Bernhard Schäfer

Bernhard Schaefer is a very successful hands-on business leader and analytic strategist with over 25 years experience in the IT, Telco and consumer electronic markets. He held different key management roles, usually executive committee or managing director positions. During this time Bernhard has gained extensive international business knowledge in Western Europe and additional special knowledge in Central & Eastern Europe (C&EE). This supplements his diplomas in business administration, electronics and finance rating (risk management) university Augsburg.

Bernhard started his career at Rank Xerox; where he succeeds several times number one Sales Manager Europe. He was one of the pioneers in C&EE, including the supply of computers to the Russian Presidential office, as early as the late eighties. He initiated Compaq’s success in C&EE by introduction and structure of Channels, opening local subsidiaries and negotiated major agreements with most Prime Ministers’ offices, parliaments, banks and telecommunication organizations. Beyond that he was very successful as managing director for Digital Equipment International, where he introduced major restructurings and business creation programs.

During his time with Philips as SVP and Managing Director, reorganized Bernhard different non-European regions and helped Philips C&EE to become one of the most profitable growth regions for the company.

He reorganized as the responsible executive committee Tulip Computers after their insolvency. New strategies led to substantial cost reductions, outsourcing of the PC and server production. New business applications, services and products in the international wireless and communication market as well as special solution for the medical and education markets contributed together with the licence and band business to the turnaround.

Currently he is fast developing CEEConsult with a highly qualified team and international partners, supporting the world top IT, solution and finance companies in more than 30 countries with business-, channel and finance strategies incl. Mergers & Acquisitions and Management Recruitment supports.