Johannes Korves

Vice President Business Development & Innovation

DocuWare

Present

I focus on building new business by combining product thinking, technology, and market validation. As a founder of an AI startup, I bring a hands-on understanding of how to work with emerging technologies, move quickly under uncertainty, and turn ideas into real products that customers actually use. My approach to innovation is grounded in execution. Most ideas look good on paper but fail in the market, so the goal is to test early, learn fast, and focus only on what shows real traction. I set up small, focused teams that take opportunities from concept to first customers, using lean, product-driven methods and a strong bias toward building things that can scale. Technology plays a central role in how I approach new business. I work closely at the intersection of product, engineering, and market needs to ensure that innovation is not just conceptual, but technically sound and future-proof. Whether through internal development or collaboration with startups and partners, I aim to levera…

Executive Advisor Corporate Strategy

DocuWare

Present

As Executive Advisor Corporate Strategy at DocuWare, a Ricoh company, I operate at the intersection of strategy and execution, supporting C-level leadership in defining where to go next and ensuring that strategic initiatives translate into tangible and scalable outcomes. My work focuses on strategy, innovation, and growth in a global software environment, with particular emphasis on integrating new technologies, especially AI, into existing business models. I stay closely connected to execution to ensure that ideas move beyond concept and deliver real world impact. Bringing experience as CEO and Co-Founder of a AI company, I contribute an operator’s perspective to topics such as product strategy and market expansion.

Co-Founder and Ceo

natif.ai · Саар

Present

As CEO & Co-Founder of natif.ai, I led the company from inception to successful exit, building and scaling a deep-tech B2B SaaS business in the field of AI-driven document processing. I was responsible for fundraising (raising multiple millions across two rounds), defining and executing the go-to-market strategy across marketing and sales, and steering finance and overall company strategy. A key focus was positioning the company for venture capital and aligning with the right target audiences to drive growth. Under my leadership, we scaled the business significantly over four years and successfully exited to the Japanese technology group Ricoh (via DocuWare Group).

Ceo Brille 24 Group

EssilorLuxottica

As Managing Director, I led a full turnaround and scaling phase of Brille24, a leading e-commerce player in the optical industry. Taking over in a transformation situation, my focus was on repositioning the business for sustainable growth. I drove the introduction of AI-driven technologies, redefined the product portfolio, and sharpened the company’s market positioning. In parallel, I led the go-to-market execution across marketing and sales, while overseeing finance and operations for an organization of 160+ employees. These initiatives resulted in ~100% revenue growth over five years. As part of this transformation journey, we successfully exited the business to EssilorLuxottica, the global leader in the optical industry (2019).

Director Operations/Sales - Brille24 Group

EssilorLuxottica · Oldenburg

As Director Operations & Sales at Brille24, I was responsible for driving B2C revenue growth and optimizing global operations. On the commercial side, I led sales through direct-to-consumer channels, with a strong focus on newsletter-driven performance marketing and customer lifecycle management. In operations, I managed and optimized the global sourcing and procurement setup, building an efficient supply chain across international markets, particularly in China and Thailand. The focus was on improving cost structures, reliability, and scalability of the end-to-end value chain. This role laid the foundation for my later responsibility in leading the company through a full turnaround and growth phase.

Executive Assistant Brille24 Group

EssilorLuxottica · Oldenburg

As Executive Assistant to the Founder of Brille24, I worked closely with senior leadership on strategic and operational initiatives during a key growth phase of the company. In this role, I supported investor relations activities, contributing to communication and coordination with existing and prospective investors. I was also entrusted with driving selected high-impact projects across the business, gaining early exposure to core functions including strategy, operations, and commercial execution. Working side-by-side with the founder provided me with a strong foundation in company building, decision-making, and execution in a fast-scaling, investor-backed environment.

Intern - Product Management

DWS Investments

Intern - Product Management

Oldenburgische Landesbank AG