Independent guidance since 2002.
Marcus Podorf is an award-winning director, strategist and senior advisor with 23 years of experience in leading the positioning, turnaround, brand and marketing transformation for businesses, products and services from the high-end sector.
Dear Business Partners,
My name is Marcus Podorf.
I believe that, in the ever-changing global market, we all value a trusted guide and advisor.
As such, my company helps businesses transform and build strong brands that also provide lasting value for the people, the society, our environment and the profit alike.
My clients have long placed their trust in our advice, which has led them to better and deeper human relationships, better business and marketing value, new growth and also better brand and business perception in their respective fields.
We take the human approach to everything.
If you are either facing a challenge with your existing business or are planning a new venture from scratch, please feel free to contact us at any time to discuss your challenges:
Thank you,
Marcus
Founder
Diploma of Marketing and Communication (CCI) / Werbekaufmann IHK
Certified Instructor for Marketing and Communication (HCC) / Ausbilder HKH (a. D.)
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Key facts
Attitude
Awards
Conventions
Education & Studies
Initiatives
Mentorings
Biography
Key Facts
General university entrance qualification (A-Level/Abitur) in Arts, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Sports, 1998
Military Service for ±1 year, trained as driver for dangerous goods and munition handler on a 8×8-MAN, 5 to Mil GL, and the Mercedes-Benz Wolf GL (Mercedes-Benz G-Class)
Started his professional career in Minster (Westf.) at KP&Z advertising agency, 1999
Diploma of Marketing and Communication (CCI) / Werbekaufmann IHK, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dortmund, 2002
Mentor and Certified Instructor for Marketing and Communication (HCC) / Ausbilder HKH, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, since 2009 (Out of practice since mid-2012)
Independent entrepreneur, since 2012
Led several, highly complex premium and luxury brand relaunches and brand transformation projects (incl. Design, Intelligence, CRM, UX/UI, 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 dedicated teams in approx. 7,000 to 7,500 brand, marketing and sales communication projects of all sizes – across multiple offices and countries
Today, Marcus Podorf is an independent Director, Strategist and Senior Advisor, including 23 years’ operational and strategic experience with brands, marketing and transformation strategies
Regular personal presences in Bangkok, Berlin, Cape Town and Hamburg
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
‘Excellent collaboration, a good listener and a good thinker. Is comfortable challenging opinions in a constructive
way. Creative and flexible, yet doesn’t lose sight of what is important.’ – Anja Langer Jacquin, Founder of ValueChange start-up and former Managing Director EMEA & Russia of CISCO Consulting
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
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, ‘Scranning’ dialogue marketing campaign, team rewarded
2x Mailing Award, 2005
itelligence AG/SAP, ista® Energy Services, team rewarded
Mailing Award, 2004
Konica Minolta, ‘Scranning’ dialogue marketing campaign, 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
Luxury Living: Global Property and Lifestyle Insights, Berlin, Germany – Invited by Fine & Country
Macro & Markets Outlook by GoldmanSachs Asset Management, Berlin, Germany – Invited by UnitPlus Business
Freelance Unlocked 2024, Berlin, Germany – Invited by exali AG
eCommerce expo 2020, Berlin, Germany
Future Affairs 2019, Berlin, Germany
Connections ’19 by Le Book, London, UK – Invited by Le Book
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
Education & Studies
Cultural and Social Studies in South Africa, Israel, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, 2012-2019
‘Meisner Technique’ Workshops with Steven Ditmyer, Alum of Sanford Meisner, 2019
B2B Marketing on LinkedIn, LinkedIn Academy, 2019
Advanced Google Analytics, Google Analytics Academy, 2019
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
‘We Change’ Integral Leadership Training, imu Augsburg, 2012-2013
Business Model Canvas, Personas & Empathy Cards, Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, 2012
‘Dragon Dreaming’ Innovative Project Management, Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, 2012
Storytelling: The Journey of Heroes, Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, 2012
Intensive Business Combination Course, Elanguest Malta, 2010
Mentor and Certified Instructor for Marketing and Communication (HCC), HK Hamburg, since 2009 (Out of practice since mid-2012)
Diploma of Marketing and Communication (CCI), IHK Dortmund, 2002
Military Service, trained as driver for dangerous goods and munition handler on a 8×8-MAN, 5 to Mil GL and Mercedes-Benz Wolf GL/G-Class
General university entrance qualification (Abitur) in Arts, Mathematics, Social Science and Sports, 1998
Initiatives
The Berlin Strategy School℠
Project / Founder, 2019
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
Mentor Corporate Communications for the Wunderman Germany group
Instructor for Marketing and Communication (HCC)
Biography
Born in Ahlen, Münsterland/North Rine-Westphalia, in 1978
German: native / English: fluent
Mother: Travel Agent, Artist
Father: Painter
Grandmothers: Industrial Management Assistant & Honourable Businesswoman // GDR refugee, homemaker(s)
Grandfathers: (1) Engineer, Artist, (2) Victim of WWII
Great-grandparents: Entrepreneurs in the Metal Industry
Youth: Founded several clubs as Youngster, e.g. the VFB ’94 Ahlen football club, founding member of a street football league and regular cup tournaments / Customised various computer-games for his friends (and himself) / First award and publicly recognised PR-stunts for the travel agency of his mother in ±1990 and the local LR Ahlen football club since ±1996 / Founded RED.SPIRIT.AHLEN fan club for the former German 2nd Bundesliga club LR Ahlen, ±1996
Lived in Ahlen (Westf.), Minster (Westf., 2000-2006), Hamburg (2006-2016) and in Berlin, Germany (since 2016)
Personal engagements & experiences: Member of the FDP Free Democratic Party (±3 years, 2017-2021) / Former Airbnb host and heavy user, 2013-2019 / Frequent traveller, ±30 countries travelled so far / Did round trips throughout South Africa (±4.470 km), the Southern U. S. and also e. g. Southeast Asia of ±4 months in preparation of the RISE 2015 Conference in Hong Kong / Did e. g. pet-and house-sitting in Parañaque/Philippines and on Langkawi Island/Malaysia, 2015
Civil rights cases successfully fought: ./. Allodium Capital GmbH, IKB lawyers & Nieber Scheidacker lawyers (18 C 252/22 AG Kreuzberg; 24 C 241/23 AG Kreuzberg; 521.13835.32 BlnBDI), 2021-2024 / ./. Falk & Co. Group tax auditors (32 C 2620/22 (69) AG Frankfurt am Main; 32 C 1992/23 (27) AG Frankfurt am Main), 2022-2023 / ./. Meier & Kolleginnen lawyers (212 C 73/22 AG Charlottenburg), 2022-2023 / ./. Melchers Group lawyers (29 C 3616/22 (19) AG Frankfurt am Main; 7 C 292/23 AG Kreuzberg), 2023-2024 / ./. Melchers Group lawyers (LfDIAbt2-4400-111/6, LfDIAbt2-4400-111/7 LfDI Baden-Württemberg), 2020-2024 / ./. Pandion Group (56.7-1089/22 LDI NRW), 2023 / ./. Telekom Deutschland (118 C 212/22 AG Bonn), 2022-2023 ./. Vivantes Group (521.15363.21 BlnBDI), 2021-2024 / and more
Countries visited, before 2006: Cyprus / Greece / France (road trip from Germany to Portugal, e. g. Paris, the Atlantic Coast, Marseille, Galicia, Lisbon) / Italy / Portugal / Spain / Sri Lanka (Round trip) / Turkey / The United States of America (road trip through the Southern States of Virgina, North and South Carolina, Florida and the Florida Keys) and the United Kingdom // After 2006: Argentina / Austria / Brazil (Iguaçu & Itaipú) / Egypt / France (Paris) / Croatia / Czech Republic / Greece / Ireland / Israel (Road trip of ±460 km / Jerusalem / Sea of Galilea/Lake Tiberias / Dead Sea / The West Bank Wall / Haifa / Tel Aviv & Tel Aviv Yafo) / Lesotho / Malaysia / Malta / Paraguay (Itaipú) / Philippines (Parañaque & Manila) / South Africa (e. g., 1x road trip of ±4.470 km throughout the country, Cape Town) / Southeast Asia (round trip of ±4 months in preparation of the RISE 2015 Conference in Hong Kong, combined with Pet and House sitting / travelled e. g. by overnight train from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok / Taiwan, Taoyuan International Airport / Philippines / Malaysia / Thailand) / Sweden / The Netherlands / Turkey / United States of America (New York, 2nd road trip through the Southern States of Virgina, North and South Carolina, Florida and the Florida Keys) // Since 2016: Belgium / Denmark / France (Paris) / Hong Kong / Poland / Spain (Barcelona) / Switzerland / Thailand / United Kingdom (London)
Last updated: 13 Jun 2025