freeyourbrand Peter Baumgartner Marketingberatung GmbH & Co KG, Vienna-Salzburg
CEO & Owner 

Danube University Krems, University lecturer at the Institut of Marketing & International Business Department for Management and Economics

In my consulting firm, I see myself as a sparring partner for CEOs, board members, and executives in marketing, product management, and customer experience (CX). Together, we develop brand strategies and refine existing brand positioning, bringing it to life and creating added value. Furthermore, with my many years of management experience on both the corporate and agency sides, I am available for interim and project management, as well as complex implementation projects at the intersection of marketing, product, service, and communications.

In 2019, I co-founded Pitch-Pros with Schramm Öhler Attorneys at Law, a platform for awarding creative contracts.

Since 2022, the Green Marketing Award, which I conceived and organize, has been presented annually.

Clients: Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), Interspar, Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK), jö Bonusclub, REWE Group Cologne, Vienna Public Utilities (Wiener Stadtwerke), Verbund, Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMASGPK), Federal Ministry of the Interior, Culture and Sport (BMIMI), CAT, PagroLibro, Climate Fund, Climate Ticket, Austrian National Tourist Office, Stiegl, Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMAGSPK), Vienna Funeral Services, Austrian Health Institute (GÖG), ORF Vienna, W24, GGW Group, Austrian National Bank (OeNB), and others.

2018–2025: Lecturer at Danube University Krems on the topics of brand management and integrated marketing communication.

Since July 2026: Sworn and court-certified expert for marketing (81.86) and advertising (91.80).

Austrian Airlines AG
Vice President Cabin Services, Marketing & Product Management

The division "Cabin services, Marketing and Product Management" was created under my supervision in 2006 and managed by me since its start to ensure a stringent product, service and brand experience for our customers. I reported directly to the CEO (from 2008 on to the CCO) and was responsible for the operational management of the flight attendants (including training, recruiting and planning), marketing (advertisement, e-marketing & social media, miles & more, branding & signage, uniforms, ambience & on board media) and product management (product development, ground & on board, catering, inflight entertainment, cabin design, service procedures, cooperation, innovation management, on board sale, lounges, complaint management, customer research).

Siemens AG Österreich, Wien
Director Corporate Communications Central & Eastern Europe

Continuing on the work from 1995-1999 I increasingly focused on communication activities with a high involvement of the targeted audience such as the innovation competition »Spin the globe«, the customer loyalty platform (customer retention/relationship platform) »Academy of Life« or the »Siemens Festspielnächte« during the Salzburg festival ("Salzburger Festspiele"). Additionally, to brand development Siemens Austria supported in the CEE-regions that it was in charge of marketing activities for sales and the creation of professional communication structures with a special focus on network synergies. Being in charge of the worldwide communication for the integration of the VA TECH group into the Siemens group and activities for the 125 year anniversary of Siemens Austria we could create (achieve) new internal and external benchmarks.
Top-placements in a range of rankings of attractiveness as an employer or company image next to several advertisement and marketing awards have proven the success of the adopted strategy.

Additionally, with the foundation of IT-service provider fixIT, servicing with a small team the whole range of IT homeapplications (PC, WLAN, Home Cinema Systems, Smartphones & Tablets, Mobile Services etc.), new paths of customer relationship were pursued.

Ogilvy & Mather GmbH, Wien
Managing Director

As one of the first global agency networks, Ogilvy focused on providing fully integrated communication. As managing director I implemented the then new 360 degree branding philosophy of Ogilvy & Mather by connecting the know-how of the classic advertising agency with the knowledge of the specialists from Ogilvy Interactive, Ogilvy direct, Ogilvy PR and Mindshare. Through this interdisciplinary approach I was able to increase the gross income O&M Austria and subsidiary companies substantially.
Selection from the range of customers: Raiffeisen, ÖBB, Uniqa, EVN, SAP, Motorola, BP, Ford, IBM

Siemens AG Österreich, Wien
Director Corporate Communications

My goal was the communicative transfer of Siemens Austria from a »gray giant« to a research focused high tech business. The reputation management covered all communication tools of internal and external communication like press relations, advertisement, market communication, new media, sponsoring, event marketing, leading of the in-house agency and the "Siemens Forum Wien" as a brand park and event location.

SAT.1 SatellitenFernsehen GmbH, Mainz|Berlin
Director Marketing

In the beginning of the nineties the rapid growth of private TV providers made professional marketing necessary. My main tasks were building up a new department for advertisement, re-orientation of the SAT.1 advertising appearance within the customer and advertising market, selecting an agency and contract negotiations, implementation of all advertising activities, and conception and implementation of a SAT.1 shop.
Relocating to Berlin added several additional tasks like new media, sponsoring, events and fairs, cooperation and promotions. From 1994 on I was also responsible for the whole operative marking reporting directly to the managing director of program and marketing and represented SAT.1 in marketing committees of the private TV associations VPRT and ACT.

General Motors Austria, Wien
Districtmanager Sales, Direktmarketing

The Trainee programme in Zurich was followed by the entry to GM Austria as district manager Sales for the Distribution regions Lower Austria & Burgenland (Responsibilities: Wholesale and Consulting of Opel branches regarding sales- and marketing). After one year I transferred into the marketing division and assumed the responsibility for direct marketing and environmental activities of the Opel brand in Austria.

General Motors Europe, Zürich
Trainee

The General Motors Europe Management Trainee Programme was founded in 1987 and recruited five university graduates per year from across Europe. The traineeship contained the implementation of various projects in the most critical departments of GM in Zurich and Opel in Rüsselsheim. This setting combined with excursions and meetings with the top management allowed for an extensive and quick introduction to the automotive industry.

Civil Service as an ambulance driver for the Austrian Red Cross

Doctoral studies, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany

Topic: Influences of Cooperations on the development of the Austrian Airlines AG. Historical analysis of the transformation of a national airline between the poles of political influence and private sector orientation 10/1983-01/1988

Vienna University of Economics and Business, Businessadministration
University of Vienna, Journalism and Communicationsstudies 

Graduation Mag. rer. soc. oec., University of Vienna