Management
Meet the hybris executive management team.
Ariel Lüdi,
Chief Executive Officer
Ariel was appointed CEO in 2004 and is the driving force behind the company’s expansion. Prior to joining hybris, Ariel was senior vice president of European sales at salesforce.com, where he oversaw year-over-year revenue increases in excess of 100 percent. Ariel also established and led European sales at BroadVision, and was the head of sales at Oracle Switzerland. He joined Oracle from IBM, his first position after studying physics at ETH in Zurich.
Chief Executive Officer
Ariel was appointed CEO in 2004 and is the driving force behind the company’s expansion. Prior to joining hybris, Ariel was senior vice president of European sales at salesforce.com, where he oversaw year-over-year revenue increases in excess of 100 percent. Ariel also established and led European sales at BroadVision, and was the head of sales at Oracle Switzerland. He joined Oracle from IBM, his first position after studying physics at ETH in Zurich.
Carsten Thoma,
Chief Operating Officer
Carsten co-founded hybris in 1997. He is responsible for global operations, marketing and corporate planning of the company. After successfully driving the hybris North America market entry Carsten led the team that managed the acquisition of iCongo in August 2011. His relentless pursuit for talent has resulted in a highly motivated and passionate workforce and unique corporate culture as that is at the center of the company’s success. He began his career at Hewlett Packard, where his ideas for a standardized and flexible e-commerce software were the starting point for what would become hybris. Carsten studied law and also holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration
Chief Operating Officer
Carsten co-founded hybris in 1997. He is responsible for global operations, marketing and corporate planning of the company. After successfully driving the hybris North America market entry Carsten led the team that managed the acquisition of iCongo in August 2011. His relentless pursuit for talent has resulted in a highly motivated and passionate workforce and unique corporate culture as that is at the center of the company’s success. He began his career at Hewlett Packard, where his ideas for a standardized and flexible e-commerce software were the starting point for what would become hybris. Carsten studied law and also holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration
Steven Kramer,
President North America & Global B2B Sales
Steven is responsible for running hybris business in the Americas. Previously, he was president and co-founder of iCongo, where he led a continuous cycle of innovation and growth, enabling the company to become a leading provider of cross-channel retail e-commerce and business-to-business e-commerce systems. Prior to joining iCongo, Steven led supply-chain enterprise system implementations for large retail and manufacturing companies at Richter Systems Inc. He holds a bachelor of commerce degree in management information systems from McGill University.
President North America & Global B2B Sales
Steven is responsible for running hybris business in the Americas. Previously, he was president and co-founder of iCongo, where he led a continuous cycle of innovation and growth, enabling the company to become a leading provider of cross-channel retail e-commerce and business-to-business e-commerce systems. Prior to joining iCongo, Steven led supply-chain enterprise system implementations for large retail and manufacturing companies at Richter Systems Inc. He holds a bachelor of commerce degree in management information systems from McGill University.
Moritz Zimmermann,
Chief Technology Officer
Moritz co-founded hybris in 1997 with an idea for a highly innovative packaged e-commerce application that has now evolved into a leading platform for multichannel communication and sales. With his team, he develops innovative products for hybris clients and supports their e-commerce and PIM multichannel strategies. Moritz holds an MBA from Munich School of Management and a bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Gallen.
Chief Technology Officer
Moritz co-founded hybris in 1997 with an idea for a highly innovative packaged e-commerce application that has now evolved into a leading platform for multichannel communication and sales. With his team, he develops innovative products for hybris clients and supports their e-commerce and PIM multichannel strategies. Moritz holds an MBA from Munich School of Management and a bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Gallen.
Michael Zips,
Chief Financial Officer
Michael started his professional career as a business development manager at Daimler-Benz Aerospace. From there he joined VCI Technoinvest as an investment manager where he funded technology startups and growth companies, including hybris. In 2005 Michael took over executive responsibility for VCI´s portfolio company Avitech, an IT solutions provider for the aviation industry. As CEO he doubled revenues and was instrumental in selling the company. Following Avitech, Michael worked as an M&A and corporate finance advisor before he joined hybris as CFO in March 2011.
Chief Financial Officer
Michael started his professional career as a business development manager at Daimler-Benz Aerospace. From there he joined VCI Technoinvest as an investment manager where he funded technology startups and growth companies, including hybris. In 2005 Michael took over executive responsibility for VCI´s portfolio company Avitech, an IT solutions provider for the aviation industry. As CEO he doubled revenues and was instrumental in selling the company. Following Avitech, Michael worked as an M&A and corporate finance advisor before he joined hybris as CFO in March 2011.
Thomas Hertz,
Senior Vice President, Products
Thomas has architected four generations of hybris software, from .Net technology to J2EE and lightweight Java-based service-oriented solutions. He is an expert in massively scalable, high-performance Internet applications, going back to his university days. In 2008, he took over the management of the hybris R&D organization. Thomas is now in charge of global product management, product strategy and product marketing, working closely with R&D to create and deliver the most complete commerce solution available, while keeping a focus on the architecture and partner-ready platform stack.
Senior Vice President, Products
Thomas has architected four generations of hybris software, from .Net technology to J2EE and lightweight Java-based service-oriented solutions. He is an expert in massively scalable, high-performance Internet applications, going back to his university days. In 2008, he took over the management of the hybris R&D organization. Thomas is now in charge of global product management, product strategy and product marketing, working closely with R&D to create and deliver the most complete commerce solution available, while keeping a focus on the architecture and partner-ready platform stack.
Katrin Günter,
Senior Vice President, Global Services
Katrin joined hybris in 1999 and has played critical roles in software development, commerce and PCM projects across Europe and North America, and in professional services management. In 2007, she established the hybris division in Poland. Today Katrin oversees hybris’ partner enablement, professional services, managed services and support, and is responsible for addressing the specific needs in a partner-centric delivery model. She holds a graduate degree in computer science and economics from the Technical University of Munich.
Senior Vice President, Global Services
Katrin joined hybris in 1999 and has played critical roles in software development, commerce and PCM projects across Europe and North America, and in professional services management. In 2007, she established the hybris division in Poland. Today Katrin oversees hybris’ partner enablement, professional services, managed services and support, and is responsible for addressing the specific needs in a partner-centric delivery model. She holds a graduate degree in computer science and economics from the Technical University of Munich.
Marc Graveline,
Global Vice President, Research & Development
Marc leads hybris’ technology development and innovation efforts, including managing and overseeing all software engineering, R&D activities. He has more than 25 years of experience in delivering next-generation software products, management of quality-control activities and the application of best practices in software development. Before joining hybris, Marc held the same position at iCongo, and previously held executive positions at Verint and Cognos. He graduated with a bachelor of electrical engineering degree from McGill University.
Global Vice President, Research & Development
Marc leads hybris’ technology development and innovation efforts, including managing and overseeing all software engineering, R&D activities. He has more than 25 years of experience in delivering next-generation software products, management of quality-control activities and the application of best practices in software development. Before joining hybris, Marc held the same position at iCongo, and previously held executive positions at Verint and Cognos. He graduated with a bachelor of electrical engineering degree from McGill University.
Joshua Ostrega,
Global Vice President, Managed Services
Joshua is responsible for leading the global operations of hybris' managed services business and supports the company's delivery of best-in-class, enterprise-level managed hosting services. He was a co-founder of iCongo, where he held several management roles. Prior to iCongo, Joshua worked on private and public technology financings and M&A transactions at Yorkton. He graduated with distinction from McGill University with a bachelor of commerce degree.
Global Vice President, Managed Services
Joshua is responsible for leading the global operations of hybris' managed services business and supports the company's delivery of best-in-class, enterprise-level managed hosting services. He was a co-founder of iCongo, where he held several management roles. Prior to iCongo, Joshua worked on private and public technology financings and M&A transactions at Yorkton. He graduated with distinction from McGill University with a bachelor of commerce degree.