Available for projects

When the doors close,
the app has to work.

I build digital tools for people who operate in zero-margin environments. 8,000+ daily users. No room for downtime.

20+
Team members led
160+
User interviews
8k+
End users daily
Thomas Schlaepfer — Product Leader
Open to projects
🇨🇭
Based in
Switzerland
About me

I didn't plan to end up in aviation. I just never left.

I started as an apprentice IT tech. Twenty-five years later, I lead the digitalization of flight operations at a major European airline — and I still think like the person who has to make the thing actually work.

I own the product strategy for an entire crew-facing digital ecosystem. I translate what a cabin manager needs at 38,000 feet into software that earns trust from people who don't forgive bad UX. Cross-functional teams, full budget responsibility, C-level roadmaps — through restructurings, reorgs, and all.

Outside the day job, I hold the rank of Major in Swiss Civil Protection — Deputy Battalion Commander, leading real operations with real stakes. It sharpens every instinct.

Currently finishing an MSc in Innovation Management. Because the best product leaders never stop questioning how things work.

Work with me
20+
Team members led
5
Products shipped
160+
User interviews
8k+
End users daily
What I offer

Services

I support organizations as Interim Product Owner, digitalization consultant, and strategic sparring partner — where operational depth and strategic vision are required simultaneously.

Interim Product Owner

I take product ownership of complex digital initiatives — from backlog structuring to go-live. SAFe-certified with experience in regulated, safety-critical environments.

SAFe · Scrum · Roadmapping · ab 1 Monat

User Research & Workshops

Deep-dive into your users' world. I conduct interviews, usability tests, journey mapping and facilitate discovery workshops that turn ambiguity into alignment.

User Interviews · Usability Testing · Design Sprint · Journey Mapping

Digitalization Consulting

From as-is analysis through solution architecture to implementation. Focus: aviation, safety-critical industries, and mobile solutions for operational teams.

Aviation Tech · Mobile · Prozessdesign · User Research

Keynotes & Speeches

Compelling talks on digital transformation, product leadership, and aviation tech — for conferences, leadership events, and corporate offsites. In German or English.

Digital Transformation · Product Leadership · Aviation · DE / EN

Crisis Management & Transformation

Digital transformation only works when people come along for the ride. I guide change processes drawing on civil crisis management experience.

Change Management · Krisenmanagement · Führung · Training

Strategic Sparring

Focused consulting sessions for executives and product teams — remote or in Zurich. 60–90 minutes, direct and actionable.

1:1 Session · 60–90 Min. · Remote or Zurich · DE / EN
Book a call
03

Work

01

Crew-Facing Digitalization

Built on 160+ user interviews, moderated design workshops, and hands-on usability studies with real crew members — in the cockpit, in the galley, on the ground. Not just listening, but watching how people actually work under pressure. I run the full research cycle: from screener to synthesis. Moderated sessions across crew bases, facilitated cross-functional workshops with operations, IT, and design — and translated it all into product decisions that stick. Beyond the research: close collaboration with technology partners across Europe and beyond. I work directly with development studios, UX agencies, and platform vendors — maintaining relationships that keep us ahead of what's coming, not just what's shipping. In aviation, 'the app crashed' isn't an option. So we test obsessively, validate early, and ship with confidence.

User Research UX Design Aviation Design Workshops
02

Ground Operations

Ground operations run on information. Replaced paper-based processes with real-time mobile tooling — designed for speed, built for shift work.

Mobile Ground Ops Real-Time Process Design
03

Crew Journey Vision

Sometimes the most important thing you ship is a clear vision. A strategic roadmap developed and presented at C-level — turning cost pressure into a long-term investment case.

Strategy C-Level Roadmapping Aviation
04

Civil Protection Leadership

Deputy Battalion Commander. Full-scale exercises, personnel decisions, organizational change. The kind of leadership context that sharpens everything else.

Leadership Militia Crisis Management Training
05

Individual Travel Design

Turning destinations into experiences. I design tailor-made itineraries for individuals and small groups — from hidden gems in Southeast Asia to multi-stop adventures across continents. Deep local knowledge, airline insider expertise, and a product thinker's eye for detail.

Travel Planning Itinerary Design Aviation Insider Individual Travel
04

Skills

Product Leadership
Product Strategy Roadmapping Stakeholder Management Backlog Management OKRs & KPIs Data-Driven Decisions Business Analysis
Aviation & Ops
Flight Operations Cabin Operations Ground Handling Crew Systems Regulatory Compliance Safety-First Mindset
User Research
User Interviews Usability Testing Journey Mapping Persona Development Quantitative Analysis A/B Testing
Agile
SAFe 5.0 Scrum Kanban Team Leadership Cross-Functional Teams Crisis Management Coaching & Mentoring
Tools
Jira Confluence Figma Miro Azure DevOps Analytics SAP Rydoo
Travel
Itinerary Design Flight Routing Airline Alliances Destination Research Multi-Stop Planning Local Experiences Budget Optimization
05

Education & Certifications

In Progress

Master of Science in Innovation Management

Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences (FFHS)

Focus: innovation strategy, digital transformation, and organizational change.

2024

Bachelor Digital Business Management

University of Applied Sciences Graubünden

Digital business models, information systems, and technology management.

Diploma

Federal Diploma of Higher Education in IT (Informatiker FA)

ICT Vocational Education Switzerland

Advanced certification — IT project management and system architecture.

Diploma

Federal VET Diploma in IT (Informatiker EFZ)

Vocational Education Switzerland

Swiss federal vocational diploma — application development.

Certification

SAFe 5 Product Owner / Product Manager

Scaled Agile, Inc.

Lean-Agile product ownership at enterprise scale.

2023

Leaders of Tomorrow

Lufthansa Group

Group-wide leadership program for future executives.

Certification

Leadership License

Lufthansa Group

Leadership certification for direct personnel management mandate.

Certification

SAFe 5 Scrum Master

Scaled Agile, Inc.

Agile team facilitation and continuous improvement.

"

Great software is invisible — it just works. My job is to make sure the people who depend on it never have to think about it.

— Thomas Schlaepfer, Product Leader
Travel

Need help planning your next trip?

I design individual travel experiences — tailor-made itineraries, insider flight routing, and local tips from 25 years of global travel. No package tours. No templates. Just your perfect trip.

Custom itineraries
Flight routing expertise
Hidden gems & local tips
Budget optimization

Fill in the form and I'll get back to you with initial ideas and a rough plan within 48 hours — no commitment, no cost for the first consultation.

Get in touch

Let's build something that actually works.

No forms, no assistants. Direct line only.

Book a free consultation
30 minutes · free · remote or Zurich
Book now