Carsten Linz is an entrepreneurial leader and renowned expert in large-scale business transformation. In almost 20 years in executive roles focused on software-, data-, and digitally fueled growth, he has built-up several €100 million businesses and led company-wide transformation programs affecting more than 60,000 employees. His most recent capacities include Group Digital Officer at BASF, Business Development Officer at SAP and Global Head of the Center for Digital Leadership.
He holds various advisory board seats, e.g. for the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) ‚Digital Platforms and Digital Ecosystems’ and the WEF‘s ‚Digital Enterprise’ projects, serves on the committee of Europe’s largest seed stage fund and acts as a business angel for several fast-growing companies.
As adjunct faculty member, he teaches in executive programs at European School of Management & Technology Berlin, Mannheim Business School, University of St. Gallen, and Stanford Graduate School. He is a sought-after keynote speaker and panelist (listed at London Speaker Bureau) and acts as adviser to CxOs around the world.
His most recent book ‚Radical Business Model Transformation: Gaining the Competitive Edge in a Disruptive World’ has been published by KoganPage London, translated into several languages and is considered a standard reference in business model literature. His articles appeared in renowned journals such as Forbes, Harvard Business Review/Manager, ZDNet, CIO Magazine, Computerwoche, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, D!gitalist Magazine.
Dr. Linz holds a PhD in Innovation Management from University of Bern/Switzerland (“summa cum laude”) and a Diploma degree in Economic Engineering from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (“with honors”). He studied System Dynamics and Entrepreneurship at MIT Sloan School of Management, Leading Change and Organizational Renewal at Harvard Business School, and Corporate Strategy at INSEAD Fontainebleau.
He was named “Top-100 Digital Influencer”, awarded as “Innovation Landmark” by the German President, honored with the coveted “Award of Excellence” from the Global Institute of Logistics and ranked as “Leader” in the Gartner Magic Quadrant. He serves as an advisor to the World Economic Forum and the Boston Consulting Group Executive Digital Network.
He supports social entrepreneurs as advisory board member of Social Impact Berlin, acts as a mentor of Deutschlandstiftung Integration, and seeks to multiply the impact of #NewLeadership to improve the state of the world.