Oliver Hickfang
Head of Partnerships
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
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