About me

I am an engineering leader with a passion for developing people and products. With many years of experience leading development teams, I see my primary role as empowering my team and paving their way to success.

I thrive at the intersection of technology and organization. I support teams in building efficient workflows and guide projects from concept to completion. In doing so, I prioritize an environment based on transparency, fairness, and harmonious collaboration. By actively coaching, mentoring, and removing obstacles, I create the conditions for every team member to grow and, together, develop the best possible solutions.

Whether you are looking for an experienced leader for a permanent position or a freelancer for a specific challenge, here you can learn more about me and my work.

Freelance Services

I offer a range of services to help companies and teams achieve their goals. Whether you need interim management, leadership coaching, IT due diligence, or architectural consulting, I can provide the expertise and support you need.

If you want to chat, please feel free to book a meeting.

  • Interim Management

    Stepping in as Interim Engineering Manager or CTO to stabilize teams, manage projects, and ensure your objectives stay on track.

  • Leadership Coaching

    Coaching and mentoring Engineering Managers and Tech Leads to develop their leadership style and create high-performing, satisfied teams.

  • IT Due Diligence

    Providing technical assessment of companies by analyzing architectures, processes, and teams to identify risks and potential.

  • Architectural Consulting

    Supporting teams with architecture reviews, technology selection, and process optimization.

Résumé

Download Résumé in English Download Résumé in German

Experience

  1. Engineering Manager | Facebook (Meta)

    2022 — 2025

    Led a 13-person team for identity theft detection. Increased team satisfaction from 20% to 92% and significantly increased team productivity.

  2. Senior Engineering Manager | Spotify

    2018 — 2022

    Managed 30 developers and 5 EMs for the "Car Thing" hardware product, from concept to launch. Established team health initiatives and supported recruiting.

  3. Senior Engineering Manager | Klarna

    2018 — 2018

    Served as interim lead for two teams, built a new high-security infrastructure team, and developed a developer self-service portal on AWS.

  4. Senior Manager IT Due Diligence & Data | ProSiebenSat.1

    2015 — 2017

    Led over 40 M&A reviews, served as Interim CTO at The ADEX GmbH, and led the technical development of the "Addressable TV" project.

  5. Head of Development & IT | wywy

    2012 — 2015

    Built and led an international team of 15 developers, architected a second-screen app, and introduced robust on-call and self-healing systems.

  6. Lead Developer and Technical Director | Travian Games GmbH

    2009 — 2012

    Lead developer in the Tools team, introduced Scrum, and oversaw the launch of "Remanum". Later as Technical Director provided technical leadership for 25+ developers.

  7. Senior and Lead Developer - Stahlgruber GmbH

    2002 — 2008

    Led the project to transform the terminal-based ERP system to a browser-based solution and later replaced it with a Linux based system.

  8. IT Specialist for Software Engineering - Wessels & Müller

    1998 — 2002

    Developed mainframe-based logistics applications.

Education

  1. IT Specialist for Application Development (Fachinformatiker)

    Wessels & Müller AG | 1998 — 2001

    Completed a formal German apprenticeship, combining work experience and vocational training in software development.

  2. Abitur (University-Entrance Diploma)

    Goethe-Gymnasium Ibbenbüren | 1989 — 1998

    Successfully completed the highest level of German secondary school education, qualifying for university admission.

My Skills

  • Engineering Leadership
    90%
  • Tech Strategy & Architecture
    85%
  • Product Development
    80%
  • Agile Methodologies
    75%

Languages

  • German
    100%
  • English
    90%
  • Swedish
    50%

Imprint (Legal Notice)

Information according to § 5 TMG (German Telemedia Act)

René Bruns
Schmid-Wirt-Weg 2
82284 Grafrath
Germany

Contact

Phone: +49 171 6419658
Email: rene@renebruns.de

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René Bruns
Schmid-Wirt-Weg 2
82284 Grafrath, Germany
Email: rene@renebruns.de
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