Tim S. Tabrizi
Keynote Speaker
Change Management
& Transformation
From the boardroom to the stage – and back: change from the practice of a Group CEO. Human in tone, clear in substance.
Group CEO of infoteam Software AG – 28 years of professional experience, including over 20 years in management positions in medical technology, telecommunications and software
350+ keynotes in 17 countries
Best Speaker Awards: BME Symposium 2017 · OptiBuy 2021
Booked by DAX companies and international SMEs
Where change is decided in everyday work
Change rarely fails because of the idea – it fails in day-to-day implementation.
If you do not explain the reason, you get resistance instead of questions.
Resistance is feedback, not a character flaw.
What leadership does not model does not happen.
Teams can cope with a lot that is new, but with little that is unclear.
Every change needs someone accountable, not just a project plan.
Why a Group CEO speaks about change
I know change not from models but from responsibility. As a member of the Executive Board of WS Audiology (formerly Siemens’ audiology business), I led teams through restructuring and was responsible for international expansion. Before that, I was General Manager and Chief Procurement Officer of the Sivantos Group and headed global procurement and operations at Unify.
Today I am Group CEO of infoteam Software AG. That is why I know what change feels like from the inside: the decision has been made, the reasoning has not yet reached everyone, and day-to-day business carries on regardless.
That is exactly where your leaders stand. That is what I talk about – the weeks after the kick-off, when it is decided whether a change will hold.
Anyone responsible for a change must explain it even when they still have doubts themselves.
My approach: change as a leadership task
Most change projects have a plan, a timeline and a budget. What is often missing is clarity on who decides in everyday work when the plan no longer fits.
This is where I connect change management with my core topic, accountability and decision-making culture: clarifying responsibilities before the start, taking resistance seriously as feedback, making interim results visible and discussing setbacks instead of glossing over them.
The well-known models – Kurt Lewin’s three-phase model, John P. Kotter’s eight steps – remain useful. They describe what has to happen. I talk about who does it and what stops them in everyday work.
Where change demands a lot of people over a long period, the question of resilience is part of it too – more on this on the page about resilience in organisations. Where it is triggered by technology, on the page about digitalisation as a leadership task.
Three situations in which I am booked
- After a merger or reorganisation: how two ways of working become one without either side feeling like the loser.
- When a decision on direction is not supported by everyone: how leaders represent a decision they themselves view critically. I spoke about this for Porsche under the title “Leadership under pressure to change”.
- In long transformation programmes: how energy is maintained after the kick-off when the first successes are slow to come.
“Our company has a long tradition of error avoidance and risk aversion. But thanks to keynote speaker Tim S. Tabrizi, we have learnt to see mistakes as an opportunity for further development.” – Michael Lehmann, Team Leader, T-Systems
What your leaders will take away
- A clear answer to who decides what during the change.
- A language for resistance that brings questions to the surface instead of creating fronts.
- Two or three concrete steps for the coming weeks in their own team.
- The certainty that doubts about a change are not a failure of leadership.
Occasions I am booked for
Kick-off events for transformation programmes. Leadership conferences after a merger, a reorganisation or a new leadership structure. Strategy and annual kick-off events when a decision on direction has to be conveyed. Management conferences and specialist conferences – on request, digital or hybrid.
Typical length: 45 to 60 minutes, 90 minutes on request with audience participation.
Booking a keynote: how we work together
Preparation. Before every keynote, I invest several hours in research: I read your annual reports, talk to your contacts and analyse the challenges of your industry.
On stage. My keynotes are not one-way lectures. I work with targeted questions, live reflections and moments in which the audience becomes active itself.
Afterwards. Upon request, you will receive follow-up materials, handouts, or an in-depth workshop for your team.
The first step is a 15-minute call, free of charge and without obligation. In it, we clarify whether my topic fits your event – and if it does not, I will tell you. Full details on the booking process and terms.
Answers to your most frequently asked questions:
What does a keynote with you cost?
A keynote with me costs between €5,000 and €9,000, depending on duration, preparation and travel. After a short call, you receive an individual quote – transparent and without hidden costs.
How long is a keynote?
Typically 45–60 minutes. On request, also as a 90-minute session with interactive elements or as a half-day workshop for greater depth.
Do you also speak in English?
Yes, I give about a third of my keynotes in English – among others for Siemens in Japan, for international teams at Kuraray and at events in Dubai and Singapore.
How do you prepare for my event?
I talk to your team in advance, analyse your industry and develop content that is a perfect fit for your audience. Every keynote is unique.
Can we talk before I book?
Of course. A 15-minute introductory call is free of charge and without obligation. It lets us clarify whether my topic fits your event.
Tim S. TabriziKeynote speaker, Group CEO & executive coach.🔗 Connect on LinkedIn