Silke Kustermann - Managing Partner

Q: Where is Silke based?

Silke is based in Bad Grönenbach, Germany .

Q: What languages does Silke speak?

Silke speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary), Italian (Elementary) .

Q: How many years of experience does Silke have?

Silke has at least 27 years of experience. During this time, Silke has worked in at least 6 different roles and for 10 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 9 months . Note that Silke may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Silke's latest experience?

Silke's most recent position is Managing Partner at 42.42 GmbH .

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

In recent years, Silke has worked for 42.42 GmbH and Pfeifer Seil und Hebetechnik GmbH .

Q: Which industries is Silke most experienced in?

Silke is most experienced in industries like Aerospace and Defense , Professional Services , and Manufacturing . Silke also has some experience in Healthcare , Automotive , and Energy .

Q: Which business areas is Silke most experienced in?

Silke is most experienced in business areas like Product Development , Strategy and Planning , and Project Management . Silke also has some experience in Supply Chain Management , Sales , and Business Intelligence .

Q: Which industries has Silke worked in recently?

Silke has recently worked in industries like Professional Services and Manufacturing .

Q: Which business areas has Silke worked in recently?

Silke has recently worked in business areas like Product Development , Business Intelligence , and Strategy and Planning .

Recommended expert

Bad Grönenbach, Germany

Experience

Apr 2021 - Present

5 years

Managing Partner

42.42 GmbH

Process development and introduction of product portfolio management
Preparation and execution of market launches for several products
Definition of the product launch concept
Creation of marketing materials (online and offline)
Development of an approach to calculate business cases
Development of a market intelligence process
Coaching junior product managers
Restructuring a complex product portfolio
Development of future scenarios
Conducting trend analyses
Advising on planning customer analyses
Preparing and delivering presentations for management
Creation of internal and external training materials
Advising and supporting the development of a new corporate strategy
Development of new business models
Preparing decision papers for corporate strategy together with the organization
Preparation and execution of workshops
Gathering requirements from different target groups (internal and external)
Gathering, analyzing and preparing information for decisions on market, customer and competition
Clustering requirements
Defining and formulating user stories and epics
Designing new products
Product management trainings as a serious game (own development)
Developing various trainings on requirements management, product concept and planning
Creating all training materials as a serious game
Conducting the trainings
Direct consulting of entrepreneurs on product redesign and conducting workshops
Analyzing the current state and preparing solution proposals for a new error culture
Supporting the change process and conducting trainings (serious game)
Starting PMI CAPM certification (project management)
Further training as a product owner

Dec 2019 - Mar 2021

1 year 4 months

Product Manager

Pfeifer Seil und Hebetechnik GmbH

Realignment and optimization of a complete product portfolio (>300 products, B2B)
Definition and implementation of a new product management process
Support of the change process

Sep 2018 - Nov 2019

1 year 3 months

Product Manager

Viessmann Holzheiztechnik GmbH

Development of the new product portfolio strategy and definition of the roadmap
Analysis and implementation of optimization potential across the whole portfolio
Product lifecycle management
Market analysis with preparation and provision of data (market, customer, competition)

Mar 2015 - Aug 2018

3 years 6 months

Group Product Manager

Invacare GmbH

Responsibility for the success of a product portfolio with more than 250 products
Definition and implementation of the product portfolio strategy and derivation of the roadmap
Lifecycle management for the entire product portfolio
Definition and introduction of a new requirements management process
Collection and analysis of market data together with the market intelligence team

May 2014 - Feb 2015

10 months

Product Manager

Tridonic GmbH & Co. KG

Support of B2B customers (international)
Collection and analysis of market data (market, customer, competition)
Preparation of market data for strategic decisions

Mar 2009 - Apr 2014

5 years 2 months

Product Manager

Vectronix AG

Responsibility for the profitability of the product portfolio
Supporting existing customers and acquiring new ones (international)
Developing tailored solutions together with customers
Defining and implementing the product portfolio strategy and deriving the roadmap
Managing the lifecycle of the entire product portfolio
Using sensors in products (gyroscopes, optical sensors)

Jan 2008 - Jan 2009

1 year 1 month

Head of Program Management

Schweizerische Bundesbahn SBB CFF FFS

Technical and personnel leadership of a team
Defining and implementing the facility strategy and planning its execution
Managing maintenance planning in financial terms

Jan 2002 - Dec 2007

6 years

Group Leader

Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH

Configuration management
Technical and personnel leadership of a team
Coordinating product adjustments with customers (international)
Defining and introducing a new configuration management process
Implementing the new process in SAP
Cross-site management of projects in industrial cooperation and relocation strategy
Defining and implementing the relocation strategy (offset agreements)
Defining and introducing a new analysis process for manufacturing (Patent 20090228332)
Developing structural components from composite materials for helicopters

Oct 2000 - Nov 2001

1 year 2 months

Development Engineer

CFS Convenience Food Systems

Developing production machines and systems for food slicing machines, including packaging
Using sensors to monitor product feed and make corrections to maintain accurate package weight
Ensuring operator safety during equipment operation

Oct 1998 - Sep 2000

2 years

Development Engineer

TAKATA Vehicle Safety Technology

Developing seatbelt systems and airbags for Mercedes-Benz E and S-Class
Using sensors for crash detection (acceleration sensors)

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 Aerospace and Defense (11 years), Professional Services (5 years), Manufacturing (4.5 years), Healthcare (3.5 years), Automotive (2 years), and Energy (1 year).

Aerospace and Defense

Professional Services

Manufacturing

Healthcare

Automotive

Energy

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 Product Development (26 years), Strategy (16.5 years), Project Management (7 years), Supply Chain Management (6 years), Business Intelligence (5 years), and Sales (5 years).

Product Development

Strategy

Project Management

Supply Chain Management

Business Intelligence

Sales

Summary

Product manager with more than 15 years of strategy development

Skills

Both A Technical And A Business Background
Intercultural Competence
Team And Project Management
Gamification
Ms Office
Sap
Polarion, Jira, Confluence

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Elementary

Italian

Elementary

Education

Oct 2009 - Jun 2011

Wismar University of Applied Sciences

M.Sc. Sales and Marketing · Sales and Marketing · Wismar, Germany

Oct 1994 - Jun 1998

Ulm University of Applied Sciences

Diploma in Precision Engineering (FH) · Precision Engineering · Ulm, Germany

Oct 1991 - Jun 1993

Kempten University of Applied Sciences

Electrical Engineering · Kempten, Germany

...and 4 more

Profile

Created

October 2025

Last Update

January 2026

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Frequently asked questions

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

Where is Silke based?

Silke is based in Bad Grönenbach, Germany.

What languages does Silke speak?

Silke speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary), Italian (Elementary).

How many years of experience does Silke have?

Silke has at least 27 years of experience. During this time, Silke has worked in at least 6 different roles and for 10 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 9 months. Note that Silke may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Silke be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Silke would be well-suited for roles such as: Managing Partner, Product Manager, Group Product Manager.

What is Silke's latest experience?

Silke's most recent position is Managing Partner at 42.42 GmbH.

What companies has Silke worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Silke has worked for 42.42 GmbH and Pfeifer Seil und Hebetechnik GmbH.

Which industries is Silke most experienced in?

Silke is most experienced in industries like Aerospace and Defense, Professional Services, and Manufacturing. Silke also has some experience in Healthcare, Automotive, and Energy.

Which business areas is Silke most experienced in?

Silke is most experienced in business areas like Product Development, Strategy and Planning, and Project Management. Silke also has some experience in Supply Chain Management, Sales, and Business Intelligence.

Which industries has Silke worked in recently?

Silke has recently worked in industries like Professional Services and Manufacturing.

Which business areas has Silke worked in recently?

Silke has recently worked in business areas like Product Development, Business Intelligence, and Strategy and Planning.

What is Silke's education?

Silke holds a Master in Sales and Marketing from Wismar University of Applied Sciences, a Bachelor in Precision Engineering from Ulm University of Applied Sciences, a Bachelor in Business, Administration and Law from Memmingen Technical Secondary School, a Bachelor from Memmingen Secondary School, a Bachelor from Amendingen Primary School and a Bachelor from Theodor Heuss Primary School Memmingen.

What is the availability of Silke?

Silke is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Silke?

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