Axel has 25 years of experience accelerating profitable growth, as CEO, founder, and top management consultant. He started his consulting career with McKinsey, leading go-to-market (GTM) and sales force effectiveness engagements across Europe. 

As a CEO, Axel led portfolio companies of Bertelsmann, Otto, KKR, and General Atlantic. He co-founded and sold two digital companies. Prior to founding GT Partners, Axel worked as a Managing Director at Blue Ridge Partners, advising private equity owned companies on GTM-models, commercial effectiveness, and growth strategies. 

Axel holds a PhD. from LMU Munich. He studied business administration and international relations in Munich and at the Johns Hopkins University (SAIS).  Axel is a professor at the Munich based University of Applied Management and has authored various books on digital transformation. 

He speaks English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian. Axel lives in Munich, Germany with his children and enjoys Alpine sports.