Engineering Management · AI Transformation Across Teams · Karlsruhe, Germany

SebastianStöhr

Engineering Leader & AI Transformation Advisor

I build teams that ship. Engineering Manager with 15+ years leading software organisations — from hands-on architecture to managing multi-team departments. Currently advising on how organisations apply AI in product teams, customer-facing experiences, and internal processes.

50+
Developers Led
16y
Industry Experience
10+
Industries
Sebastian Stöhr — Engineering Leader based in Karlsruhe

What I Do

Core Expertise

Engineering Leadership

Building and growing cross-functional engineering teams across multiple locations. Leading 50+ developers with a focus on clear ownership, hands-on mentoring, and a culture where engineers can do their best work.

50+ developers, 5 locations

Modernisation & Migration

Decomposing decades-old systems into maintainable services — without stopping delivery. Splitting monoliths, migrating platforms, and establishing design systems that teams actually want to use.

Monolith → focused services

AI Transformation Advisory

Helping organisations figure out where AI genuinely fits — from product discovery and customer-facing experiences to internal workflows, team enablement, and the operating model needed to make it stick.

From pilots to practice

Work History

Experience & Impact

15+ years in tech — growing from developer to engineering leader. Led multi-team departments at IONOS, built cross-functional teams at internetstores, 1&1 and Cloudflight. Currently advising on how organisations apply AI in product teams, customer-facing experiences, and internal processes.

Senior Advisor AI Transformation

soon · Karlsruhe

SOON
  • AI Transformation

Delivery Manager

Cloudflight Germany GmbH · Karlsruhe

JAN 2025 — APR 2026

Leading a portfolio of client engagements across custom software development, cloud consulting, and AI solutions. Responsible for delivery quality, customer satisfaction, and sustainable business growth, combining technical, product, project, and organisational leadership to translate customer needs into effective delivery.

Owning project health, commercial performance, and long-term customer relationships across multiple accounts, while coaching project leaders and helping teams adapt to new technologies, delivery practices, and evolving customer demands.

  • Delivery Management

Head of Product & Self Service Frontends

IONOS SE · Karlsruhe

APR 2022 — DEC 2024

Responsible for the technical implementation of various product management and self-service frontends, including the IONOS Control Panel and Data Center Designer.

  • Led 5 teams (30 developers, 3 leaders) across 4 locations, building customer-facing frontends for Hosting & Cloud services.
  • Shaped and implemented technical strategy in alignment with business needs.
  • Enabled teams through mentoring, clear communication, and structured autonomy.
  • Drove organizational development, process optimization, and technology alignment.
  • Spring Boot
  • React
  • Microfrontends
  • Microservices

Head of Customer Self Care Development

1&1 IONOS SE · Karlsruhe

JUL 2020 — MAR 2022

Led a 10-person team responsible for the IONOS Control Panel. Drove the transition from a legacy monolith to Spring Boot microservices and introduced a central Design System — later adopted across multiple frontend teams in the organisation.

  • Spring Boot
  • Java
  • Design Systems

Head of Shop & App Development

internetstores GmbH · Stuttgart

APR 2019 — JUN 2020

Directed an 18-person department spanning development, QA, and UX — my first role leading a cross-functional team outside of 1&1. Oversaw 34 online shops on PHP/Symfony and led the platform migration to Salesforce Commerce Cloud.

  • Directed an 18-person department covering software development, QA, and UX.
  • Oversaw technical development of 34 online shops (PHP/Symfony).
  • Led migration to Salesforce Commerce Cloud with full budget ownership.
  • PHP
  • Symfony
  • Salesforce Commerce

Earlier at 1&1 Internet SE

Grew from dual-study student to Head of Apps & Frontend Services over nine years — taking on progressively larger teams and broader scope, from Senior Developer to Head of Frontend Platform.

2010 — 2019

Get In Touch

Say hello.

Based in Karlsruhe, Germany. If you want to talk engineering leadership, AI transformation in product teams, customer-facing experiences, or internal processes — I'm on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn