Freelancer profile translated to English.

Description

Senior freelance IT Program and Project Manager for business-critical cloud, security, data center, and carve-out transformations.

I support international companies in securely, structurally, and auditable implementing complex IT projects – especially with technical complexity, many stakeholders, multiple providers, regulatory requirements, and tight deadlines.

My focus is on programs at the intersection of IT infrastructure, cloud, cybersecurity, compliance, and organization: data center and cloud migrations, carve-outs/carve-ins, provider transitions, ISMS/ISO 27001 programs, NIS2 readiness, as well as security and ICS/OT initiatives according to IEC 62443. Additionally, I focus on AI governance and ISO/IEC 42001 as an extension of modern security, risk, and compliance structures.

What clients value about me:

Management of international programs from strategy, business case, and governance to implementation, stabilization, and reporting
Combination of senior project/program management and technical understanding in cloud, security, network, data center, and IT operations
Experience in regulated enterprise environments with C-level, global stakeholders, internal teams, and external providers
Clear structure in complex situations: making risks visible, preparing decisions, managing dependencies, and driving implementation
Audit- and compliance-ready implementation of security, ISMS, and governance requirements according to ISO 27001, NIS2, IEC 62443, and related standards

Certifications include: PMP, PRINCE2, SAFe, ITIL 4 Master, CISSP, CISM, CCSP, OSCP, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor/Implementer, NIS2 Lead Implementer, ISA/IEC 62443 Lead Implementer, ISO/IEC 42001 Lead Auditor, Azure, AWS, GCP, and VMware.

Available as Senior IT Program Manager, Security Transformation Lead, Cloud/Infrastructure Transformation Lead, ISO 27001/NIS2 Consultant, CISO Advisor, or Carve-out/Carve-in Project Lead.

Languages

German
Native or bilingual
English
Conversational
Portuguese
Conversational

Workplace preferences

Remote only

Primarily works remotely

Alfred Kärcher
Senior IT Program Manager | Security Transformation & CISO Advisory | ISO 27001, NIS2, IEC 62443
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
June 2021 - Today (5 years)
Supported the CISO organization and IT leadership in security, compliance, and transformation initiatives across ISO 27001, NIS2, IEC 62443/OT Security, and IT integration.
Managed ISO 27001 implementation, internal audit preparation, and certification readiness; aligned controls, evidence, risks, findings, and stakeholders for external audits.
Structured NIS2 readiness preparation and rollout planning for approximately 30 European companies, including scope, gap analysis, governance, and stakeholder alignment.
Accompanied IT integration and carve-in initiatives; translated architecture, network, application, and security assessments into target architectures and implementation plans.
Coordinated OT/IACS security integration along ISA/IEC-62443 concepts, including scoping, segmentation, secure access, risk, and operational handover.
Created management and steering documents to clearly present risks, dependencies, milestones, and decision requirements.
Daimler Truck (DE)
Senior IT Carve-out Project Manager | Service Separation, TSA & Ring-fencing
AUTOMOBILE
April 2025 - April 2026 (1 year)
Managed IT carve-out and service separation activities in a complex enterprise environment.
Structured carve-out planning across IT services, infrastructure, applications, security, contracts, and provider dependencies.
Supported TSA and service separation design, including service scope, responsibilities, milestones, SLAs, dependencies, and transition risks.
Coordinated ring-fencing and separation topics with security, network, infrastructure, and application teams to reduce operational, regulatory, and contractual risks.
Prepared executive decision papers, steering committee materials, and management presentations for clear options and decisions.
Daimler Mercedes Benz AG - ARCHIVE
Senior IT Program Manager | Global Data Center, Cloud & Infrastructure Transformation
AUTOMOBILE
August 2012 - May 2025 (12 years and 9 months)
Led or supported large infrastructure, cloud, and data center transformations in global enterprise environments.
Contributed to the global consolidation of 180 data centers: program governance, PMO, business cases, onsite assessments, risk tracking, and executive reporting.
Managed international data center migrations, consolidations, and outsourcing/insourcing initiatives in Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Australia/New Zealand, and the USA.
Spent approximately two years onsite in Japan and had further international assignments in Brazil, Singapore, Australia, and the USA; acted as a bridge between local requirements, global standards, and provider models.
Planned HPC data center program in Scandinavia with a planned volume of approx. EUR 100 million over 10 years: RFPs, vendor selection, business cases, infrastructure design, and operational readiness.
Led Cloud readiness and migration planning for 8,000+ applications across Private Cloud, AWS, and Azure; defined methodology, scoring, migration patterns, and wave planning.
Managed Greenfield redesign of network, DR, security, and platform strategy for two new data centers with 8,000+ applications, including VMware VCF/NSX-T and ServiceNow integration.
Coordinated RFP, commercial negotiation, and contract preparation for strategic colocation sourcing with a volume exceeding EUR 100 million over 10 years.