Delivering Transformation since 1999
Marcus Podorf is an award-winning, independent director with 23 years’ experience in leading the turnaround for premium and luxury brands, products and services.
Key Facts
Born in Ahlen, North Rine-Westphalia, in 1978
Marcus Podorf started his professional career on 01 September 1999
Youth: Founded several clubs as Youngster, e.g. the VFB ’94 Ahlen football club, founding member of a street soccer league and regular cup tournaments / Customised various computer-games for his friends (and himself) / First PR-stunts for the travel agency of his mother and the local LR Ahlen football club
Diploma in Marketing Communications (CCI/IHK) in 2002, acts according to the principles of the honourable businessman (CCI/IHK)
Mentor and Certified Marketing Communications Instructor (CCI/IHK) since 2009
Led several premium brand relaunches and highly complex premium and luxury brand transformation projects (incl. Design, Intelligence, CRM, UX, CX and Digitisation) / Operational experience in media production, direct marketing and communications planning, tactical and strategic
Set up and led various teams, accounts and business units / Led teams from 2 to 88 people in approx. 7,000 projects of all sizes
Today, Marcus Podorf is a top-notch Director, Strategist and Senior Advisor, including 23 years’ operational and strategic experience with brands, marketing and transformation strategies in the digital, high-end, premium and luxury sectors
German: native / English: fluent
Attitude
Vison-driven, goal-focussed, with proven history of innovation and achievement / Achieves outstanding results and excellence through hard work, performance, and attention to the detail / Believes in taking the human approach to everything / Acts according to the principles of the honourable businessman (CCI/IHK) / Advises independently and objectively / Builds relationships based on trust, transparency and reliability
Senior Strategy Advisory
Marcus Podorf | Strategy Advisors & Ventures
Led by Marcus Podorf, Founder
Brand & Marketing Leadership
Marcus Podorf | Brands. Transition. Marketing.
Formerly also known as Marcus Podorf, Connecting your dots
Led by Marcus Podorf, Founder, 2012
Professional Services, e.g.:
Brand, Business & Marketing Strategy Services / Premium Brand Identity & Brand Image Building / OKR, KPI & Business Modeling / Professional Relaunches & Redesigns / Rebrandings / Strategic Planning / Strategic & Tactical (Operational) Marketing / Strategic Communications & Implementation / Strategic Sales Narratives & Operations (CRM) / Direct Marketing / Digital Marketing / CRM, UX & CX / Integrated Brand & Marketing Excellence / Marketing and Sales Initiatives
The Berlin Strategy School℠
Project / Founder, 2019
Interim & Independent Senior Advisory
BMW x Media.Monks x The Marcom Engine, transnational, 2022-2023
Projects & Campaigns for BMW Austria, BMW Eastern Europe, BMW Germany and BMW Switzerland
Doublecheck IT / TIIME App, Berlin-Brandenburg, since 2022
Product, Brand & Integrated Marketing Excellence
PayPal Europe x Scholz & Friends, Berlin, 2022
Projects & Campaigns
thyssenkrupp infrastructure x thjnk, Berlin/Duesseldorf 2021-2022
Director of Rebranding for thyssenkrupp infrastructure – Design, Identity & Delivery Excellence
BMW x Media.Monks x The Marcom Engine, transnational, 2021
Lead CRM, Design & Intelligence Projects for BMW Germany
kolula GmbH / kolula.com, Berlin-Brandenburg, 2020-2021
UX Strategy / Digital Product Experience
tom logisch® / tomlogisch.com, Berlin-Brandenburg, since 2020
Brand & Integrated Marketing Excellence
VORN Strategy Consulting / Hirschen Group, Berlin, 2019-2020
Interim Director – Delivered strategies for various accounts
Zalando / Zalando Outlet Stores, Berlin, 2019
Interim Marketing Lead Zalando Outlet Stores
VORN Strategy Consulting, Hamburg/transnational, 2018-2019
Interim Director, Brand Strategy & Planning (international)
Wantedly Inc., Berlin/Tokyo, 2018-2019
Brand & Integrated Marketing Excellence
Upljft, Hamburg, 2018-2019
Delivered various projects for national and international, industry-leading accounts
Base Element, Nicosia, 2017-2019
Digital Transformation & Strategy
Lufthansa x DDB & Tribal, Hamburg, 2017-2018
Interim Head of Lufthansa Premium Brand Refresh and Lufthansa Group Airlines Rebranding for DDB Hamburg
ValueChange / valuechange.net, Geneva, since 2016
Brand Identity, Brand Design, Website code and content strategy
Foodspread start-up, Hamburg/Cape Town, 2014-2015
Founder
Home of the Wild / homeofthewild.com, Marloth Park/South Africa, since 2014
Brand Positioning, Brand Identity, Brand Design, Website code and content
thjnk, Duesseldorf, 2013-2014
Client Services & Direction for various accounts of thjnk
Frank Henry Frenz / Data, Trust & Safety, Bad Vilbel, 2013-2014
Brand Positioning and Communications Strategy
Antonio Rubio / Ihr Unternehmen lebt., Hamburg, 2012-2013
Brand Positioning, Brand Identity, Brand Design, Claim Development, Website code
Pott & Harms Immobilien GmbH / Immobilien neu gedacht., Hamburg, 2012-2013
Brand Positioning, Brand Identity, Brand Design, Claim Development, Digital CX Workshop, Website code and content strategy
Ann-Marlene Henning / ‘Make Love’ Movement Strategy, Hamburg, 2012-2013
Planning & redesigning the digital ecosystem of website, vlog and social media, Business Change Strategy, Workshops and Communications Strategy in preparation of Ann-Marlene’s ‘Make Love’ TV series & ‘Make Love’ Book publishings
T-Systems x Philipp & Keuntje, Hamburg, 2012
UX Strategy – Platform strategy, branding and campaign experience ecosystem for T-Systems
Permanent
antoni advertising agency, start-up for Mercedes-Benz, Berlin, 2016-2017
Account Director CRM, Mercedes-Benz
The Wunderman Network, Hamburg/Frankfurt/transnational, 2008-2012
Client Service Director & Instructor Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI)
Account Director & Instructor Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI)
weigertpirouzwolf advertising agency, Hamburg, 2006-2008
Account Director
Senior Account Manager
KP&Z advertising agency, Minster (Westf.), 1999-2006
Key Account Manager
Marketing Consultant and Head of Production
Diploma in Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI)
Awards
Finalist at Effie Austria, 2020
Sky X Announcement Campaign, client rewarded
ADC Award, 2018
Mercedes-Benz ‘Grow up’ Campaign, team rewarded
Silver Effie, 2018
Mercedes-Benz ‘Grow up’ Campaign, team rewarded
Cannes Lions Gold, 2018
Mercedes-Benz ‘Grow up’ Campaign, team rewarded
RISE Conference 2015: Alpha Stage Nominee, 2015
‘Foodspread’ Start-up
Grimme Online Award Nominee, 2014
‘Make Love’ Movement, client rewarded
Agency of the Future Award Winner, 2012
Independent
2x DDP Deutscher Dialogmarketing Preis, 2012
airtours Luxury Travel, team rewarded
Silver Medal, SDV Award, 2012
airtours Luxury Travel, team rewarded
Golden Award of Montreux, 2012
airtours Luxury Travel, team rewarded
BoB Best of Business Award: Shortlist, 2012
airtours Luxury Travel, team rewarded
CREA Credential Award, 2012
Wunderman Germany, team rewarded
Mailing Award, 2010
Tourism Ireland, team rewarded
Mailing Award, 2009
Tourism Ireland, team rewarded
Mailing Award, 2008
greenpeace magazin, team rewarded
GWA Production Award, 2008
Lufthansa Miles & More Credit Card, team rewarded
red dot Award: Communication Design, 2004
Konica Minolta Europe, team rewarded
DDP Deutscher Dialogmarketing Preis, 2004
Konica Minolta Europe, team rewarded
2x Mailing Award, 2005
itelligence AG/SAP, ista® Energy Services, team rewarded
Mailing Award, 2004
Konica Minolta, Projekt “Scranning”, team rewarded
Mailing Award, 2003
KP&Z Agentur für Dialogmarketing/Eigenwerbung, team rewarded
Mailing Award, 2002
Teupen AG, team rewarded
Mailing Award, 2001
x-dot, team rewarded
National Fan Website Awards of ‘PC Magazin’: 2nd place, 1996
Reviewed as ‘Pioneer of the Internet for the former German BL2-Bundesliga Club LR Ahlen’
redspirit.de
Conventions
eCommerce expo 2020, Berlin, Germany
Future Affairs 2019, Berlin, Germany
Connections 2019 by LeBook, London, UK
Aviation Event 2019 Conference, Salzburg, Austria
Salesforce Basecamp 2019, Berlin, Germany
Wework Summer Camp 2018, Eridge Park, England
Connections ’18 by LeBook, Berlin, Germany
TOA 2018, Berlin, Germany
APG Grow 2017 Account Planning Group conference, Hamburg, Germany
Hillsong Conference 14, New York, USA
Web Summit 2014, Dublin, Ireland
re:publica 14, Berlin, Germany
dmexco 2013, Cologne, German
Campus Party Europe 12, Berlin, Germany
dmexco 2012, Cologne, Germany
Speaker at Mailing Tage 2009, Nuremberg, Germany
and others
Mentorings
Berlin UX Mentor 2018 meetup with tinidad Labs, Berlin, June 2018
Mentor & expert for brand and user experience
antoni, Berlin / Start-up, February 2016 – May 2017
Mentor & expert for digital culture and culture change strategy
The DO School, Berlin, February 2016 – September 2016
Mentor & expert for various students, led branding workshop for NGOs
ADC Art Directors Club Germany, Berlin, 2014
Mentor & expert, led strategic planning workshop
The Wunderman Network, Hamburg / Frankfurt, July 2008 – August 2012
Instructor Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI)
Mentor Corporate Communications for the Wunderman Germany group
Education & Studies
Meisner Technique Workshops with Steven Ditmeyer, an alum of Sanford Meisner, 2019
B2B Marketing on LinkedIn, LinkedIn Academy, 2019
Advanced Google Analytics, Google Analytics for Beginners, Google Analytics Academy, 2019
UX Direction – Designing UX with Willy Lai, former Director of User Experience at Paypal, Apple, Samsung & Macy’s, 2017
‘Action from the Heart’ with Nobel Peace Prize nominee Scilla Elworthy, The Be(e) School, 2013
Business Model Canvas, Personas & Empathy Cards, Kreativ Gesellschaft, 2012
‘Dragon Dreaming’ Innovative Project Management, Kreativ Gesellschaft, 2012
Storytelling: The Journey of Heroes, Kreativ Gesellschaft, 2012
Cultural and Social Studies in South Africa, Israel, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, 2012-2019
Digital Entrepreneurship, Campus Party Europe 12, 2012
Instructor Licence: Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI), HK Hamburg, 2009
Diploma in Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI), IHK Dortmund, 2001