About Me

© MUNICH MARKETING WEEK/M. KROLL/P. JELEN

I live in Hamburg and have been advising companies on the opportunities of digital transformation for over 20 years – with a focus on corporate strategy, product development, and marketing & sales. My clients include numerous well-known brands, consultancies, and agencies.

Working for DDB, I helped shape one of Germany’s most successful viral marketing campaigns: the “Horst Schlämmer Blog” for Volkswagen. I also played a key role in launching Germany’s first social media customer service channels – for Telekom Deutschland (“Telekom hilft”) and Deutsche Bahn.

My goal has always been not just to talk about emerging trends early – but to turn them into concrete, actionable strategies together with my clients. Always with the mindset of a practical visionary.

Right now, I’m focusing on these core areas of digital transformation:

Re-Thinking Digital: Where do we need to fundamentally rethink digital to finally make meaningful progress in transformation?
Disruptive China: What can we learn from recent developments in “Digital China” to accelerate digitalization in our own context?
Artificial Intelligence: How can AI go beyond mere efficiency gains? What does it take to develop a truly AI-first strategy – one that drives new business models, not just cost savings?
XR & Virtual Worlds What is the real potential of immersive technologies like spatial computing – and where are value-creating applications already emerging?

In 2019, I launched the online think tank ChinaBriefs.io, aimed at offering Western businesses and leaders fresh perspectives on digital innovation from China – and translating those insights into strategic inspiration.

Back in 2012, I co-founded BuzzRank GmbH, a startup specializing in social media analytics and content curation. As managing director, I led strategy, product, and sales. In September 2017, five years later, we successfully exited the company – BuzzRank was acquired by dpa – Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

Alongside my consulting work, I regularly write about digital strategy and innovation for media outlets such as Focus Online or Handelsblatt.

I also serve as a lecturer at the Hamburg School of Business Administration (HSBA), the University of California, Davis, and the Marketing Center at the University of Münster. At Münster, I’m also co-founder and strategic director of the XRLab@MCM.

“Great expert and speaker on digitalization. A real China maven who is not only well-read, but also knows the reality on the ground.”

– Matthias Freiherr von Tettau, Managing Partner, DIH Deutsche Industrie-Holding

„Björns events are always very interactive and full of lively discussions from the very first minute. Moderated very competently thanks to his first-hand knowledge.“

– Ulrich Kramer, Geschäftsführer pilot Agenturgruppe

“An exchange with Björn about digital transformation guarantees new ideas, inspiration, and impulses! His Disruptive China workshop was great!”

– Franziska von Lewinski, CEO, SYZYGY AG

„I have known Björn for a long time now, but what never happened is, that conversations and projects got boring with him. He is a truly forward-thinking and inspirational person. It is always a pleasure to work with him.“

– Daniel Koennecke, Partner, Deloitte Digital

About my Work

We have been talking about digitization for 20+ years. But the pandemic has shown us that in many areas, we are still at the beginning of 2022. Projects often fail to meet their expectations or barely exploit their potential. Often because, we find it challenging to rethink things we are used to, which leaves many untapped opportunities.
I help my clients to master these challenges. Always based on clear goals and precise ways to evaluate success. As digital coach for executives or second opinion, but if necessary also directly responsible for a successful implementation - depending on the individual requirements of each project.
When I visited China for the first time in 2019, I realized two things: first, many innovations that we used to look for in Silicon Valley can now be found there. Second, many in the West are not aware of this. Companies with no business in China often don't know what has happened there in recent years and what they are missing when they ignore these developments.
I provide my clients with valuable insights about what is happening in Digital China to assess which trends & ideas from there are relevant for us here.
Mark Zuckerberg's Metaverse keynote last year put the topic of virtual reality on the agenda everywhere. VR & AR seemed to be niche topics without much relevance for a long time. This has suddenly changed. But what is the real significance? Are there already use cases today that make business sense?
I deal with questions like these as part of my research at the XRLab-MCM of the University of Münster, while also advising companies to better assess the phenomenon of metaverse - e.g., with live tours through virtual worlds or ideation workshops in VR.

References