Executive Responsibility

Leading a visible organisation under pressure

As Executive Director of ZARA, I held responsibility for 22 employees, annual income above €1.1 million, financial stewardship, compliance, communications, stakeholder affairs and board reporting.

The organisation operated across EU digital regulation, technology-platform accountability, public funding, media scrutiny and public-facing advisory services.

My role required more than operational oversight. It required judgement across competing interests, clear communication with the board and senior stakeholders, and disciplined coordination between finance, legal, communications, service delivery and external affairs.

Regulatory and Stakeholder Leadership

Building credibility across institutional boundaries

I led the application that secured Trusted Flagger status under Article 22 of the EU Digital Services Act.

I also strengthened working relationships across ministries, regulators, technology platforms, law-enforcement authorities, funders, corporate partners and international institutions.

This work required the ability to connect frontline evidence, regulatory expectations, institutional risk and executive decision-making.

I coordinated cross-functional responses to political scrutiny, public controversy and funding risk, bringing together board, legal, finance, communications and external stakeholders to protect institutional credibility and operational continuity.

Earlier Experience

Experience built across sectors and countries

Before becoming Executive Director, I delivered more than 100 independent assignments across stakeholder engagement, facilitation, leadership development and organisational collaboration.

Organisations I worked with include IFC, UNIDO, the Austrian Federal Chancellery, Dynatrace, FOUR PAWS and ProSiebenSat.1 PULS 4.

My earlier career includes roles in aviation, private equity, healthcare consulting, infrastructure, digital services and international organisations.

This breadth gave me an early understanding of how senior decisions are prepared, how information moves through organisations and how execution weakens when responsibility is unclear.

What I Bring

Clear judgement in complex stakeholder environments

• Senior stakeholder relationships across business, government, regulators and international institutions
• Public affairs, external affairs and strategic partnership leadership
• Executive and board-level communication
• Cross-functional coordination under pressure
• Regulatory and digital-policy experience
• The ability to translate competing interests into clear decisions and practical next steps

Current Focus

Understanding when accountability begins to weaken

I am completing doctoral research on the early warning indicators of accountability deterioration under regulatory pressure.

The question is practical: how can senior leaders recognise that decision-making and accountability are weakening before the damage becomes visible?

My research builds on my experience of leading in environments where regulation, public scrutiny, institutional trust and stakeholder expectations intersect.

Availability

Available for senior leadership opportunities

I am available for senior roles in stakeholder affairs, external affairs, public affairs, public policy and strategic partnerships.

I am particularly interested in regulated and internationally oriented organisations operating across digital platforms, technology, cybersecurity policy, telecom and digital infrastructure.

I am based in Vienna and work fluently in English and German.