20+ years shaping digital products
Product Leader & Agile Coach with 20+ years of experience — from B2B marketplaces to consumer platforms, from scale-ups to corporates. I help teams gain structure, focus, and momentum — through product management consulting, agile coaching, and hands-on support.
50% product nerd, 50% method & process whisperer · 100% 改善 (Kaizen)
About me
“My focus is on clarity, collaboration, and real-world impact.”
Hi, I’m Martin.
I started out in hospitality, studied tourism and business, and found my way into tech in the late 90s. Since then, I’ve led and coached product teams across different business models and product contexts — most recently at mobile.de, where I was Head of Product for the Dealer Platform. My focus? Clarity, collaboration, and real-world impact.
Companies I’ve worked with
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How I Help
Growth — People grow, products get better. I support skill development and build lasting product capabilities.
Clarity — Clear goals instead of endless backlogs. I help teams focus on what really matters.
Structure — Smoother collaboration, faster delivery. I shape teams and structures that support both.
My services
Developing Product Strategies
I help teams turn big ideas into clear, practical strategies — grounded in user needs, market development and business goals. I bring methods and best practices to make strategy work in real life.
Introducing OKRs
With 8 years of hands-on experience, I help teams get started with OKRs, plan smarter, create stronger objectives and key results, avoid common pitfalls and collaborate more effectively.
Transforming the Product Organisation
I help product teams set up structures that foster focus, autonomy, and business impact — especially during phases of change like scaling, restructuring, or mergers.
Facilitating Workshops
I plan and guide teams through workshops to generate ideas, develop strategies, and solve problems together — always focused on clear outcomes and practical next steps.
Improving Agile Skillset
I help teams introduce and improve agile practices like Scrum and Kanban — making ceremonies more effective, strengthening collaboration across roles and disciplines, and turning agility into part of the team’s daily mindset.
Coaching PMs
I coach Product Managers at all levels — starting with an assessment of team maturity, and helping them sharpen communication, build better backlogs, write stronger user stories, and prepare more effective ceremonies and workshops.
Assessing the Product Organisation
Before we dive into solutions, I take a close look: How mature are your ways of working, your team’s skills, and your product practices? With a sharp outside-in view, I help uncover what’s working — and what’s in the way.
Shaping Product Roadmaps
I create outcome-driven, agile roadmaps with teams — built on clear product strategy, aligned across functions, and easy to communicate. Roadmaps become a practical tool to guide priorities and shape actionable backlogs.
Enabling Product Discovery
I align Product and UX around shared goals, help teams uncover real user needs, test ideas early, and turn insights into direction — focusing on what truly matters to the business.
Leading Projects as Interim PM
I step in as an operational Product Manager or Interim Product Lead to drive projects and products forward — bringing hands-on experience, leadership, structure, and focus.
My professional story
From SAP to mobile.de – across marketing, agile coaching, and product leadership. Always focused on what matters: good products, strong teams, real outcomes.
Experience
Head of Product
2018 – 2025
Details
Product Leadership Across Dealers, Product Ops & Consumer Experience · Driving Strategy, Teams & KPIs · Accelerating Dealer Tool Adoption · Member of Product & Tech and BizOps Leadership Teams
Lead Product Manager
2016 – 2018
Details
Bridged the Two Worlds: Mobile.de & MOTOR-TALK · Led Product Team · Drove KPI-Focused Strategy and Roadmap to Deliver on M&A Objectives · Unlocked Brand Synergies
Agile Process Master
2013 – 2016
Details
Coached Product & Tech Teams in Agile Practices to Improve Time-to-Market · Strengthened PM & QA Roles · Scaled Agile with Company-Wide Tools & Methods
Senior ScrumMaster / Agile Process Manager
MyHammer – Berlin
2011 – 2013
Details
Brought Agile to Life Across IT & Stakeholders to Boost Efficiency & Development Speed · Drove Scrum/Kanban Adoption · Facilitated Key Rituals & Cross-Team Collaboration
Senior Project Manager
2010 – 2011
Details
Led Platform Projects End-to-End · Optimized IT Processes with Jira & Confluence · Bridged Teams & Leadership · Co-Introduced Scrum with IT
Senior Product Owner
2007 – 2010
Details
Led Key Partner Shop Initiatives · Built Scalable B2B/B2C Tools and Drove Redesign of the Shop Partner User Area · Co-Created Custom Solutions with Sales (e.g. CNN.com)
Senior Product Manager
2004 – 2007
Details
Focused on Buying, Motors & Real Estate Classifieds · Led mobile.de Integration into eBay Core and New Classifieds Format Launch · Bridged German Market and Global Product & Tech Teams
Regional Industry Group Specialist
2003 – 2004
Details
Rolled out mySAP SRM Across EMEA with Focus on Strategic Sourcing · Created Training Materials and Delivered Sales & Consulting Trainings · Collaborated with Product & Tech During Specs & Design Phase
Product Management Specialist
2000 – 2003
Details
Led Global Rollout for SAP Enterprise Buyer / mySAP SRM · Built Demo Systems for Presales & Consulting · Ran Roadshows, Trainings & Event Support
Marketing Specialist
1999 – 2000
Details
Marketed SAP Internet Sales & E-Procurement · Developed Campaign Plans & Budgets · Briefed Analysts · Created Marketing Materials & Events · Supported Global Pricing
Education
Diploma in Business Administration
1994 – 1998
Details
Degree in Transport and Tourism Management · Focus on Marketing, Economics, Transport & Hospitality · One Semester Abroad at IAE Université Montpellier, France
Apprenticeship in Hotel Management
Queens Hotel Karlsruhe
1990 – 1992
Details
IHK-Certified Apprenticeship in Hotel Management · Trained Across Hotel Operations incl. Front Office, F&B, Kitchen Basics, Event Planning & Purchasing
Abitur (German High School Diploma)
1988
Details
German University Entrance Qualification (Abitur) · Specialising in Natural Sciences and Languages
Languages
German
(native)
★★★★★
English
(fluent)
★★★★
French
(intermediate)
★★★
Spanish
(intermediate)
★★★
My product blog
Lean Product Management in action — from my blog on Product Management, Agile methods, and real-world insights: therisingproduct.com.
Product Strategy
7 Steps to a Great Product Strategy
“Make a product strategy.” may sound like a battle cry, but it’s an essential aspect of a product manager’s daily routine – or at least it should be.
by Martin Heckmann
Objectives & Key Results
OKRs – The Top 5 Pitfalls
Implementing OKRs can be deceptively simple, but sustaining their effectiveness poses challenges. The post highlights five common pitfalls organisations encounter.
by Martin Heckmann
Product Org Design
A Call for Customer Journey Teams
Traditional org structures often lead to coordination overload, unclear missions, and lack of ownership. The post argues for organising product teams around customer journeys.
by Martin Heckmann
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My Testimonials
★★★★★
“Martin was always ahead of the curve”
Working with Martin was a real pleasure. He led cross-functional teams with empathy and precision, combining deep product expertise with a strong sense for people and process. Whether it was delivering strategic initiatives under pressure or evolving our product development culture – Martin was always ahead of the curve. His structured mindset, strong ownership, and collaborative spirit made a lasting impact on our organisation.
CTO, mobile.de
★★★★★
“A true catalyst for organisational agility”
During his time at MOTOR-TALK, Martin made a significant impact as Agile Process Master. He coached Product and Tech teams in agile practices, improving time-to-market and team efficiency. By strengthening Product Management and QA roles, and introducing scalable, company-wide agile methods and tools, he laid the foundation for sustainable product development and cross-team collaboration. A true catalyst for organisational agility and continuous improvement.
Former CTPO, MOTOR-TALK.de