Thomas Zergiebel - Senior Software Asset Management Consultant & Trainer

Q: Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Potsdam, Germany .

Q: What languages does Thomas speak?

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

Q: How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 9 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 4 different roles and for 6 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 7 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 Senior SAM Consultant & Trainer (Project Mandate) at International group (rail industry) .

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

In recent years, Thomas has worked for International group (rail industry) , International group (energy supply) , Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin , International group (lighting manufacturer) , and Humboldt University Berlin .

Q: Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology (IT) , Professional Services , and Education . Thomas also has some experience in Manufacturing and Utility Services .

Q: Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology (IT) , Procurement and Purchasing , and Legal and Compliance . Thomas also has some experience in Project Management and Audit .

Q: Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

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

Q: Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology (IT) , Procurement and Purchasing , and Legal and Compliance .

Recommended expert

Potsdam, Germany

Experience

Oct 2025 - Feb 2026

5 months

Hybrid

Senior SAM Consultant & Trainer (Project Mandate)

International group (rail industry)

Operational license management: reviewing and approving software requests, license consulting, and legally compliant procurement of licenses
Managing global vendor portals (Broadcom, Adobe, Autodesk, Corel) and ensuring data validity in the USU LiMa SAM tool as part of a carve-in
Creating cross-vendor compliance reports
Identifying and resolving compliance and IT security risks in the server landscape using USU LiMa

Jul 2025 - Sep 2025

3 months

Hybrid

Senior SAM Consultant & Trainer (Project Mandate)

International group (energy supply)

Supporting the setup of a service-oriented private cloud platform
Procurement: requirements analysis, offer comparison, license negotiation, and contract risk analysis
Process design: developing a procurement and approval process based on best practices
Developing a target operating model for ITAM and FOSS governance (ISO/IEC 19770-1, ISO/IEC 5230)

Jan 2025 - Jul 2025

7 months

Germany

IT License & Software Asset Manager

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

Maturity analysis and strategic evaluation of IT license and contract management, as well as relevant policies, processes, and documentation
Designing and gradually implementing a target operating model (TOM) according to best practices
Strategic vendor management: leading negotiations and managing framework agreements with software vendors and distributors
Optimizing license models and costs
Internal consulting on software licenses, licensing agreements, and license models (proprietary and FOSS), including risk assessment
Conducting cost and usage analyses to identify savings opportunities
Project management for the implementation of a SAM tool

Jan 2024 - Mar 2024

3 months

Remote

Senior SAM Consultant & Trainer (Project Mandate)

International group (lighting manufacturer)

SUSE Linux Enterprise compliance audit after a carve-out

Apr 2020 - Dec 2024

4 years 9 months

Germany

Hybrid

IT License & Software Asset Manager | Team Lead

Humboldt University Berlin

Leading the central software procurement and delivery team, as well as license, contract, and software asset management
Operational responsibility for the software procurement process using SAP S/4HANA, Ariba, and Fiori: needs analysis, license consulting, request approval, offer review, invoice verification, license assignment, and documentation
Partner and contract management: strategic negotiations and management of framework agreements, budget responsibility, and controlling
Designing and establishing the SAM organization and relevant policies
Project leadership in the implementation of the SAM tool Spider
Administering central license servers (FlexLM) and vendor portals
Conducting internal compliance audits for key vendors (Microsoft, IBM, Adobe, SUSE)
Mitigating licensing risks in the Microsoft environment by cleaning up and strategically redesigning the terminal server infrastructure
Managing migration and change projects (introduction of Adobe Enterprise IDs, M365, automating user lifecycle through Identity Management integration)
Stakeholder management (IT, HR, business units, works council, data protection, security, service providers)
Member of the ITSM working group for piloting JIRA Service Management and Confluence
Representing the university in regional and national strategic working groups

Nov 2016 - Present

9 years 5 months

Hybrid

Senior SAM Consultant & Trainer

Freelancer in cooperation with SoftwareONE AG

Trainer and author for specialist seminars in licensing and software asset management (DTL07, DTL08, DTL33), trainer and co-author (DTL45)
Trainer and author in FOSS licensing and compliance management (DTL46)
Trainer for technical IT fundamentals for license managers (DTL51)
Establishment and ongoing development of governance and compliance frameworks following best practices (ISO/IEC 19770-1, ISO/IEC 5230, FinOps)
SAM tool evaluation and support during implementation (Spider, Flexera, USU, OpenIT)
Consolidation of commercial data and creation of license inventories
Analysis of the technical infrastructure and evaluation of software usage
License reconciliation and compliance evaluation
Creation of audit-proof documentation
Cross-vendor consulting and risk assessment for software licenses and license agreements (Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk, FOSS, IBM, Oracle, SAP)
Conducting cost and usage analyses to identify cost savings opportunities
License management in carve-in and carve-out transactions

Germany

Student assistant in project management

BioCon Valley GmbH

Germany

Student teacher trainee

Humboldt Gymnasium, Berlin-Tegel

Germany

Substitute teacher and special education specialist in field service

Landesförderzentrum für den Förderschwerpunkt „Hören“

Germany

Actor

Theater der Werktätigen Jüterbog e. V.

Germany

Direct Sales Customer Advisor

Vorwerk Kobold

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 (9.5 years), Professional Services (9.5 years), Education (5.5 years), and Manufacturing (0.5 years).

Information Technology

Professional Services

Education

Manufacturing

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 (9.5 years), Procurement (9.5 years), Legal (9.5 years), and Project Management (5.5 years).

Information Technology

Procurement

Legal

Project Management

Summary

I have built a solid career in Software Asset Management and licensing, working across industries like transportation, energy, academia, and manufacturing. My work covers operational license management, risk mitigation, and the design of processes that follow best practices and international standards (ISO/IEC 19770-1, ISO/IEC 5230, FinOps).

I bring hands-on experience with SAM tools and a deep understanding of compliance, Data Protection and IT security. I have managed global manufacturer portals, led change projects, and trained professionals to achieve measurable improvements in software procurement and governance.

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Ernst Moritz Arndt University

First state exam for teaching at grammar schools · Geography / German · Greifswald, Germany

Goethe-Schiller Gymnasium

High school diploma (Abitur) · Jüterbog, Germany

Certifications & licenses

Microsoft Certified Professional

Microsoft

ITC Training Program for Software Asset Management and Licensing Trainer

ITC-Professional

Profile

Created

March 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 Potsdam, Germany.

What languages does Thomas speak?

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

How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 9 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 4 different roles and for 6 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 7 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: Senior SAM Consultant & Trainer (Project Mandate), IT License & Software Asset Manager, IT License & Software Asset Manager | Team Lead.

What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is Senior SAM Consultant & Trainer (Project Mandate) at International group (rail industry).

What companies has Thomas worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Thomas has worked for International group (rail industry), International group (energy supply), Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, International group (lighting manufacturer), and Humboldt University Berlin.

Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology (IT), Professional Services, and Education. Thomas also has some experience in Manufacturing and Utility Services.

Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology (IT), Procurement and Purchasing, and Legal and Compliance. Thomas also has some experience in Project Management and Audit.

Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

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

Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology (IT), Procurement and Purchasing, and Legal and Compliance.

What is Thomas's education?

Thomas holds a Master in Geography / German from Ernst Moritz Arndt University.

Does Thomas have any certificates?

Thomas has 2 certificates. These include: Microsoft Certified Professional and ITC Training Program for Software Asset Management and Licensing Trainer.

What is the availability of Thomas?

Thomas will be available part-time from April 2026.

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.