Berlin, Berlin, Germany
I’m the Chief AI Officer and co-founder of Finom, one of Europe’s fastest-growing B2B financial services platforms. Previously, I served as Chief Product Officer for five years, leading product vision, development, and user experience from the earliest days of the company. With 16+ years of experience across fintech and high-growth startups, I specialize in building products from zero to scale, combining strategy, execution, and deep customer focus. Before Finom, I was CPO at Modulbank, an SME-focused bank built from scratch that reached break-even within three years. Earlier in my career, I co-founded a startup incubator that supported more than 10 companies per year, giving me a front-row seat to what drives successful product and business decisions and what doesn’t. Today, my focus is on shaping AI-driven financial products that redefine how businesses manage money, operations, and decision-making.
Over the past years, product at Finom has increasingly become AI-driven, from automation in accounting and finance to intelligent customer support and decision-making tools. As AI moved from an enhancement to a core capability, it became clear we needed dedicated leadership to scale it across the company. As Chief AI Officer, I focus on embedding AI into Finom’s products, operations, and internal systems, ensuring we build trustworthy, high-impact AI solutions that create real value for SMEs across Europe. My mission is simple: make AI a competitive advantage and a foundational layer of how Finom works and grows.
The role of a Chief Venture Officer is about looking ahead, spotting trends before they fully form, and taking calculated risks to push the business beyond its core offerings. In this role, I focus on exploring bold, high-risk, high-reward ideas — particularly in AI and new user interaction formats.
I'm responsible for the product strategy and product vision of the company, as well as managing the Product and Design team of 20+ Analytics, Product Managers, and Product Designers. Achievements: * 3 months to build the first MVP (Italy) * 1 year to deliver the banking and invoicing solution for SMEs and freelancers in Germany and France using BaaS Solarisbank and Treezor * Together with the team, obtained the EMI license in the Netherlands 3 years after establishing the company * Launch of the banking and invoicing solution in the NL * The fastest MoM growth rate among the other players in the market * Positive revenue and gross margin dynamics because we were focusing on the profitability from the beginning
I was responsible for all product-related activities. Since the Modulabank bank was one the most innovative banks, our goal was not only to create the best product in the class but also to bring new ways to deal with SMEs and freelancers. Achievements: * 3 years to meet the break-even point * Creating the core banking system from scratch * Onboarding (open an account for SMEs) within 24 hours * Led a team of 25+ people * Data-driven compliance model acknowledged as a benchmark by the Regulator
In September 2015, I wanted to gain a new experience and share my knowledge with others. That's why I decided to left the company and became a freelancer. While I'm working as self-employed, I've done projects as a product designer, product manager, and outsource consultant.
As a COO of the company, I was responsible for everything: from hiring people and developing internal processes to selling our products and services and customer relationships. Achievements: * The company grew from 23 people to nearly 120 * Built all the processes in the company from scratch * The company became involved in the entire product development cycle in more than 10 startups (products) per year
I created the entire UX/UI team in the company from scratch and created all the processes in this team. It was a time when UX design just became a thing that's why we were pioneers in this field.