

Liaison Manager

German Chamber of Commerce (AHK), Wirtschaftskammer

Berlin, Germany

Consultant

Ketchum PLEON, PR- und Beratungsagentur

Summary

Successful marketing, strategy, and AI expert with a broad portfolio in designing and implementing marketing and growth initiatives. Deep understanding of strategic positioning, market needs, and customer success, combined with hands-on expertise in running KPI- and data-driven cross-media marketing activities for sustainable customer acquisition in D2C/B2B/B2C markets. Experience in turning around established corporate structures and scaling fast-growing startups through automated lead generation and AI-powered campaigns/GPT/LLM strategies. Execution-focused team player and driver who knows how to develop and motivate talent. Budgets > 5 million euros.

Languages

German
Native
English
Advanced
Chinese
Elementary
Russian
Elementary

Education

Freie Universität Berlin

Diploma in Cultural and Media Management · Cultural and Media Management · Berlin, Germany · 1.0

Universität Potsdam

Diploma in Political Science · Political Science · Potsdam, Germany · 1.8

Certifications & licenses

AI Consultant

AI Institute, KI Club

Qualification as Trainer/Educational Lecturer

Bundeszentrale f. pol. Bildung, Berlin

Certificate as Tutor Coach/Train-the-Trainer and Instructor

Universität Potsdam

Certified Business Coach

BZTB

Certified NLP Practitioner

German NLP Institute, Berlin