Key Facts
Born in Ahlen, North Rine-Westphalia, in July 1978
Started my career in September 1999
Diploma in Marketing Communications (CCI/IHK) in 2002, according to the principles of the honourable businessman (CCI/IHK)
20 years experience with brands, marketing and transformation in the premium and luxury sector
Led several premium brand relaunches and highly complex premium and luxury brand transformation projects
Trainer, Mentor and Certified Marketing Communications Instructor (CCI/IHK) since 2009
Set up and led various teams, accounts and business units
Led teams from 2 to 88 people in approx. 6,500-7,000 projects of all sizes
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 (IHK/CCI)
Career
Marcus Podorf | Brands. Transition. Marketing., since 2012
Founder / Interim Manager / Senior Advisor / Director, Brand Strategy & Planning – Premium, CRM & UX/CX
The Berlin Strategy School℠, since May 2019
Project / Founder
Senior Advisory Services & Strategic Partnerships
VORN Strategy Consulting, Berlin, Oct 2018 – today
Senior Advisor / Interim Director (ext.)
Wantedly Inc., Tokyo, Oct 2018 – Jan 2019
Senior Advisor – Brand & Integrated Marketing Excellence
Base Element, Nicosia, Sept 2017 – today
Senior Advisor – Digital Transformation & Strategy
Interim Management
Zalando / Zalando Outlet Stores, Berlin, Jun 2019 – Aug 2019
Interim Marketing Lead Zalando Outlet Stores
VORN Strategy Consulting, Hamburg/Berlin, Oct 2018 – Feb 2019
Interim Director, Brand Strategy & Planning (international)
DDB & Tribal, Hamburg, Jul 2017 – Apr 2018
Interim Head of Lufthansa “New Premium” Brand Refresh and Lufthansa Group Airlines Rebranding
Freelance
VORN Strategy Consulting, Berlin, Dec 2019
Director, Brand Strategy & Planning, for an international high-end manufacturing account
Upljft, Hamburg, Sept 2018 – Sept 2019
Various accounts and projects for national and international, industry-leading accounts
thjnk, Duesseldorf, Oct 2013 – Apr 2014
Strategic client leadership, various accounts, also innovation advisory services for Bobby & Carl, a start-up of thjnk and thyssenkrupp
Philipp und Keuntje, Hamburg, Oct 2012 – Nov 2012
Digital strategist/UX strategist – platform strategy, branding and campaign experience system for T-Systems
And many more from the entrepreneurial and start-up sector
Further positions held
antoni, Berlin / start-up for Mercedes-Benz, Feb 2016 – May 2017
Account Director CRM, Mercedes-Benz
Foodspread, Hamburg/Cape Town, start-up, Aug 2014 – Aug 2015
Founder
The Wunderman Network, Hamburg/Frankfurt, Jul 2008 – Sept 2012
Client Service Director & Instructor Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI)
Management Supervisor & Instructor Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI)
Account Director & Instructor Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI)
weigertpirouzwolf, Hamburg, Apr 2006 – Jun 2008
Account Director
Senior Account Manager
KP&Z Werbeagentur, Minster (Westf.), Aug 1999 – Mar 2006
Key Account Manager
Marketing Consultant and Head of Production
Diploma in Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI)
Awards
ADC Award, 2018 – 1x (team) – Mercedes-Benz ‘Grow up’ campaign
Silver Effie, 2018 – 1x (team) – Mercedes-Benz ‘Grow up’ campaign
Cannes Lions Gold, 2018 – 1x (team) – Mercedes-Benz ‘Grow up’ campaign
RISE Conference 2015 Alpha Stage Nominee, 2015 – 1x – ‘Foodspread’ start-up
Grimme Online Award Nominee, 2014 – 1x (team) – ‘Make Love Movement’ strategy
Agency of the Future Award Winner – 1x – Independent
red dot Award: Communication Design – 1x (team) – Konica Minolta Europe
DDP Deutscher Dialogmarketing Preis – 3x (team) – airtours luxury travel, Konica Minolta Europe
Golden Award of Montreux – 1x (team) – airtours luxury travel
BoB Best of Business Award – 1x (team) – airtours luxury travel
GWA Production Award (German Association of Communications Agencies) – 1x (team) – Lufthansa Miles & More Credit Card
Mailing Award – 9x (team) – greenpeace magazine, and others
CREA Credential Award – 1x (team) – Wunderman Germany
Conventions
eCommerce expo 2020, Berlin
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 Leadership 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
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
Diploma in Marketing Communications (IHK/CCI)
IHK Dortmund
Designing UX with Willy Lai, Director of User Experience at Apple/Samsung/Paypal – 2 days
Meisner Technique Workshops with Steven Ditmeyer,
B2B Marketing on LinkedIn
LinkedIn Academy
Advanced Google Analytics, Google Analytics for Beginners
Google Analytics Academy – 2 days
We Change Integral Leadership
imu Augsburg – 16 units/512 hours
Action from the Heart with Nobel Peace Prize nominee Scilla Elworthy
The Be(e) School – 3 days/24 hours
Business Model Canvas, Personas & Empathy Cards
Kreativ Gesellschaft
Digital Entrepreneurship
Campus Party Europe 12 – 5 days
Dragon Dreaming Innovative Project Management
Kreativ Gesellschaft
Salesforce Basecamp
Storytelling: The Journey of Heroes
Kreativ Gesellschaft
Business Management B.A. – 2 semesters
HFH University of Applied Sciences
Trained in Cultural and Social Studies in Israel, South Africa (approx. 150 days), Hong Kong and South East Asia (approx. 270 days)