Prof Dr. Mario Vaupel
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Andrea Meyer
Director of Executive Education
Dr. Andrea Meyer holds a doctorate in social and economic sciences from Johannes Kepler University Linz and a diploma in economics from FernUniversität Hagen. She brings over 15 years of experience as a lecturer, examiner, and academic advisor across international universities, complemented by senior roles in aviation, including training, safety, and security management. Since 2021, she has served as Head of Coaching at Steinbeis University, and since 2023 as Director of Executive Education, responsible for customised programme design, talent management, and executive coaching.
Yoan Tanasale
Director of Competency Transfer & Career Coaching
Yoan Tanasale holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Indonesia and a Master's in Business and Organisational Psychology from Steinbeis University, complemented by a Certified Digital Marketing Professional qualification. She brings broad experience across recruitment, HR management, people development, coaching, and digital marketing, with a focus on transformational leadership. At S-Next, she serves as Director of Competency Transfer and Coaching, and teaches Human Resources Management, Personnel Marketing, and Recruitment, while also working as a Career Coach.
Dr. Stela Dhima
Program Director of MA Business and Organizational Psychology
Stela Dhima holds a PhD in Research in Psychology. Besides working in the academia and academic research, she has built over a decade of applied research experience in market research agencies and consulting firms in Albania and Germany, leading end-to-end quantitative research projects and advising B2B clients across multiple industries. Since 2020, she has been directing the Master of Arts program in Business and Organisational Psychology at Steinbeis University – Schools of Next Practices. In this role, she supervises master-level research projects and teaches research methods, consumer behaviour, and business psychology. She speaks six languages and brings an international and applied perspective to her work at the intersection of psychology, research, and professional practice.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Wilde
Data Driven Business Models, Data Strategy & Governance, Artificial Intelligence, Data Exploration & Analytics
Thomas is a serial entrepreneur and expert in digital business models with focus on data science and artificial intelligence. He combines strategy and product management expertise with deep technological understanding. He founded a Social Media Analytics & Customer Care SaaS company and currently focuses on AI education, AI healthcare & genetics. He holds Diploma and MSc degrees in Management and Business Research from Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich as well as a PhD in Information Systems Research.
Prof Dr. Ralf Elsner
Marketing
Stefan Frigger
Digital Economics, Sustainable Leadership and Management. Innovation Project
Stefan Frigger has been an Academic Partner, Author, and Examiner at Steinbeis University since 2014, contributing expertise in strategy consulting, public speaking, and sustainability. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Cologne and is the owner of Rat und Rede, a consultancy focused on strategy and public speaking, which he founded in 2001. Alongside his academic work, he serves as Managing Director of BVK Dienstleistungsgesellschaft mbH, where he focuses on ESG and executive management.
Prof Dr. Christian Kapteyn
Digital Business, Digital Technology, Innovation and Disruption
Prof. Dr. Christian Kapteyn lectures in Digital Business at Steinbeis University, focusing on digital business models, digital transformation, and generative AI. With over 20 years of experience in innovation and digital transformation, he has founded multiple start-ups and held engineering roles at Infineon Technologies. Alongside his academic work, he serves as a consultant, coach, and mentor for start-ups and large corporations navigating digital transformation and innovation processes.
Prof. Dr. Leef Dierks
Finance, Financial Management, Economics
Prof. Dr. Dierks is a Professor of Finance and International Capital Markets at Lübeck University of Applied Sciences and lectures in finance at Steinbeis University. Prior to academia, he served as Global Head of Covered Bond Strategy at Morgan Stanley in London and as Vice President at Barclays Capital in Frankfurt. A multiple recipient of the "Lecturer of the Year Award," he is also Academic Director of EFFAS' CEFA program and author of the textbook "Geldpolitik" (Springer, 2nd ed., 2025).
Prof. Dr. Michael Saller
Legal Frameworks of Marketing, Commercial Law, European Law, International Business Law
Prof. Dr. Michael Saller holds a Master's degree from the University of Oxford and a PhD from LMU Munich, and lectures in business law, competition law, and contract design at Steinbeis University. He is a Full Professor of Business Law at Ernst-Abbe-University of Applied Sciences in Jena and Special Counsel at a leading German law firm in Frankfurt. His career includes senior roles at the OECD in Paris, the German Federal Cartel Office, and international law firms Latham & Watkins and Shearman & Sterling.
Dr. Stefan Oppitz
Business Psychology
Stefan Oppitz is a psychologist and adult education specialist who lectures in business psychology and performance management at Steinbeis University since 2013. As CEO of A-M-T Management Performance AG, he brings extensive experience in leadership development, talent management, and organisational change. He holds a Master's degree from North Carolina State University and is a recognised expert in psychometric instruments, particularly MBTI®.
Dr. Dennis Zeiler
Entrepreneurship
Dr. Dennis Zeiler lectures in Entrepreneurship at Steinbeis University and at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, bringing hands-on experience from the startup and investment world into the classroom. He is a Venture Capital investor and Partner at xdeck, a European early-stage fund for B2B technology startups, where he supports young companies in growth, product development, and financing. He holds a PhD on the topic of "Entrepreneurial Passion" from WHU and RWTH Aachen.
Dr. Melody Chong
Leadership and Psychology, Coaching and Organisational Development
Dr. Pui Man Melody Chong lectures in leadership, strategic management, and cross-cultural studies at Steinbeis University, drawing on over a decade of experience in higher education across Europe and Asia. She holds a PhD in International Business and Management and has published research in leading peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of World Business and the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. Alongside her academic work, she serves as an independent consultant supporting organisations in leadership development and strategic growth.
Dr. Armin Eckermann
Economics, Politics and Society
Dr. Armin Eckermann lectures in trade finance, financial market structures, and risk management at Steinbeis University, combining strong academic foundations with extensive practical expertise. He is a financial economist with a long track record in senior management roles at international banks, including Deputy CEO of a trade finance-specialised bank in Europe and positions at Standard Bank London and WestLB Group. His work spans Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America.
Dr. René Jerusalem
Organization Development
Dr. Reinhard Schmitt
Organizational Consulting
Dr. Reinhard Schmitt has been lecturing in Organisational Consulting at Steinbeis University since 2024, bringing over 25 years of experience in leadership and organisational consulting across technology-driven industries. He holds a doctorate with distinction from Clausthal University of Technology and is co-founder and managing partner of several consulting and software companies. He has published extensively on leadership, New Work, and organisational complexity, and is a regular speaker at international conferences.
Dr. Frank Penning
Innovation, Brand Management & Marketing, Digitalisation, Media Industry
Dr. Frank Penning lectures at Steinbeis University, drawing on extensive experience in media technology and digital transformation. As CIO of RTL Deutschland and Managing Director of RTL Technology GmbH since 2018, he has led the IT transformation of one of Germany's largest media groups. His career includes co-founding the streaming service WaipuTV, leading digitalisation at ProSiebenSat1, and serving as CTO and investment manager at Holtzbrinck Digital.
Dr. Wolfgang Glitscher
Management & Innovation, Sustainable Management, Management Excellence
Dr. Wolfgang Glitscher lectures in Management & Innovation, Sustainable Management and Management Excellence at Steinbeis University, bringing together a strong scientific background and over two decades of consulting experience. He holds a PhD from the Technical University of Berlin and spent eight years in research at the Max Volmer Institute before moving into senior consulting roles at Fraunhofer and later as Principal Consultant across London, Cologne, and Hamburg. He is a member of GPM and the IPMA's ESG Special Interest Group.
Marilena Abt
Competency Development, Organisational Management, Market and Consumer Research
Marilena Abt has been a guest lecturer at Steinbeis University since 2016, specialising in New Work, workplace strategy, leadership, and organisational development. She holds a B.A. in Design and an MBA in Business Administration, and is a qualified systemic coach and certified strengths trainer. As Managing Partner of Jellyspace Studio GmbH, she combines her academic work with hands-on experience in leadership and team coaching.
Martin Szugat
Data-Driven Business Models and Products Data Strategy & Governance IT Systems
Martin Szugat lectures at Steinbeis University and is the founder and Managing Director of Datentreiber, a strategy consultancy specialising in data-driven business models. He holds a degree in Bioinformatics and has conducted research in machine learning, and serves as Programme Director of the international Machine Learning Week Europe conference. His Data & AI Business Design methodology is applied by organisations worldwide.
Klaus Schein
Sales Management & Negotiation, Marketing & Sales Controlling, Organisational Behavior, Consumer Psychology
Klaus Schein holds a Bachelor of Engineering (FH) in Electrical Engineering, is the Program Director for Co-Creation, and is the author of the book “Co-Value Creating”. He has gained professional experience at international technology companies such as HPE, GE, and Rockwell Automation. In his work, he combines technical expertise, sales leadership, and organizational development with the question of how companies can create measurable value together with strategic customers.
Rosa Markarian
Intercultural Communication & Management
Rosa Markarian has held global leadership positions for over 15 years, building and scaling business divisions across Europe, the US, and Asia.Rosa Markarian has held global leadership positions for over 15 years, building and scaling business divisions across Europe, the US, and Asia. Her industry focus is digital technology, with career stations at companies including Amazon, WPP (the world's largest advertising holding group), and PayPal. She brings extensive hands-on expertise in successful cross-cultural collaboration.
Frank Ewert
Future of Business Organization
Frank Ewert is a Senior Agile Coach, Change Manager, and Organisational Developer with over 13 years of experience in the agile transformation of teams and organisations. He has supported companies including Zalando SE, Mister Spex, and Redcare Pharmacy through structural and cultural change processes, ranging from team coaching to governance level. He combines methodological depth with a pragmatic approach to implementation. His focus areas are business agility, leadership, and self-organisation.
