Name: Paul Friedl
Position: Partner Communication Design
Nationality: Austria

Responsibilities
Paul specialises in the development of strategic marketing and brand communication. His role is to keep our brand and communication resources at the cutting edge, creating and executing everything from TV, print and web promotions to sales documentation and direct marketing. He works closely with our clients to understand their needs and translate them into powerful brand strategies that deliver results.

Skills
Paul works with KISKA clients to identify communication opportunities that will raise their market awareness and image. He seeks to achieve optimum results that satisfy the goals that have been agreed for the product, the brand and the client. Working in both the consumer and business-to-business sectors, Paul and his teams are committed to delivering excellence in every project they undertake.

Name: Jakob Pietsch
Position: Business Development Manager
Nationality: Austrian

Responsibilities
Jakob is responsible for providing the highest standards of support to KISKA clients. Internally, he manages the project progress; externally, he supports the clients in identifying and clearly defining their actual requirements. Furthermore, with his know-how in the field of innovation management, he acts as an important interface to our sister company, KTM Technology and other partners in both the expedition and execution of innovation projects.

Skills
Jakob has a wealth of experience, extending from the fashion industry to management consultancy. All of his previous positions have been focused on different forms of innovation and at KISKA he is able to work with various different teams to integrate innovation into solutions that best support the brand. He has a degree in Business Administrations.

Name: Gregor Matjan
Position: Business Development Manager
Nationality: Austrian

Responsibilities
Gregor’s role is to manage the new client acquisition strategy, making sure that we develop the most suitable solutions for our clients. As a “Customer Intimate” company we invest heavily in this relationship and Gregor has the responsibility to manage this relationship through the team. Gregor is responsible for market analyses, continually evaluating client satisfaction and is always seeking new ways to optimise the “overall KISKA experience”.

Skills
Gregor has over 10 years of experience in market research and strategic consultancy. During the course of his work he has focussed his attention on market analysis, market segmentation and analysis of the competition for various companies. He has a PhD in Politics and Communications Science and holds a teaching post as a lecturer at the university in Vienna.

Name: Gerhard Wipplinger
Position: Business Development Manager
Nationality: Austrian

Responsibilities
Gerhard is responsible for helping our clients to better leverage their technical expertise through product design and branded opportunities. With a deep knowledge new product development and product management from the initial concept to the finished produced product Gerhard is our CRM that connect engineers to marketers.

Skills
With his extensive technical background and more than 20 years experience in product development and production management, Gerhard has already overseen the successful launch of many new products during his career. Moreover, Gerhard was and is a keen advocate of new technologies and always open to innovations. He is a qualified instrument mechanic and draughtsman.

Name: Edith Hartmann
Position: Researcher
Nationality: Austria

Responsibilities
Edith is responsible for Brand, Design and Marketing Research to acquire an indispensable Design and Strategy basis for projects in various industries. She develops with her team solution scenarios for our clients and is a specialist in research analysis.

Skills
During her studies in "Design & Product Management" Edith was able to widen and extend her creative and analytical skills. Before joining KISKA she gained national and international work experience, as well as invaluable experience in an innovation agency where she could extend her knowledge into the field of Trend and Design research.

Position: Research
Nationalität: Österreich

Verantwortungsbereich:
Eveline beschäftigt sich mit Research im Bereich Markt, Marke und Design. Durch verschiedene Methoden erhebt und kennt sie die Perspektive der Kunden und liefert so erfolgsrelevante und innovative Erkenntnisse.

Qualifikation:
Eveline hat Erfahrung im qualitativen und quantitativen Research, in der strategischen Markenberatung und Organisationsentwicklung. Nach dem Studium der Wirtschaftswissenschaften / Sozioökonomie arbeitete sie die letzten Jahre im Ausland, wo sie in einer Markenberatungsagentur und später als Analyst in einer Unternehmensberatung tätig war.

Name: Mark Blackwell
Position: Business Development Director
Nationality: USA

Responsibilities
Mark was recently appointed to establish a strong presence for Kiska in the US by developing new business, establishing an office and building the team for Kiska USA. Initially, Mark will be supported from Kiska headquarters in Austria while new business is being established and the US team is developed.

Skills
Mark brings over 30 years of global experience in a wide range of business areas from product design and development to sales & marketing, financial and general management. Mark has worked with American, Japanese and European companies, and has developed and led teams of people in companies ranging from less than $10 million in revenue to nearly $2 billion. A former professional motocross racer and champion, and race team manager, Mark thrives on working in high performance environments, with top performers.

Area of responsibility:
Kristin has joined KISKA to add further depth to our Brand Consulting division. An internationally successful specialist with 25 years of experience, she brings a wealth of experience to KISKA, especially in the FMCG sector.

Qualifications:
Kristin learnt the craft of integrated communications solutions in agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather, Lintas and McCann. Her passion for sustainable brand solutions was further developed by working with clients such as Unilever, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and Montblanc.

Name: Gerald Kiska
Position: Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Nationality: Austria

Responsibilities
Gerald sets the strategic direction of the business, supporting the other partners as they deliver our vision, fulfil our mission and live our core values. He also advises our clients, helping them to identify and clarify critical issues and working with them to develop relevant design solutions that deliver long-term business benefits.

Skills
Gerald's vision, ‘Designing Desire', and the process that achieves it, ‘Integrated Design Development', have made KISKA and its clients some of the most successful companies in Europe. Gerald has worked on a wide range of transportation, product and communication projects, both consumer-focused and investment-driven. His designs have been internationally recognised and many of our clients have invited him to bring his consultancy skills to their advisory boards.

Name: Sebastien Stassin
Position: Partner Transportation Design
Nationality: Belgium

Responsibilities
Sebastien maintains and enhances KISKA's reputation as a leader in the global market for transportation design. Harnessing his department's skills in business and marketing, he delivers creative yet practical solutions for products and brands. He also identifies and recruits some of the world's most talented designers, motivating them to bring their skills to the KISKA transportation offering.

Skills
Sebastien has worked with many famous manufacturers and design studios, setting new directions and taking ideas from concept to production. At KISKA he directs the development of projects for clients around the world, supervising interior, exterior, brand and product development for motorcycles, scooters, quads and all-terrain vehicles. His work includes the fabulous KTM X-Bow car.

Name: Marcus Waldmann
Position: Partner & Head of Product Design
Nationality: Germany

Responsibilities
Marcus sets the strategic style of our work for each client, basing his thoughts on the strategic direction we develop when each project begins. He aims to keep KISKA at the cutting edge of design, recruiting genuinely passionate and talented designers. Working very closely with clients and other KISKA departments, he ensures that every need is clearly defined and translated into successful products and brands.

Skills
Marcus has created award-winning designs since 1996, achieving improved brand perceptions and customer satisfaction through a detailed insight into each client’s markets and cultures. He brings together KISKA's specialist skills, from engineering to marketing, to enrich the product design process and ensure that clients benefit from powerful solutions that help them to exceed their business goals.

Name: Steve Masterson
Position: Partner & Chief Operating Officer
Nationality: English

Responsibilities
Steve handles the day-to-day management of KISKA, in particular its support functions such as sales, marketing, finance, administration, HR and information technology. With the other partners, he is also responsible for KISKA's research and strategy department, which works with our clients to develop and optimise business, marketing, brand and product strategies.

Skills
Steve has nearly 20 years of experience as a specialist in sales, marketing and operations, gained in account management and people management for national and global organisations. His extensive management experience covers areas as diverse as strategy development, market evaluation and penetration, and account handling. He has also managed new business and market development activity for a number of famous brands.

Name: Julian Herget
Position: Manager Research & Strategy
Nationality: Germany

Responsibilities
Julian and his team support KISKA clients by helping them to define the most appropriate marketing goals and map a route towards their achievement. Working on complex and challenging projects, Julian also develops and manages the relationship between our internal design discipline, ‘Integrated Design Development’, and market needs.

Skills
Julian has gained extensive practical experience in many industries, working with clients who range from niche players to global market leaders. He is an expert in design, research and strategy across business, marketing and product issues. His analytical skills, strategic thinking and passion for brands and products enable KISKA to deliver powerful and relevant solutions in every project.