I build technology units and take them to market.
Building the European Microsoft Business Applications organisation of an international technology services firm — from the first hire to a standalone unit where growth, delivery and leadership sit in one pair of hands.
Building units
A European organisation grown from the first role into a working team across three technology areas.
Entrepreneurial track
Years running my own company with full responsibility for results, delivery and cash.
Owning growth
European pre-sales from qualification to close, together with P&L responsibility for the unit.
Securing delivery
Steering the offshore practices, quality assurance and commercial accountability across projects.
Close to the business, close to the client, close to the team.
At Visionet I built the European Microsoft Business Applications organisation from a standing start: today consultants and architects across three technology areas — Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement, Power Platform and AI — supported by the offshore practices. That includes P&L responsibility for the unit as well as European pre-sales.
Before that I ran my own company with full responsibility for revenue, delivery and cash, alongside consulting roles at KPMG, EY and inside the Bechtle Group. That mix shapes how I lead: specific about what the team commits to, and close to the numbers rather than to statements of intent.
- Manufacturing
- Pharmaceuticals
- Financial services
- Real estate
- Retail
- Automotive
A path through consulting, entrepreneurship and leadership
Director | Head of Digital Solutions – Europe
Building and leading the European Microsoft Business Applications organisation of a US technology services firm. There was no team for this area in Europe when I joined.
- Built three technology areas: Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement, Power Platform and AI
- P&L responsibility for the unit
- Ownership of European pre-sales from qualification to close
- Line management across several regions: hiring, development, utilisation and retention
- Accountable for the offshore practices: service scope, staffing, handovers and quality assurance
- Commercial and quality accountability from short CRM assessments to multi-year enterprise rollouts
- Positioning as a European Microsoft partner, including the launch of the Swiss business
What I bring into an organisation
Leadership and organisation
- Building units
- Hiring and developing people
- Utilisation management
- Delivery governance
- European teams and offshore practices
Growth and market
- Pre-sales leadership
- Proposal and pricing strategy
- Microsoft partner management
- Positioning and market presence
Technology
- Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement
- Power Platform
- Copilot Studio and agentic AI
- Azure and integration architecture
Education
Dr. rer. pol., focus on artificial intelligence
Pforzheim University, external doctorate within the doctoral association of the Baden-Württemberg universities of applied sciences (in progress)
M.Sc. Data Analytics & Management
Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, taught in English. Thesis on predictive models for minimising product returns in e-commerce.
B.Sc. International Business
Pforzheim University, exchange semester at EDHEC Business School, Nice. Thesis on the key elements of a data strategy.
Certifications
- Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)
- Microsoft certifications at expert and associate level
- Professional Scrum Master I and Product Owner I
- Qualified trainer and mediator
Languages
- GermanNative
- EnglishC1
- FrenchC1
- SpanishB2
Market presence
- European network on the client side, with partners and inside Microsoft
- Regular speaker at European technology conferences
- Close collaboration with Microsoft Germany and Switzerland
Let's talk.
For conversations on building organisations, delivery and growth in the Microsoft ecosystem.
- me@benediktwinckler.de
- Stuttgart, Germany