I was born in Homburg/Saar, Germany, in 1976. I studied English and Art Teaching at the Saarland University and Design at the University of Fine Arts Saar from which I hold a diploma in Design.
My first work experience I gained in Toronto, Canada, where I worked as Junior Designer at Up Inc. and quickly realized, that working in the advertising industry was my goal.
After my graduation in 2003, I started my career as Junior Art Director at Scholz & Friends Berlin. For more than five years I was responsible as Art Director for a great number of brands with creative campaigns, such as Hapag-Lloyd Express, Frankfurter Allgemeine Newspaper, STIHL or Das Handwerk – the German Federation of Craftsmen. In 2008, I became Creative Director at Scholz & Friends and two years later Group Creative Director, leading a unit of more than 20 people.
My internationally acclaimed work for Scholz & Friends has been awarded at many festivals, such as Cannes Lions, Clio, the Art Directors Clubs of Germany, Europe and New York as well as the London International Awards. I currently hold four Cannes Lions, two golden among them, and more than 35 nails from the ADC Germany. For my design projects, I was awarded with the Grand Prix and best of show at Germany’s most important design show, the Red Dot, in 2011, 2012, and 2014.
In 2010, I became a member of the Art Directors Club Germany and I regularly take part in the ADC Award Jury.
Since 2011, I am assistant professor for advertising design at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hildesheim where I teach advertising and contributed in the HAWK becoming number 3 in the ADC creativity ranking of German universities.
In 2015, I decided to become a freelancer and work as often as possible with my copywriter Arndt Poguntke.
I live in Berlin with my wife and two sons.
Freelance Creative Director, since 2015
Assistant Professor, since 2011, HAWK, Hildesheim
Group Creative Director, 2010–2015, Scholz & Friends, Berlin
Creative Director, 2008–2010, Scholz & Friends, Berlin
Art Director, 2005–2008, Scholz & Friends, Berlin
Junior Art Director, 2003–2005, Scholz & Friends, Berlin
Designer, 2002–2003, Formart Design, Zweibruecken
Junior Designer, 2001–2002, Up Inc., Toronto
Cannes Lions
ADC Germany
ADC Europe
ADC New York
Clio
One Show
Eurobest
LIA
D&AD
New York Festivals
Epica
Lead Awards
CommAwards
Golden Drum
Cresta
Red Dot
DDP
DMMA
Die Anzeige
Das Plakat
Effi
BoB