— Profile · Executive Search Munich
Oliver Kempkens
Founder & managing partner
Executive search advisor and headhunter with 100+ successfully placed leaders — partner-led, discreet, rooted in the German-speaking mid-market.
— Background
From SAP VP to boutique headhunter.
Oliver was the youngest executive hire at Russell Reynolds Associates Germany, where he co-founded the digital practice. Before that, he served as VP at SAP in Palo Alto and Walldorf, playing a pivotal role in the firm's intellectual renewal.
Beyond Russell Reynolds, Oliver led the scaling of ITMP, a St. Gallen-based strategy consultancy. From 2019 to February 2022 he served as Managing Director / Acting VP for Digital Platform Strategy (965 FTE) at Europe's largest bank, Sberbank, in Moscow.
Oliver holds degrees in Law (BA, MA), Mediation (MA) and a PhD in Sociology, and was awarded a PhD hc by the University of Southampton. He teaches Management & Leadership at Stanford University, the Hasso-Plattner Institute, the University of St. Gallen, the University of Vienna and Johannes Kepler University Linz.
He was named Best Headhunter of the Year (2019) and has successfully placed well over 100 executives across diverse industries.
— Focus areas
What companies engage Oliver for.
Leadership roles at the intersection of strategy, digital and technology.
C-level and board mandates for PE-backed and corporate organisations.
Discreet search for executive management and boards across DACH and beyond.
Oliver contributes regularly to Forbes, Business Insider and Capital on leadership and talent. Press & Publications →