Delivering Transformation since 1999

Marcus Podorf is an award-winning, independent director, strategist and senior advisor with 23 years’ experience in leading the turnaround, marketing and transformation for businesses, brands, 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 and communications 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 a 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:

hello@marcuspodorf.com

Thank you,
Marcus

Founder
Diploma of Marketing and Communication (CCI)
/ Werbekaufmann IHK
Certified Instructor for Marketing and Communication (HCC) / Ausbilder HKH


Key Facts
Attitude
Initiatives
Projects & Engagements
Mentorings
Awards
Conventions
Education & Studies
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, IHK Dortmund, 2002
Mentor and Certified Instructor for Marketing and Communication (HCC)/Ausbilder, HK Hamburg, since 2009

Independent Entrepreneur according to § 18 EStG, since 2012

Led several, highly complex premium and luxury brand relaunches and 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 dedicated teams in approx. 7,000 to 7,500 projects of all sizes and across offices

Today, Marcus Podorf is an independent Director, Strategist and Senior Advisor, including 23 years’ operational and strategic experience with brands, marketing and transformation strategies

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

Initiatives

The Berlin Strategy School
Project / Founder, 2019

Projects & Engagements

Media.Monks x BMW Europe x The Marcom Engine, transnational, 2021-2023
Lead CRM, Design & Intelligence Projects for BMW Germany (Independent)
Projects & Campaigns for BMW Austria, BMW Eastern Europe, BMW Germany and BMW Switzerland

Doublecheck IT / TIIME Apps Ecosystem, Berlin-Brandenburg, 2022-2023
Repositioning, Strategy & Conception
Integrated Product, Brand & Marketing Excellence
Digital Marketing
CRM

enteron® solutions GmbH / enteronsolutions.com, Berlin-Brandenburg, since 2022
Branding, Repositioning
WebDev, Tech Solutions

PayPal Europe x Scholz & Friends, Berlin, 2022
Projects & Campaigns
ATL, Social Media

thyssenkrupp infrastructure x thjnk, Berlin/Duesseldorf 2021-2022
Director of Rebranding for thyssenkrupp infrastructure
Design, Identity & Delivery Excellence

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
Rebranding, CRM
WebDev, Tech Solutions

VORN Strategy Consulting / Hirschen Group, Berlin, 2018-2020
Interim Director; Business Development for Strategic Accounts
Freelance Director, Brand Strategy & Planning (International)

Zalando / Zalando Outlet Stores, Berlin, 2019
Interim Marketing Lead Zalando Outlet Stores

Wantedly Inc., Berlin/Tokyo, 2018-2019
Communications Strategy, 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 the Lufthansa ‘New Premium’ Brand Refresh
Interim Head of the Lufthansa Group Airlines Rebranding

antoni start-up for Mercedes-Benz, Berlin, 2016-2017
Account Director CRM, Mercedes-Benz

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 strategy

thjnk, Duesseldorf, 2013-2014
Client Services & Direction for various accounts of thjnk

Antonio Rubio / Ihr Unternehmen lebt., Hamburg, 2012-2013
Brand Positioning, Brand Identity, Brand Design, Claim Development, Website content strategy

Pott & Harms Immobilien GmbH / Immobilien neu gedacht., Hamburg, 2012-2013
Brand Positioning, Brand Identity, Brand Design, Claim Development, Digital CX Workshop, Website 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

The Wunderman Network, Hamburg/Frankfurt/transnational, 2008-2012
Client Service Director & Instructor for Marketing and Communication (Hamburg CC)
Management Supervisor & Instructor for Marketing and Communication (Hamburg CC)
Account Director & Instructor for Marketing and Communication (Hamburg CC)

weigertpirouzwolf advertising agency, Hamburg, 2006-2008
Account Director
Senior Account Manager

KP&Z advertising agency, Minster (Westf.), 1999-2006
Key Account Manager Konica Minolta Europe
Marketing Consultant and Head of Production – Focus Ad Media, Print, Direct and CRM
Diploma of Marketing and Communication (CCI Dortmund)

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)

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

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, 2020

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, Kreativ Gesellschaft, 2012
‘Dragon Dreaming’ Innovative Project Management, Kreativ Gesellschaft, 2012
Storytelling: The Journey of Heroes, Kreativ Gesellschaft, 2012

Mentor and Certified Instructor for Marketing and Communication (HCC), HK Hamburg, since 2009
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 Sport, 1999

Biography

Born in Ahlen, North Rine-Westphalia, in 1978

Mother: Travel Agent, Artist
Father: Painter
Grandmothers: Industrial Management Assistant & Honourable Businesswoman, Home-Makers
Grandfathers: (1) Engineer, Artist, (2) Victim of WWII
Great-grandparents: Entrepreneurs in the Metal Industry

Lived in Ahlen (Westf.), Minster (Westf., 2000-2006) and Hamburg (2006-2016), living in Berlin, Germany (since 2016)

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 publicly recognised PR-stunts for the travel agency of his mother in ±1990 and the local LR Ahlen football club since ±1996 / Founded LR Ahlen fan club RED.SPIRIT.AHLEN

Countries travelled: Argentina / Austria / Belgium / Brazil (Iguaçu & Itaipú) / Croatia / Cyprus / Czech Republic / Denmark / Egypt / France / Greece / Hong Kong / 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) / Italy / Lesotho / Malta / Malaysia / The Netherlands / Paraguay (Itaipú) / Philippines / Poland / Portugal / South Africa (1x road trip of ±4.470 km, Cape Town) / South East Asia (round trip of ±4 months, combined with Pet- and House-sitting / travelled e. g. by train from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok / Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport / Philippines / Malaysia / Thailand ) / Spain / Sri Lanka (Round trip) / Sweden / Switzerland / Thailand / United Kingdom / United States of America (e. g. New York, 2 road trips through the Southern States / Virgina, North and South Carolina, Florida and the Florida Keys) and Turkey.

German: native / English: fluent