Thilo, Head of Department Product Management C24
Thilo has been Head of Department for Product Management at C24 Bank and Product Owner of the Accounts division since 2020. Read more to find out more about his career path, his tasks, and the exciting projects at CHECK24.
Hello Thilo, tell us a bit about yourself and your career at CHECK24.
Thilo:
After my Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology plus my Master’s in Management at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), I started as an Inhouse Consultant at CHECK24 in 2016. During this time, I worked on a lot of interesting projects for the various CHECK24 comparison products.
In 2019, I then joined C24 Bank as a Team Lead, which only existed as an idea at the time. Supporting the founding and start-up phase of an online bank is a unique and very exciting challenge. Together with my team, I was responsible for product management, building the operational backend of the bank, and integrating diverse banking subsystems into C24 Bank. This means that the magic behind what the customer sees is on our account.
Since last year, I am now leading the product management of C24 Bank in the area of accounts. My responsibilities now comprise everything that the customer sees in the current account area and the associated features.
You’ve had a steep learning curve. What’s changed about your job in recent years?
Thilo:
Since starting at CHECK24 five years ago, my tasks have changed a lot since transferring to C24 Bank. The focus of my work has changed in particular, from project work involving multiple CHECK24 products to long-term product and managerial responsibility at C24 Bank.
As an Inhouse Consultant, I was able to gain insight into the entire digital value chain and many different markets. Now my day-to-day work no longer consists purely of designing and implementing various projects, but the business of product management now takes on a greater role. The challenge here is not to lose sight of the big picture and to actively help shape the future of C24 Bank.
And what has stayed the same?
Thilo:
The strong customer focus as well as the fact that I am constantly learning and applying new things have not changed. This allows me to constantly develop further in my tasks. And it never gets boring!
Why CHECK24?
I was most impressed by the opportunity to learn from experienced top managers as well as work on exciting projects for the entire CHECK24 Group.
Thilo, HoD Product Management
What exactly do you do in your current position?
Thilo:
In my current position, I have leadership responsibility for the product managers and working students at C24 Bank. I am also responsible for shaping the strategic product roadmap around the account area. In the daily business, it's mainly the planning and monitoring of sprints, as well as ad hoc bug fixing. Cross-bank communication between the product areas is also part of this.
I am the interface between the product, IT, and management and work closely with all stakeholders. Another part is the preparation and processing of larger strategic issues for the further development of the entire bank in the dynamic fintech industry.
What were the most interesting projects in Inhouse Consulting at CHECK24?
Thilo:
In fact, one of the most interesting projects for me, at that time as an in-house consultant, was the start-up phase of C24 Bank in 2019. Here, I accompanied the preparation of the business case for the formal application for a full banking license. This project particularly appealed to me because of its uniqueness and scope, as I think such opportunities come only once in a lifetime.
It is remarkable that the project ultimately worked so well that we are the first bank in Germany to have managed to obtain a full banking license in less than a year. Then and now, I really enjoy thinking through new issues quickly, building them up, and then executing them.
I am also particularly proud of CHECK24 Kontomanager (a multi-banking product for managing accounts of different banks and the like in one place), which is now called CHECK24 Money Tracker. At that time, I was entrusted with the design and implementation of the product. I am particularly pleased that the Kontomanager still plays a major role in the CHECK24 world today.
Why did you choose CHECK24?
Thilo:
It’s quite simple: you’re given responsibility for your own projects right from the start and naturally have to deliver. You can work on real projects from the initial vision to implementation and generate a real impact. It’s still really exciting for me! I also wanted to work in an environment where we have fun every day. Because the order of the day at our company really is having a lot of fun with colleagues during, but also outside of the work day.
What advice would you have liked to receive at the start of your career?
Thilo:
No matter what challenge I face or what it's about, my approach is always “I’ll manage it”. A positive attitude is definitely an advantage and impacts your own motivation. What I had to learn though was that you can ask for help or support when needed. You don’t have to do everything alone!
If you’re also interested in shaping the digital future and are a team player, take a look at our available positions in Inhouse Consulting and don’t miss the chance to be part of many exciting projects.