Thomas Sternkopf - Lecturer/Trainer

Q: Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Dortmund, 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), Spanish (Elementary), French (Elementary) .

Q: How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 35 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 18 different roles and for 16 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 11 months . 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 C-level consulting - transformation and organizational development at Primeo Management AG, Basel / Paris .

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

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Primeo Management AG, Basel / Paris , Lekkerland , Duisburger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (DVV) , Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund , and Scheidt & Bachmann .

Q: Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology (IT) , Food and Beverage , and Professional Services . Thomas also has some experience in Insurance , Tourism and Hospitality , and Energy .

Q: Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology (IT) , Project Management , and Operations . Thomas also has some experience in Strategy and Planning , Business Intelligence , and Human Resources (HR) .

Q: Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Professional Services , Energy , and Retail .

Q: Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Human Resources (HR) , Strategy and Planning , and Information Technology (IT) .

Recommended expert

Dortmund, Germany

Experience

Aug 2023 - Dec 2024

1 year 5 months

Basel, Switzerland

On-site

C-level consulting - transformation and organizational development

Primeo Management AG, Basel / Paris

Direct collaboration with the board and executive management.
Strategic realignment of an energy company in the context of decarbonization and market dynamics.
Focus on organization, process and IT-related transformation as well as modern HR and talent management.
Support of leaders in structural and role changes.

Aug 2022 - Dec 2024

2 years 5 months

Cologne, Germany

Hybrid

Senior Agile Transformation Coach

Lekkerland

Managed the transformation to a product-oriented organization (around 180 employees).
Designed and implemented new structures, roles and governance models.
Qualified staff at all levels and defined group-wide product logics for scaling within the REWE group.
Coordinated closely with executive management and corporate stakeholders.

Jun 2022 - Jul 2024

2 years 2 months

Duisburg, Germany

On-site

Interim Manager as Head of IT Service Management

Duisburger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (DVV)

Direct reporting line to executive management; set up a group-wide IT service management as a shared service center.
Introduced an IT business partner structure for 38 group companies of a municipal utility.
Responsible for building, recruiting and leading a team (60 employees, 5 managers).

May 2022 - Present

3 years 10 months

Lecturer/Trainer

Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund

Introduction of agile ways of working
Introduction to SCRUM, KANBAN and Design Thinking
Conducted 32 training days (public tender)

Jun 2021 - Present

4 years 9 months

Interim Petrol Project Manager / Agile Product Manager / Change, Organizational Development and Transformation Coach

Scheidt & Bachmann

Restructured the retail fuel organization to a customer-focused structure
Strategy and methodology consulting as well as workshops with the management council (daily consulting)
Introduced lean agile portfolio management
Internal training on SAFe, agile methods, big room planning and agile mindset
Rolled out a modern POS and inventory management system for 2,000 Shell stations in Germany (cloud solution)
Restructured the project to meet time, quality and budget targets
Single point of contact for Shell management
Developed and aligned deployment and cut-over plans
Prioritized requirements and coordinated with the client
Reported to the executive management of Scheidt & Bachmann

Sep 2020 - Present

5 years 6 months

Agile Transformation Coach

BG Phoenics

Support, training and coaching of the change management team to introduce new processes and scalable agile frameworks
Delivery of custom trainings (~30–40 trainer days)
Sparring partner for executives
Facilitation of cross-company strategic workshops
Support in organizational development and alignment with business units
Strategy development and situation analysis
Regular feedback workshops to assess goal, benefit and strategy alignment
Implementation of SAFe® as SPC

Nov 2018 - Jun 2021

2 years 8 months

Interim Manager (Change and Transformation Manager, IT Program Manager)

AOK Sachsen-Anhalt

Digitalization and agile transformation of company processes and customer communication (AOK 2022)
Consulting and coaching of first and second management levels to establish efficient lean-agile portfolio management
Mandate, sparring partner and reporting line to the board
Interim CTO for digitalization IT; setup and handover to successor
Introduction of a company-wide communication strategy
Facilitation of strategic workshops and agile method implementation
Regular synchronization meetings, feedback loops and realignment of transformation goals
Establishment of an internal PPM team (portfolio and process management)
Set up of a scanning center: tendering, contract negotiations and team building
Delivery of over 40 customized agility and lean trainings

Apr 2017 - Present

8 years 11 months

Managing Partner

sternkopf-consulting GmbH

Support for change and transformation programs in the context of digitalization and agile transformation
Development of implementation strategies for organizational development measures
Facilitation of strategic workshops up to board level
Delivery of trainings for leadership development, agile leadership and agile transformation coach training
Initiator, design and implementation of the "Agile Transformation Coach" program for IHK Dortmund

Apr 2017 - Nov 2018

1 year 8 months

Interim Manager and Lean Portfolio Manager

AGCS (Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty)

Strategic EIM (Enterprise Information Management) initiative: replacement of the existing management information system
Initiator of the agile transformation (SAFe® 4.5)
Establishment of the Lean Agile Center of Excellence and Agile PMO
Definition of strategy, development needs and change management roadmap with board members and first management level
Coaching, training and consulting for agile transformation
Synchronization and evaluation of measures to ensure sustainable added value
Implementation of SAP HANA EE as target platform with the infrastructure provider
Stabilization and management of the EIM and IFRS17 programs in the portfolio
Direct reporting line to COO, CFO and CIO

Jul 2013 - Mar 2017

3 years 9 months

Executive IT Program Manager

Generali Deutschland Informatik Services GmbH

Setup of a group-wide digital customer communication platform (standard software DOPIX)
Development of a blueprint and roadmap for a phased project approach
Definition of change and transformation processes in alignment with the boards of the insurance companies
Leading the change and transformation process in business units and IT
Management of project managers (IT and business) in strategic projects
Initiation of outsourcing software development and test factory to India
Management of tendering and vendor selection processes including contract negotiation
Leadership responsibility for 5 project managers and approx. 300 employees
Shortened the project duration by 5 years with 30% budget savings
Introduction of agile methods for requirements gathering and application development

Aug 2011 - Apr 2013

1 year 9 months

Vice President IT (DHL Global Forwarding)

DHL Global Management GmbH

Architecture and design of a globally standardized logistics platform to replace 1,600 legacy applications
Managing implementation in development, quality assurance, operations and maintenance
Defining change and transformation processes in coordination with transformation managers and CIO
Moderating strategic workshops at board and first management level with participants from 60 nations
Managing tendering and selection processes for service providers (> €150 million)
Leading a project organization of 175 employees (25 internal, 150 external)
Developing a global template as the world's largest SAP installation for 250 countries
Rolling out SAP CRM, BI Cognos, FileNet in 96 countries

Nov 2010 - Aug 2011

10 months

IT Program Director

Zurich Insurance Group / Zurich Financial Services

Multi-project management for insurance platform in Latin America (Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Mexico)
Setting up the development hub in Buenos Aires
Defining change and transformation processes with global boards
Leading change and transformation processes in Latin American business units and IT
Responsible for application management and service provider coordination in 5 countries
Reporting to global senior management and Global CIO
Functional and disciplinary leadership of 70 employees
Timely implementation of the IT platform in Venezuela and Brazil within budget

Feb 2010 - Nov 2010

10 months

Lead IT Program Manager

Global Electronic Document Management

Crisis and moderation management of the strategic eFile/Taskmanager project (FileNet)
Designing, building and integrating a standardized global solution
Planning and organizing the roll-out in 90 countries
Defining change and transformation processes with Europe-wide boards
Moderating and coordinating specialists to agree on a global archive standard

Aug 2008 - Jan 2010

1 year 6 months

IT Program Manager

Output Management

Stabilizing and strategically realigning the output management solution (Papyrus Objects)
Building an account management function in the Center of Excellence
Leading multiple strategic business projects with board-level reporting
Managing a team (8 internal, 30 external, 50 associated business unit staff)
Implementing ITIL processes and negotiating SLAs
Contract negotiations for nearshore/offshore resources
Crisis and de-escalation management and timely platform rollout

May 2007 - Jul 2008

1 year 3 months

Department Head Base Support (Program Manager)

Base Support

Organizing 2nd level support
Supporting internal customers and external service providers
Implementing and launching the DRS project (electronic inbox)
Connecting and maintaining document management and workflow systems in Germany and Switzerland
Leading 12 internal employees
Improving service level agreements

Oct 2005 - May 2007

1 year 8 months

Business Analyst

Base Support

Interface management for BI, data warehouse, archiving, workflow, and document management systems
Ensuring stable operations between IT, business units, and external service providers (CSC)
Meeting the highest SLA levels
Further development of the BI database system

Oct 1999 - Oct 2005

6 years 1 month

Application Developer

Design, implementation, test management, and deployment of the BI database system
Creating statistical analyses for sales management
Development and enhancement of commission systems in Austria and Germany

Sep 1990 - Feb 1999

8 years 6 months

Specialist and manager

Various restaurant and hotel operations

Multiple roles as an experienced specialist and manager in renowned restaurant and hotel operations in Germany and Switzerland

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 Information Technology (15 years), Food and Beverage (11 years), Professional Services (9 years), Insurance (8.5 years), Tourism (8.5 years), and Energy (4.5 years).

Information Technology

Food and Beverage

Professional Services

Insurance

Tourism

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 Information Technology (26 years), Project Management (18.5 years), Operations (12 years), Strategy (10.5 years), Business Intelligence (9.5 years), and Human Resources (9 years).

Information Technology

Project Management

Operations

Strategy

Business Intelligence

Human Resources

Summary

FOCUS Executive interim manager for C-level mandates in transformation, reorganization and complex programs. Many years of operational experience at board level – nationally and internationally – with clear responsibility for results, decisions and implementation.

ABOUT ME

For many years exclusively in roles with direct reporting line to board, executive management or executive committees – in interim mandates as well as line functions.
Responsible for large-scale transformation, reorganization and program mandates in international group and investment structures.
Leadership and management of complex organizations and programs (up to several thousand employees, international stakeholders, high regulatory requirements).
Clear focus on implementation, decision-making and measurable results – not on conceptual work without impact.

Skills

Interim And Program Management
Change And Transformation Management
Organizational Development
Stakeholder Management
Portfolio Management
Digitalization
C-level Consulting
It Strategy (Definition And Development)
Global Sap Rollout
Sap Hana Ee
Sap S/4
Safe® Program Consultant (Spc® 5.1)
Release Train Engineer (Rte® 5.1)
Lean Agile Portfolio Management
Lean Methods
Initiator And Trainer Of "Agile Transformation Coach" (Ihk Dortmund)
Digitalization (Business Processes, Customer Communication)
Change And Transformation (Strategy And Execution)
Organizational And Employee/manager Development
Interim Management For Strategic Initiatives (Business & It)
Agile/safe® Spc Trainer, Agile Coaching And Mentoring
It & Business Training: Agile Leadership / Supportive Leadership
Trademark Owner: "Energetic Business Culture Framework®"
Training Academy: Stellla® (Life-long Learning)
Initiator, Design And Implementation Of "Agile Transformation Coach" For Ihk Dortmund

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Elementary

French

Elementary

Education

Jul 2001 - Jun 2005

Heinrich Herz Berufskolleg

State-certified technician, field of computer science · Computer Science · Bonn, Germany · 1.5

Jul 1987 - Jun 1990

Hotel Breidenbacher Hof

Restaurant Specialist · Restaurant Specialist · Düsseldorf, Germany

Jul 1986 - Jun 1987

FH Dortmund

Electrical Engineering · Dortmund, Germany

...and 3 more

Certifications & licenses

AEVO (Trainer Qualification Certificate)

Agile Transformation Coach (IHK Dortmund)

ITIL Foundation Examination

Leading SAFe® (Certified SAFe® 5 Agilist)

SAFe® (RTE) Release Train Engineer (5.1)

SAFe® (SPC) Implementing SAFe® Course (5.1)

SAFe® DevOps (Certified SAFe® 5 DevOps Practitioner)

SAFe® Scrum Master /Certified SAFe® SCM 5.1

SAFe® for Teams 5.1

SPC 5.1 (SAFe® Program Consultant)

acadCERT (Certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015)

acadCERT (Approved training provider under AZAV)

Profile

Created

August 2022

Last Update

January 2026

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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 Dortmund, 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), Spanish (Elementary), French (Elementary).

How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 35 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 18 different roles and for 16 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 11 months. 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: C-level consulting - transformation and organizational development, Senior Agile Transformation Coach, Interim Manager as Head of IT Service Management.

What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is C-level consulting - transformation and organizational development at Primeo Management AG, Basel / Paris.

What companies has Thomas worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Primeo Management AG, Basel / Paris, Lekkerland, Duisburger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (DVV), Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund, and Scheidt & Bachmann.

Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology (IT), Food and Beverage, and Professional Services. Thomas also has some experience in Insurance, Tourism and Hospitality, and Energy.

Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology (IT), Project Management, and Operations. Thomas also has some experience in Strategy and Planning, Business Intelligence, and Human Resources (HR).

Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Professional Services, Energy, and Retail.

Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Human Resources (HR), Strategy and Planning, and Information Technology (IT).

What is Thomas's education?

Thomas attended Heinrich Herz Berufskolleg for Computer Science.

Does Thomas have any certificates?

Thomas has 12 certificates. Among them, these include: AEVO (Trainer Qualification Certificate), Agile Transformation Coach (IHK Dortmund), and ITIL Foundation Examination.

What is the availability of Thomas?

Thomas is immediately available full-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.