Christoph Horlebein
Biography of Christoph Horlebein
CEO & Founder. Horlebein Consulting
Bridging People, Culture, Process, and Technology to Build Resilient Product Strategies
Christoph Horlebein is a leading expert in implementing tailored, human-centered, and proactive product portfolio strategies enabled by strategic Obsolescence Management, Lifecycle Management, Supply Chain Risk Management, and Supply Chain Digitization.
From Germany’s leading MedTech company to Fortune 100:
Christoph’s enthusiasm for product management ignited in 2017 at Brainlab, where he led a R&D project of a robotic arm that achieved FDA clearance and CE approval, becoming the first fully robotic intraoperative imaging device on the market. Following this success, Christoph ensured its post-launch integrity and delivery capacity by leading a product risk management project.
Building on this momentum, Christoph joined Abbott, a Fortune 100 company, where he secured a $1 billion product portfolio by establishing processes, communication, and responsibilities. He implemented systems for PCN, inventory, supply chain risk and obsolescence/lifecycle management, while further digitizing supply chains. Christoph successfully reduced redesign costs by up to $5 million and 5 FTEs and cut opportunity costs by up to $50 million per product per year, avoiding production stops.
Recognizing that companies in high-tech, highly regulated, and long-lifecycle industries face similar systemic challenges, Christoph now helps them overcome roadblocks by transforming risk into resilience and costs into opportunities.
Conscious, data-driven decision-making is the foundation of his strategies, which are backed by an AI and Big Data intelligence centered approach, equipping businesses with digital solutions ready for the future of Industry 4.0. He excels in human-centered change management, orchestrating cross-functional decision-making, managing product design changes within regulatory compliance, and facilitating Quality Management System audits.
At the core of Christoph’s work is a belief that long-term product sustainability starts with empowered, cross-functional teams that feel ownership of the system they shape.
Equipped with a Master’s in Electrical Engineering (TUM | ETH Zurich) and certifications in Project Management, Design Thinking, Quality Management, and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Christoph continuously strives for continuous improvement by mitigating obsolescence and supply chain risks.
Christoph is actively sought after and involved as speaker at international conferences of the International Institute of Obsolescence Management (IIOM) and the Component Obsolescence Group Deutschland (COGD) as well as advising working groups, spreading awareness and collaborating on industry challenges.
Christoph’s mission is to future-proof businesses through intelligent product risk management strategies that blend people, culture, process, and technology.