A bombshell in the consulting industry: zeb with a new dual leadership
On July 11, 2025, the renowned strategy, IT and management consultancy zeb announced a surprising and forward-looking change of leadership. After the most recent shareholders' meeting, the company will in future be led by a dual leadership. Thorsten Helbig (52) and Sven Krämer (49) jointly take the reins from Dr. Markus Thiesmeyer (56), who, after two successful terms as Managing Director, has announced his resignation. This news sent the entire financial services industry into turmoil and raises exciting questions about zeb's future.
Who are the new leaders at the top?
Thorsten Helbig and Sven Krämer are no strangers in the world of financial services. Both are long-standing partners at zeb and bring a wealth of industry experience. Helbig, who joined zeb in 2002, is a recognized expert in mergers and restructuring. His colleagues particularly value his clear customer focus and his collegial leadership style, which has significantly contributed to zeb's growth.
Sven Krämer, also at zeb since 2002, has established himself as an innovator in IT consulting, digitization and artificial intelligence. With a degree in business informatics from the University of Münster, he is the creative mind behind initiatives such as the zeb.RegulatoryHub and the FinTech platform Digital Services Hub. His team-oriented leadership style has decisively advanced the deep integration of consulting with IT services.
Why the dual leadership?
Introducing a dual leadership is not a new concept in the corporate world, but it is repeatedly associated with challenges. At zeb, this decision is seen as a strategic move to meet the demands of a rapidly changing financial industry. Prof. Dr. Bernd Rolfes, main shareholder and founding partner of zeb, explained that the decision to appoint Helbig and Krämer as equal partners at the top underscores the growing importance of linking financial services expertise with IT competence.
A look back: The Thiesmeyer era
Markus Thiesmeyer took on the role of Managing Director in July 2019. Under his leadership, zeb experienced unprecedented growth, which reached revenues of 250 million euros in the last financial year 2024. Thiesmeyer guided the company through numerous challenges and established it as a leading advisor for the financial services industry in Europe. Today, zeb employs 1,200 people and is a central player in the European financial landscape.
What does this change mean for clients?
For zeb's clients, which include banks, savings banks, neobanks, fintechs, insurers and insurtechs, the new leadership is likely to bring positive changes. Helbig and Krämer have already announced that they will continue zeb's successful course while also exploring new perspectives. Clients can look forward to innovative consulting approaches that promise an even stronger integration of IT and financial services.
Expert opinions and forecasts
Financial experts see the new leadership structure as an opportunity for zeb to further strengthen its market position. "The combination of proven professional expertise and innovative IT know-how could help zeb to master the challenges of digital transformation even more effectively," says Dr. Hans Müller, a renowned financial analyst from Vienna. "It will be exciting to observe how Helbig and Krämer bring together the different strengths of their respective areas."
Comparison with other federal states and companies
Interestingly, the introduction of a dual leadership is not only a current topic at zeb. Other consulting firms in Austria and Europe are increasingly using this model. In Vienna, for example, a well-known consulting firm recently introduced a similar structure to meet the growing demands of digital transformation. Such comparisons show that zeb is following a trend with this step and is relying on a proven strategy.
Challenges of the future
The financial services industry faces numerous challenges, including ongoing digitization and increasing regulatory density. For zeb, it will be crucial how well Helbig and Krämer manage these challenges while strengthening the company's innovative capacity. The coming years will show whether the new dual leadership is able to meet the expectations of clients and employees.
Conclusion: A bold step into the future
The leadership change at zeb marks an exciting new chapter in the company's history. With Thorsten Helbig and Sven Krämer at the helm, zeb could be well positioned to face upcoming challenges and further expand its position as a leading advisor in the European financial industry. The coming months and years will show whether the new dual leadership can meet the high expectations.
A look ahead to the next steps
In the coming months, Helbig and Krämer will work closely with the outgoing Managing Director Thiesmeyer to ensure a smooth transition. This will give zeb the opportunity to set the strategic course for the future and possibly open up new business areas. The industry is watching the developments closely and eagerly awaits the next steps of the new leadership.
With this bold step, zeb shows that it is ready to face the challenges of the future and to further cement its role as an innovative leader in the financial services industry. zeb's clients and partners can look forward to exciting times and potentially groundbreaking changes.
