Robert Karash - Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS)

Q: Where is Robert based?

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

Q: What languages does Robert speak?

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

Q: How many years of experience does Robert have?

Robert has at least 40 years of experience. During this time, Robert has worked in at least 19 different roles and for 22 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 10 months . Note that Robert may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Robert's latest experience?

Robert's most recent position is Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS) at Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank .

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

In recent years, Robert has worked for Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank , FI Finanz Informatik GmbH & Co. KG , VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG , SV SparkassenVersicherung Informatik GmbH , and SIGNAL IDUNA Gruppe & Lebensversicherung AG .

Q: Which industries is Robert most experienced in?

Robert is most experienced in industries like Insurance , Banking and Finance , and Information Technology (IT) . Robert also has some experience in Sport and Recreation , Government and Public Administration , and Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas is Robert most experienced in?

Robert is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology (IT) , Project Management , and Operations . Robert also has some experience in Procurement and Purchasing , Finance , and Human Resources (HR) .

Q: Which industries has Robert worked in recently?

Robert has recently worked in industries like Banking and Finance , Insurance , and Information Technology (IT) .

Q: Which business areas has Robert worked in recently?

Robert has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology (IT) , Operations , and Procurement and Purchasing .

Recommended expert

Idstein, Germany

Experience

May 2023 - Present

2 years 11 months

Frankfurt, Germany

Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS)

Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank

Functional leadership and development of a team of 28 IT professionals (internal & external) in helpdesk/helpline, RHEL (Red Hat), MUREX (trading system & applications), and SAP basis operations
Managing external service providers (e.g., FI-TS for SAP basis operations)
Personnel, resource, and budget planning for the IT department and projects
Introducing and establishing regular communication formats (jour fixe, team and cross-department meetings)
Ensuring application operations in a hybrid environment (Windows/Linux with database and web/application servers)
Supporting transformation projects to modernize the application landscape (e.g., DevOps approaches)
Establishing digital IT procurement for hardware & software (e.g., with DELL)
Developing and managing the “IT Operations DOS” department based on the corporate strategy
Creating management reports & decision templates on IT projects, optimization potentials, and automation possibilities
Representing the department in the bank’s committees and ensuring regulatory compliance (BaFin §44, GDPR, BSI, MaRisk)

Apr 2022 - Apr 2023

1 year 1 month

Münster, Germany

Interim Manager & Department Head in the End-to-End Workplace Division “Windows Security, MS-SQL & Software Packaging,

FI Finanz Informatik GmbH & Co. KG

Functional and disciplinary leadership of a team of 39 IT professionals (internal & external) in Windows Security, MS-SQL databases, application development & software packaging (incl. C#/.NET, SharePoint, web applications, open source)
Managing external service providers and strategic provider management
Personnel, resource, and budget planning to optimize IT services and consulting
Evaluating, introducing, and establishing innovative technologies to optimize IT processes
Preparing and visualizing IT results at management level
Ensuring regulatory compliance according to BaFin §44, VAIT, GDPR, BSI, MaRisk
Close communication with business units, vendors, and suppliers
Preparing management reports & decision templates for executive management and committees
Team-building measures: improving communication, fixed schedules, introducing an error and feedback culture

Dec 2021 - Jun 2022

7 months

Hanau, Germany

Interim Transition Manager

VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG

Overall project management for the data center relocation (“Data Center Transition”) from Munich to Weinheim
Main contact and negotiator for the CIO, business units, and external partners (SYNTAX, ATOS, other service providers)
Managing all project managers, subproject managers, and work package owners of the involved teams
Ensuring strategic execution of the data center move through structured planning, alignment, and coordination
Responsible for application management and SAP migration as part of the transition
As-is analysis & provider management of the entire IT infrastructure, applications, and external services
Managing environment and change management for a smooth operational takeover
Business management: contract drafting, budget planning, and procurement management
Regular reporting & management reporting for decision making
Coordinating stakeholder communication with management, service providers, audit, and risk management
Successful migration of the data center with minimal downtime while complying with all legal requirements

Jul 2021 - Dec 2021

6 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

Interim Department Head “Deployment, Environment and Change Management” in the IT Operations Division IE2

SV SparkassenVersicherung Informatik GmbH

Disciplinary and functional leadership of 19 employees in 3–4 teams across three locations (Wiesbaden, Stuttgart, Mannheim)
Promoting employee motivation, further training, and team development
Managing the deployment department at the interface between application development & operations
Responsible for developing and optimizing application management
Designing, implementing, and continuously improving deployment, environment, & change management processes
Business management of the department in alignment with the corporate strategy
Ensuring compliant implementation according to internal guidelines and compliance policies
Representing the department in the SV Informatik committees
Saving resources/time and reducing errors by automating deployment processes

Jun 2020 - Jun 2021

1 year 1 month

Dortmund, Germany

Project Manager | IT Business Analyst | ZIBE Access Management, Permission Assignment in the IT Operations Division

SIGNAL IDUNA Gruppe & Lebensversicherung AG

Consulting & implementation of access management in IT operations for the VAIT audit & follow-up audit
Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements (BaFin, VAIT, GDPR, BSI, MaRisk)
Contact person for business units & IT services within the SIGNAL IDUNA Group
Taking stock & documenting all relevant processes in access management
Reviewing and evaluating authorization concepts, role & rights assignments, segregation of duties & recertification
Translating analysis results into an onboarding document for new employees & the IT organization
Conducting gap analyses & interviews to identify optimization potentials
Preparing & visualizing results for decision-makers
Developing automation concepts to improve access management processes
Timely process implementation based on a finding from a VAIT audit

Oct 2019 - May 2020

8 months

Wuppertal, Germany

Project Manager | WINDOWS 10 Rollout Management

GKV INFORMATIK

Planning, control and implementation of a company-wide Windows 10 rollout with over 4,800 clients at statutory health insurers
Process optimization, coordination with external service providers, as well as quality assurance and ITSM-driven approach
Introduction of new tools, strategic SLA anchoring and sustainable process adaptation according to ITIL

Mar 2018 - Sep 2019

1 year 7 months

Frankfurt, Germany

Head of IT | Interim Manager

German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB)

Management of IT operations including personnel management, time management and access authorization control system
Management of external service providers and execution of a comprehensive data center relocation
Implementation of multiple major technical projects in the office, infrastructure and cloud environment
Integration of new technologies (cloud, Office 365, Windows 10)
Introduction of future-oriented IT processes and establishment of a sustainable IT strategy with measurable improvements in structure, efficiency and compliance

Sep 2016 - Feb 2018

1 year 6 months

Offenbach, Germany

Interim Manager | Project Manager for Organization and IT

HELABA (Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen) via ITC Deutschland GmbH

Strategic and operational consulting in service and partner management with focus on resource control, process optimization, IT governance and compliance
Preparation and support of a BaFin audit (§44) and ECB supervision through targeted gap analysis and structural setup of audit and security functions
Introduction of efficient resource and ITSM processes

Mar 2015 - Aug 2016

1 year 6 months

Kerpen, Germany

Interim Manager | Transition Manager EWP Rollout (HW & SW) and Transition at Gothaer Systems GmbH

Köln Insurance via Etengo Academic Experts GmbH

Management of the operational handover according to § 613a BGB and coordination of all subprojects
Digitalization of IT structures and management of strategic and operational communication with executive management, stakeholders and service providers
Planning and execution of a complex IT and organizational transition with nine subprojects
Consistent resource and budget control as well as sustainable realignment of governance, data protection and IT security structures

Apr 2014 - Feb 2015

11 months

Nuremberg, Germany

Division Manager | Interim Manager for the IT and Organization Services Unit

Rödl & Partner GmbH

Operational and strategic leadership of IT operations and organization with data center relocation, IT infrastructure modernization and security management
Budget management and establishment of efficient procurement and IT processes in a national context
Company-wide IT rollout (WIN10/WIN7, Office 365) with implementation of a national application and purchasing management as well as a one-vendor strategy for printing systems

Oct 2011 - Mar 2014

2 years 6 months

Cologne, Germany

Group Leader | Deputy Department Head | Interim Manager "IT Production Enterprise"

DEVK Headquarters

Led complex projects and guided migration processes (SAP Basis, mainframe, CICS, databases DB2, Oracle)
Created a vulnerability analysis for the entire IT production and data center area
Optimized and restructured IT workflows

Mar 2011 - Sep 2011

7 months

Hanover, Germany

Project Manager

Talanx Insurance via DIS GmbH

Prepared a DWH Finance feasibility study including BI tools
Contributed to the successful IPO on 02.10.2012

Apr 2009 - Feb 2011

1 year 11 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

Project Manager

Aareal Bank / Aareon GmbH

Planned the system landscape and selection process for new hardware, software, applications & tools

Jul 2008 - Mar 2009

9 months

Frankfurt, Germany

IT Project Manager

FI Finanz Informatik Bank

Implemented a new time management system (X/TIME version 4.6), access control system, authorization groups and terminal permissions
Carried out a nationwide IT rollout (infrastructure and software/applications)

Oct 2007 - Jun 2009

1 year 9 months

Eschborn, Germany

Project Manager

Abresa GmbH

Planned and executed the Windows 7 rollout (hardware and applications)
Introduced MS Office 2007

Jul 2006 - Sep 2007

1 year 3 months

Mannheim, Germany

Project Manager

Mannheimer Versicherung

Implementation of a business project management system (BPM)
Business process optimization and migration across all departments

Jan 2005 - Jun 2006

1 year 6 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

IT Controller | Overall Project Manager

Hessian Ministry of the Interior and Sports

eGovernment master plan: Survey of statewide IT inventory (hardware, software/applications, licenses, leasing contracts) including all costs

Jan 2003 - Dec 2004

2 years

Frankfurt, Germany

Head of IT & Organization, Administration and Service (OUV/S)

Reisebank AG

Prepared merger with DZ Bank and implemented IT and organizational processes
Achieved cost savings of €400K per year through centralized purchasing
Introduced a new payroll system (LOGA) including an electronic archive
Set up central and decentralized organizational units

Jan 2000 - Dec 2002

3 years

Eschborn, Germany

Head of Banking, Trade and Insurance Division

TDS Deutschland AG & Co. OHG

Harmonized IT platforms and built efficient organizational structures
Managed major transformation and digitalization projects
Introduced an organizational and personnel management system
Led the migration of a trading system solution for SEB Frankfurt
Centralized purchasing of IT & telecom services following ITIL principles

Jan 1996 - Dec 1999

4 years

Frankfurt, Germany

Deputy Department Head and System Coordinator

Gerling Konzern | Industrieversicherung AG

Provided technical and disciplinary leadership for 14–18 employees
Led the accounting & controlling, IT & telecom, central services & administration departments
Managed the Europe-wide gerVAS project with integrated graphical interface and international currency conversion

Aug 1987 - Dec 1995

8 years 5 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

IT Group Leader for Application Control (AWST) and Work Preparation (AV) in the Data Center

Berlinerische Lebensversicherung

Management of work preparation (Client-Server & Host/Mainframe)
Personnel responsibility and leadership of 9–12 employees
Implementation of the management robot SAR-EXPRESS-DELIVERY + CA1 (data storage media)

Oct 1985 - Jul 1987

1 year 10 months

Wiesbaden, Germany

Head of IT | Operations Officer

Vereinigte Versicherungsgesellschaft von Amerika

Management of the IT area: Information Technology, Organization & Administration, and relevant projects
Personnel responsibility for 6 employees
Establishment of the office organization, IT coordination, administration, and HR area
Establishment of project-oriented management with strategic orientation

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 Insurance (21.5 years), Banking and Finance (13 years), Information Technology (8.5 years), Sport (1.5 years), Government and Administration (1.5 years), and Professional Services (1 year).

Insurance

Banking and Finance

Information Technology

Sport

Government and Administration

Professional Services

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 Information Technology (40 years), Project Management (24.5 years), Operations (22 years), Procurement (9.5 years), Finance (6 years), and Human Resources (2 years).

Information Technology

Project Management

Operations

Procurement

Finance

Human Resources

Summary

“Enable digitalization! Streamline structures! Lead change!” My credo: Technology is only as good as the people who use it – and the leadership that makes it possible. I’m a manager who not only develops strategies but also designs their implementation to be efficient, agile, and cost-effective.

My mission is to make IT organizations future-proof. I have built IT departments in highly sensitive industries, migrated data centers, and led companies through demanding transformations. In doing so, I know how to motivate employees, optimize structures, and shape IT to create real value.

With a mix of strategic vision, a hands-on mentality, and excellent stakeholder management, I drive projects to completion. My successes are based on a charismatic leadership style, building strong teams, clear communication, and the courage to chart new paths.

Skills

Technical Expertise

Many Years Of Leadership And Management Experience In Strategic And Operational It Projects, Specializing In It Operations, Infrastructure, Security Management, And Digital Transformation
Proven Success In Restructuring And Optimizing It Processes, Implementing Innovative Technologies, And Leading High-performance Teams
It Management & Digitalization: Building, Leading, And Optimizing It Departments And Projects
It Operations & Infrastructure: Application Operations, Data Center Management, System Architecture
Security And Risk Management: Compliance With Regulatory Requirements (Bafin, Bait, Bsi, Gdpr, Marisk, Vait)
Strategic It Consulting: Evaluating And Implementing Innovative Technologies
Provider And Vendor Management: Contract Drafting, Budget Control, Performance Monitoring
Process And Change Management: Developing And Implementing New Process Landscapes
Business Continuity & Outsourcing: Transition Management, It Procurement, License Management
Project Management: It Rollouts, Migrations, Identity And Access Management, Introduction Of New Technologies

Industry Expertise

Banking & Financial Services (Development Banks, Savings Banks, Life Insurers)
It Service Providers & Software Development
Insurance & Healthcare
Industry (Materials Engineering, Manufacturing)
Sports Organizations
Public Administration

Hardware & Communication Systems

Architecture & Infrastructure: Client-server Architecture (C/s), Host/mainframe (Ibm & Siemens), Cluster Systems
Data Centers & Relocations: Data Center Moves Including Hardware Rollout, Building Infrastructure, It Container Solutions
Networking & Virtualization: Cisco, Token Ring, Vmware, Terminal Servers (Citrix)
Operating Systems: Linux, Unix, Z/os (1.13 – 2.17), Windows Server
Email & Communication: Ms Exchange (Outlook), Lotus Notes (10.0 – 7.0), Ms Lync, Avaya, Blackberry
It Service & Management: It Service Desk, Remedy, Bpm Systems
Visual Communication: Mindjet Mindmanager (Coreldraw, Corel Painter)

Applications, Operating Systems & Software

Microsoft Environment: Windows (Win11 – Win95), Ms Office (M365, 2000 – 2025, Cloud/hybrid), Ms Project (2007 – 2023), Sharepoint
Erp Systems: Sap R/3, S/4hana (Fi, Co, Mm, Swift Clearing)
Hr/hcm: P&i, Loga, Paisy
Datev (Financial Accounting, Bookkeeping)
Process & Workflow Management: Dms, Crm, Archiving, Inventory Management Tools
Specialized Software: Murex (Trading System), Product Lifecycle Management (Life Factory), Time Tracking & Access Control (Plan Zeit), Trellix / Mcafee, Adobe, Visio (2021 – 2010)
Mainframe & Host Technologies: Novell, Opc, Ca1, Vse/esa, Cics, Asm, Rsm, Tso/ispf, Jcl Procedures, Mvs/xa Utilities

Methods, Tools & Databases

Project Management & Methodologies: Gpma, Pmi, Prince2, V-model, Agile (Scrum, Kanban)
It Management & Governance: Itil (V2 & V3), Itms, Itscm, Ito, Mis, Qa/qm, Risk, Cor
Change & Release Management: Change, Coordination, Configuration, Capacity, Asset & Event Management
Security & Compliance: Access Management (Ad, Permission Assignment, Role Concepts), Windows Security, It Procurement, License & Outsourcing Management
It Operations & Databases: Ms-sql, Oracle (Version 1.1 – 12), Db2 (Ims, Db39), Sql, Aris, Dwh (Data Warehouse), Cmdb, Bcm, Mercury System, Peoplesoft
Programming Languages & Web Technologies: C, C++, Cobol, Assembler, Ms Visual Basic, Html, Xml, Asp

Transition Projects

Data Center Relocation, Building Management Relocations & It Planning
Overall Coordination & Organization, Alignment, Space Planning, Data Center Rack Space, Cooling Systems, Qb Officer, And Safety Officer
Contact Person For Management, Board Of Directors, Executive Management, As Well As All Affected Departments And External Service Providers
Transition Manager For Provider Changes And All Their Applications
Network Architecture (Lan, Wan, Voip, Video Streaming)
Network Security (Firewall, Proxy, Load Balancer, Nac, Pki)
Hardware Platforms (Ibm System Z, X86, Ibm Power, Vmware Esxi)
Storage And Backup Infrastructure
Operating Systems (Z/os, Linux, Z/vm, Ms Windows, Solaris, Aix)
Middleware (Directory Services Ldap And Ad, Mail System Ms Exchange)
Application Servers Ibm Websphere, Interfaces Ibm Mq Series, Monitoring Systems Hp Openview And Nagios
Databases (Db2 Z/os, Ms Sql, Oracle)
Transition/transformation Of It Services And Application Systems
Deployment (Software Distribution): Loading Additional Software/service Packs Via Sccm Or Other Tools

Personality

Analyst: Logical, Responsible, Organized
Doer: Committed, Results-oriented, Empathetic, Pragmatic, Enthusiastic About Innovation, Digitally Agile
Senior Partner: Reliable And Charismatic Presence, Strategic Vision, Resilience

Leadership Competence

Span Of Control: Leading Teams Of Around 60 Employees (Internal & External)
Disciplinary And Technical Leadership: Developing It Departments, Coaching Employees
Business Acumen: Economic Thinking And Acting
Transformation & Change Management: Implementing New Technologies And Processes
Stakeholder Management: Close Collaboration With Boards Of Directors, Executive Management, And External Partners

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Technical Vocational School and High School

German high school diploma (Abitur) · Wiesbaden, Germany

IBM Deutschland AG

IT specialist, system analyst and programmer · Wiesbaden, Germany

Johannes Gutenberg University

Diploma in business administration and diploma in computer science · Business administration and computer science · Mainz, Germany

Certifications & licenses

Driver's licenses: class A1 and B / class I + III

ITIL Foundation V2 & V3

Profile

Created

January 2026

Last Update

March 2026

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Frequently asked questions

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

Where is Robert based?

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

What languages does Robert speak?

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

How many years of experience does Robert have?

Robert has at least 40 years of experience. During this time, Robert has worked in at least 19 different roles and for 22 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 10 months. Note that Robert may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Robert be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Robert would be well-suited for roles such as: Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS), Interim Manager & Department Head in the End-to-End Workplace Division “Windows Security, MS-SQL & Software Packaging,, Interim Transition Manager.

What is Robert's latest experience?

Robert's most recent position is Interim Manager | Group Leader in the IT Operations & Digitalization Division “Databases, Operations & Support” (DOS) at Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank.

What companies has Robert worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Robert has worked for Landwirtschaftliche RentenBank, FI Finanz Informatik GmbH & Co. KG, VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG, SV SparkassenVersicherung Informatik GmbH, and SIGNAL IDUNA Gruppe & Lebensversicherung AG.

Which industries is Robert most experienced in?

Robert is most experienced in industries like Insurance, Banking and Finance, and Information Technology (IT). Robert also has some experience in Sport and Recreation, Government and Public Administration, and Professional Services.

Which business areas is Robert most experienced in?

Robert is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology (IT), Project Management, and Operations. Robert also has some experience in Procurement and Purchasing, Finance, and Human Resources (HR).

Which industries has Robert worked in recently?

Robert has recently worked in industries like Banking and Finance, Insurance, and Information Technology (IT).

Which business areas has Robert worked in recently?

Robert has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology (IT), Operations, and Procurement and Purchasing.

What is Robert's education?

Robert attended Technical Vocational School and High School for German high school diploma (Abitur).

Does Robert have any certificates?

Robert has 2 certificates. These include: Driver's licenses: class A1 and B / class I + III and ITIL Foundation V2 & V3.

What is the availability of Robert?

Robert will be available part-time from March 2026.

What is the rate of Robert?

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

How to hire Robert?

To hire Robert, click the Meet button on the profile to request a meeting and discuss your project needs.

Average rates for similar positions

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600

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Market avg: 1020-1180 €

The rates shown represent the typical market range for freelancers in this position based on recent contracts on our platform.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

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