Christopher Schläffer
Encyclopedia
Christopher Schlaeffer is an Austrian manager and graduate of the Vienna
University of Economics. A high-tech industry protagonist, Schlaeffer's work centers around driving the evolution of innovations like IPTV
, the mobile internet or network-centric computing. More recently he is focusing on the convergence of internet, telecommunication and smart utility networks. Christopher Schlaeffer is recognized by the World Economic Forum as a “Young Global Leader“.
In 2006 Christopher Schlaeffer became Deutsche Telekom's Chief Product & Innovation Officer and thus in charge of the group's product portfolio and bringing key innovations like IPTV, the mobile internet or new services around "Connected Life & Work" to market. In this role he became member of the group's Executive Operating Board and chairman of Deutsche Telekom's Marketing Leadership Team. Schlaeffer also managed Deutsche Telekom’s Research & Development, the group's digital businesses in online content, eCommerce, advertising, payment and social networking as well as the company's strategic partnerships, for example with Apple for the iPhone or Google to launch the world's first mobile telephone based on the Android operating system. With the foundation of Deutsche Telekom Laboratories in Berlin, Beer Sheva/ Israel and Los Altos, which are perceived as exemplary for the “new nature of innovation” in a report of C. K. Prahalad to the OECD, he applied the concept of open innovation to the communication industry.
In 2009 Schlaeffer announced to leave Deutsche Telekom after nearly 12 years in order to take on new challenges.
He was a founding member of the organization committee of the International Beethoven Piano Competition Bonn.
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
University of Economics. A high-tech industry protagonist, Schlaeffer's work centers around driving the evolution of innovations like IPTV
IPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
, the mobile internet or network-centric computing. More recently he is focusing on the convergence of internet, telecommunication and smart utility networks. Christopher Schlaeffer is recognized by the World Economic Forum as a “Young Global Leader“.
Early Life & Education
Christopher Schlaeffer was born on August 23, 1969 and raised by his mother together with 2 brothers and one sister in Maishofen, Austria. He graduated from Vienna University of Economics in 1993 with a thesis on ecological tax reform.Professional career
Schlaeffer started his business career with Accenture, the international consulting, technology and outsourcing company. In 1998 he joined Deutsche Telekom, Europe's largest telecoms operator. In 2000 the board under CEO Ron Sommer promoted him to Senior Vice President Group Strategy. During the following decade Schlaeffer played a key role in Deutsche Telekom's transformation. In 2002 he became Corporate Development Officer (CDO) giving him additional group-wide responsibilities for Innovation, Technology and IT as well as Deutsche's regional offices across Europe and Asia.In 2006 Christopher Schlaeffer became Deutsche Telekom's Chief Product & Innovation Officer and thus in charge of the group's product portfolio and bringing key innovations like IPTV, the mobile internet or new services around "Connected Life & Work" to market. In this role he became member of the group's Executive Operating Board and chairman of Deutsche Telekom's Marketing Leadership Team. Schlaeffer also managed Deutsche Telekom’s Research & Development, the group's digital businesses in online content, eCommerce, advertising, payment and social networking as well as the company's strategic partnerships, for example with Apple for the iPhone or Google to launch the world's first mobile telephone based on the Android operating system. With the foundation of Deutsche Telekom Laboratories in Berlin, Beer Sheva/ Israel and Los Altos, which are perceived as exemplary for the “new nature of innovation” in a report of C. K. Prahalad to the OECD, he applied the concept of open innovation to the communication industry.
In 2009 Schlaeffer announced to leave Deutsche Telekom after nearly 12 years in order to take on new challenges.
Personal life
Christopher Schlaeffer is married and father of 2 daughters. He takes interest in public policy especially with regard to the development of an “eco-social” market economy and the evolution of an open information society.He was a founding member of the organization committee of the International Beethoven Piano Competition Bonn.
Honors, Awards, Positions
Christopher Schlaeffer holds numerous positions in public institutions and advisory boards. He lectures innovation management at Technical University Berlin. He was recognized as a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum in 2007.Works
- Applied Technology and Innovation Management, Arnold H., Erner M., Möckel P., Schläffer C, Springer, Berlin (2010), ISBN 978-3540888260
- Münchner Kreis: “Prospects and Opportunities of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Media”, 2009.
- Umsetzung von offener Innovation durch industrielle Cluster und Public Private Partnerships, Bub U., Schläffer C., published in Beschleunigte Innovation mit regionalen und industrienahen Forschungsclustern IRB Verlag (2008), ISBN 978-3816774594
- Convergent Media & Networks, Keynote Speech at the 12th German-Japanese Symposium, 2007