The Lufthansa Innovation Hub (LIH) – named „Germany’s Best Digital Lab“ – is the digital transformation spearhead of the world’s largest aviation corporation Lufthansa Group based in Berlin, Singapore and Shanghai.
The LIH discovers, evaluates and implements new technologies in the context of Travel & Mobility Tech with and for industry-leading airlines such as Lufthansa, Eurowings, SWISS and Austrian Airlines, the frequent flyer program Miles & More as well as other renowned Lufthansa Group entities.
Our growing team of tech, design, market intelligence, venture capital and digital transformation experts engages in ongoing trend and market research, holistically incubates digital ventures, fosters strategic partnerships with existing players as well as invests strategically across the travel and mobility chain.
Creating and capturing value for Lufthansa Group beyond its core business of flying, the unit works closely with aviation experts of Lufthansa Group as well as field-proven talent from the Travel & Mobility Tech ecosystem on a global scale.
Job summary:
As Director Strategic Investments (m/f/d) you are heading the growing Invest pillar of LIH, one of its five capabilities. The Invest team supports Lufthansa Group holistically in all overarching questions as well as specific project streams around strategic minority and majority investments in the Travel & Mobility Tech context.
You will act as the main advocate and voice for tech investments towards a wide variety of internal stakeholders, ranging from departments of our airlines and other subsidiaries to specialists of Corporate Strategy, Corporate Governance, Tax, Legal, HR and M&A within the Lufthansa Group core organization.
Thereby, you will constantly engage in education of and communication within our organization regarding market-standard participation in tech players. You will process an increasing amount of inbound investment proposals and steer engagement with relevant stakeholders from the investment target over external advisors to the involved Lufthansa Group units and their leadership. Together with our Discover and Partner teams, you will be also responsible for the proactive scouting, approach and closing of strategically relevant investment targets on a global scale.
Furthermore, you will advance the development of tech talent incentivization schemes together with Lufthansa Group, structure our in-house digital venture spin-offs regarding market compatibility and spearhead the management of our growing digital portfolio.
The position reports to our Managing Directors and is part of the LIH leadership team in Berlin with regular personal presence at Lufthansa Group locations in Frankfurt am Main, Vienna, Zurich and Cologne.
Responsibilities:
- Primary advocate, evangelist and lobbyist of strategic technology investments in the Travel & Mobility Tech context within Lufthansa Group
- Screen the global Travel & Mobility Tech ecosystem for potential targets
- Analyze and evaluate businesses by conducting due diligence and reference calls, researching industry sectors, interviewing the founding teams and checking financial models
- Write investment proposals and create presentations for Lufthansa Group stakeholders
- Lead end-to-end investment processes (incl. Tax, Legal, Compliance, M&A, Group Finance Committee, Group Management Board).
- Establish and steer market-standard investment vehicles for different corporate venturing activities within Lufthansa Group
- Support portfolio companies as they grow their business and capture „intellectual ROI“ for the Lufthansa Group
- Attend events, meet entrepreneurs and build lasting relationships with relevant founders and companies engaging in Travel & Mobility Tech
Profile:
- Exceptional degree (Master) from a top-tier university in Finance and/or Business Administration
- At least five years of relevant work experience in an investment role with tangible deal exposure (e.g. M&A, Venture Capital, Private Equity)
- Experience in a high-growth startup or other fast-paced environments within Investment Banking, Strategy Consulting and/or Technology
- Credible understanding of major digital business models combined with a strong analytical skill set for data-based evaluation
- Distinct attention to detail with strong project management skills (Slack, Asana, Jira)
- Excellent communication (verbal and written) as well as presentation skills
- Distinct travel and mobility affinity
- A native level in German and English
What we offer:
- Be an essential member of a smart, hard-working and growing team developing solutions for the traveler of tomorrow together with one of the most iconic brands in aviation
- Gain deep insights into the corporate world as well as the international Travel & Mobility Tech ecosystem
- Work independently and entrepreneurial holistically owning budgets, workstreams and operational decision making
- Maintain a global perspective for your work from Berlin over Singapore to Shanghai
- Utilize seasoned Lufthanseats and experienced tech talent
- Experience a truly unique setting in the heart of the Berlin tech ecosystem
- Competitive compensation with benefits
If interested, please apply here.
