Thomas Suwelack - Founder & CEO

Q: Where is Thomas based?

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

Q: What languages does Thomas speak?

Thomas speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), French (Intermediate), Spanish (Elementary) .

Q: How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 18 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 9 different roles and for 9 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years . Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is Founder & CEO at 21done Startup .

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

In recent years, Thomas has worked for 21done Startup and Brand University of Applied Sciences .

Q: Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Education , Professional Services , and Information Technology (IT) . Thomas also has some experience in Telecommunication , Beauty and Cosmetics , and Automotive .

Q: Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Marketing , Research and Development (R&D) , and Sales . Thomas also has some experience in Strategy and Planning , Customer Service , and Business Intelligence .

Q: Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

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

Q: Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Marketing , Business Intelligence , and Research and Development (R&D) .

Recommended expert

Hamburg, Germany

Experience

Aug 2020 - Present

5 years 8 months

Hamburg, Germany

Founder & CEO

21done Startup

Founding, building and leading a company
Leading up to 6 FTE to achieve company and investor goals
Strategic Management: Mission, USP, Goals, Strategy & Roadmap
CX Management: customer-oriented products, offerings and touchpoints
Marketing & Sales: B2C marketing, B2B sales, market research

Oct 2018 - Present

7 years 6 months

Hamburg, Germany

Professor of Digital Customer Experience

Brand University of Applied Sciences

Taught modules in the master's program: Digital Marketing, Digital Customer Experience, Data Science, AI, Digital Technologies
Book publication: Suwelack (2022), Creating a Customer Experience-Centric Startup, Springer Gabler

Oct 2017 - Jul 2020

2 years 10 months

Hamburg, Germany

Independent Business Consultant

Customer Management Consulting

Led various consulting projects in customer management for the following companies:
Vodafone: optimizing the management of online and offline sales channels
Beiersdorf: conceptualized a new brand in the personal care sector
Muuuh! Group: worked as an interim business developer, among other things developing a corporate strategy and designing new digital market offerings

Sep 2015 - Sep 2017

2 years 1 month

Düsseldorf, Germany

Business Consultant

Iskander Business Partner GmbH

Led various consulting projects in the areas of customer centricity, marketing, sales and service for the following companies:
Metro: relaunched the customer card program
Unitymedia: developed an AI-based recommendation system with next-best-offer logic for sales channels and automation of service processes
Swisscard: assessed opportunities and risks from digitalization in the payment market and identified strategic action areas
BMW: developed a concept for value-based sales management
ProSiebenSat.1: competitive analysis in content marketing
Vodafone: designed a more effective B2B sales process

Jun 2012 - May 2015

3 years

Osnabrück, Germany

In-house Consultant and CRM Project Manager

BUW Group (now: Concentrix)

Restructured customer acquisition and retention processes
Designed and implemented a key account management approach
Selected, adapted and implemented a new CRM system (including change management, e.g. through e-learning)

Mar 2008 - Feb 2010

2 years

Münster, Germany

Managing Director

Marketing Alumni Münster e.V.

Organization and hosting of marketing symposia and career fairs
Financial management (including year-end closing)

Nov 2007 - Feb 2012

4 years 4 months

Münster, Germany

Research Associate

Institut für Marketing der Universität Münster

Support for the Market Research course
Managing Director of Marketing Alumni Münster, responsible for HR
Title of cumulative dissertation: "Essays on the Effects of Money-Back and Low Price Guarantees on Consumer Behavior"
PhD in Economics, November 2011 (summa cum laude)

Aug 2006 - Nov 2006

4 months

Heilbronn, Germany

Marketing Internship

Unilever Deutschland GmbH

Creation of a portfolio concept for the European market

Jan 2006 - Mar 2006

3 months

Münster, Germany

Controlling Internship

BASF Coatings AG

Preparation of financial documents for reports to the supervisory board

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 Education (11.5 years), Professional Services (8.5 years), Information Technology (5.5 years), Telecommunication (5 years), Cosmetics (3 years), and Automotive (2 years).

Education

Professional Services

Information Technology

Telecommunication

Cosmetics

Automotive

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 Marketing (15 years), Research and Development (11.5 years), Sales (10.5 years), Strategy (8.5 years), Customer Service (8 years), and Business Intelligence (7.5 years).

Marketing

Research and Development

Sales

Strategy

Customer Service

Business Intelligence

Skills

Professional Skills

Strategic Management: Mission, Usp, Goals, Strategy & Roadmap
Cx Management: Customer-oriented Products, Offerings And Touchpoints
Marketing & Sales: B2c Marketing, B2b Sales, Market Research
Leadership & Hr: Goals, Roles, Employee Motivation, Personnel Development
Digital Business: Digitalization, Data Science, Ai, Online Marketplaces, App Industry

Personal Skills

Foresight, Growth Mindset, Self-reflection
Entrepreneurship, Solution And Success Focus, Courage, Judgment, Decisiveness
Agility, Creativity And Intuition
Openness, Curiosity And Optimism
Resilience And Perseverance
Leadership Skills, Social Intelligence, Humor
Sensitivity To Context, Details, Dynamics
Value Focus, Conscientiousness, Reliability, Strong Work Ethic

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

French

Intermediate

Spanish

Elementary

Education

Aug 2005 - Dec 2005

San Diego State University

San Diego, United States

Feb 2004 - Jun 2004

HEC Liège

Liège, Belgium

Oct 2001 - Jul 2007

University of Münster

Diploma in Business Administration · Business Administration · Münster, Germany

...and 1 more

Certifications & licenses

Best of Technology Award 2025

WirtschaftsWoche

Startup of the Year 2023

Manager for Artificial Intelligence

MIT Management Executive Education Program

Professional Scrum Master

Transfer Award from the Heribert Meffert Foundation, University of Münster

Award from the University of Münster

Profile

Created

June 2025

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Frequently asked questions

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

Where is Thomas based?

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

What languages does Thomas speak?

Thomas speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), French (Intermediate), Spanish (Elementary).

How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 18 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 9 different roles and for 9 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years. Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Thomas be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Thomas would be well-suited for roles such as: Founder & CEO, Professor of Digital Customer Experience, Independent Business Consultant.

What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is Founder & CEO at 21done Startup.

What companies has Thomas worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Thomas has worked for 21done Startup and Brand University of Applied Sciences.

Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Education, Professional Services, and Information Technology (IT). Thomas also has some experience in Telecommunication, Beauty and Cosmetics, and Automotive.

Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Marketing, Research and Development (R&D), and Sales. Thomas also has some experience in Strategy and Planning, Customer Service, and Business Intelligence.

Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

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

Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Marketing, Business Intelligence, and Research and Development (R&D).

What is Thomas's education?

Thomas attended San Diego State University.

Does Thomas have any certificates?

Thomas has 6 certificates. Among them, these include: Best of Technology Award 2025, Startup of the Year 2023, and Manager for Artificial Intelligence.

What is the availability of Thomas?

Thomas is immediately available part-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Thomas?

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