Kevin De Silva
AI Strategy, Product Innovation & Human-Centric Transformation
Organizational Developer, AI Product Strategist, and Trainer helping leaders navigate change, leverage technology responsibly, and unlock human potential.
Executive Summary
My professional path is driven by a fascination with complex systems – both technological and human – and a core belief in leveraging innovation for positive change. My work is guided by the belief that technology, especially AI, should enhance human capability and foster more meaningful work. I focus on helping organizations balance economic success with positive, sustainable impact, creating environments where both people and the business can thrive.
With a foundation in Engineering (MSc, TU Braunschweig) and experience spanning product management, organizational development, and transformation leadership, I bring a unique perspective to AI strategy, product innovation, and human-centric transformation challenges.
As founder of value-driven.io, I concentrate on leveraging AI to automate workflows, enhance efficiency, and unlock human potential, creating both tangible economic value and positive, sustainable impact.
Kevin De Silva, Founder of value-driven.ioExecutive Summary
My professional path is driven by a fascination with complex systems – both technological and human – and a core belief in leveraging innovation for positive change. My work is guided by the belief that technology, especially AI, should enhance human capability and foster more meaningful work. I focus on helping organizations balance economic success with positive, sustainable impact, creating environments where both people and the business can thrive.
With a foundation in Engineering (MSc, TU Braunschweig) and experience spanning product management, organizational development, and transformation leadership, I bring a unique perspective to AI strategy, product innovation, and human-centric transformation challenges.
As founder of value-driven.io, I concentrate on leveraging AI to automate workflows, enhance efficiency, and unlock human potential, creating both tangible economic value and positive, sustainable impact.
Core Expertise
AI Strategy & Product Innovation
I partner with organizations to conceptualize and implement AI-driven solutions, particularly focusing on intelligent workflow automation. From defining strategy and roadmaps to designing modular, user-centric products, I ensure AI initiatives deliver tangible business value and enhance human capability.
Organizational Transformation
I possess deep diagnostic skills to identify and resolve the systemic friction – strategic, tactical, and operational – that hinders organizational agility and innovation. I design and facilitate transformations towards resilient, value-driven operating models, fostering cultures where technology acts as a strategic enabler.
Leadership Enablement & Change Facilitation
Transformation succeeds through people. I leverage extensive coaching, facilitation, and mediation expertise to empower leaders, build high-performing teams, navigate resistance, and ensure clear communication and alignment throughout the change process.
My Guiding Principles
Rooted in Purpose
I believe businesses possess both the opportunity and the responsibility to be a force for good. My focus is on implementing practices that create positive ripples, connecting economic success with sustainable impact.
Balancing People & Profits
True success lies in equilibrium. I champion people-centric transformations that allow individuals to thrive, fully believing this is intrinsically linked to robust, sustainable business prosperity.
Human-Centric Technology
Technology, especially AI, is a powerful driver of change. My passion lies in leveraging it strategically – not just to optimize processes, but fundamentally to empower individuals, freeing them from mundane tasks to focus on creativity, critical thinking, and meaningful contributions.
Enabling Potential
My approach involves fostering self-sufficiency. I work to enable individuals and teams with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to navigate complexity and drive their own success long after an engagement ends.
Professional Experience
Navigating a complex, large-scale IT transformation into a product-centric model while simultaneously managing the sensitive process of a full company closing and transition within a major retail group.
My Impact
- Enhance Organisations: value-driven.io was founded in mid-2024 out of a conviction to leverage technology to fundamentally enhance how people work and collaborate.
- Focus: We focus on designing and implementing AI-powered workflow automation and intelligent insight solutions, delivering workshops on Transformation through Tech and train organisation and people for a seemless transition into a new way of working.
- Target Group: We partner primarily with executives and leaders within tech-focused organizations undergoing transformation, delivering solutions that improve efficiency while enhancing the employee experience and driving sustainable practices.
- Latest Update: Recently designed and developed a modular AI workflow automation prototype focused on enhancing HR and recruitment processes (Nov 2024 - Feb 2025 for ISG Personalmanagement GmbH). This project involved building capabilities for intelligent CV analysis, automated candidate matching, and streamlined communications.
Navigating a complex, large-scale IT transformation into a product-centric model while simultaneously managing the sensitive process of a full company closing and transition within a major retail group.
My Contribution & Impact
- Organizational Development: Spearheaded the restructuring of IT and Product organizations, building the crucial bridge between technology and business units to foster end-to-end responsibility and a value-driven mindset.
- Product Coaching: Developed and implemented coaching programs to rapidly establish a stable, self-organized product environment, empowering leadership and teams with clarity on roles, mindset, and engagement.
- Change Leadership & Communication: Led the comprehensive change management and communication strategy during the company closing. Developed and executed a multi-channel communication plan, established support services, and created tailored formats to mitigate challenges for both the company and its people.
- Transition Co-Leadership: Co-led the critical technical ramp-down and process transitions, including cloud migrations (Oracle, Jira), SAP migration, and data digitization/archiving.
Driving strategic change and agile transformation initiatives across diverse companies within the Otto Group portfolio (OTTO, Hermes, bonprix, Witt, Lascana, OSP).
My Contribution & Impact
- Program Development: Developed and implemented a comprehensive, cross-sectoral Product People Coaching Program.
- Executive Coaching: Provided 1:1 coaching and mentoring for product executives stepping into high-responsibility roles and for individuals/teams navigating transformation challenges.
- Organizational Design: Accompanied multiple departments and organizations in their transformation processes, focusing on product-driven structures.
- Strategy Facilitation: Designed and facilitated complete workshop series with executives and teams for strategy setup and refinement using frameworks like OKRs.
- Leadership Hiring: Consulted on and successfully supported the hiring process for key executive product roles.
- Interim Leadership: Stepped in as interim Head of Product to set stage for refocus on core strategy (Why, How, What).
Establishing the entire product function for a fast-growing tech startup providing an event personnel platform, requiring rapid scaling and process definition.
My Contribution & Impact
- Team Building: Recruited and led an international, cross-functional product team (Product Manager, Designer, Software Developers & Architects), establishing remote collaboration practices.
- Foundation Setup: Implemented and configured the Jira environment for an agile workflow (LeSS).
- Technical Scalability: Architected and oversaw the critical split of a backbone.js monolith into microservices, enabling the business to scale successfully for its 50k+ user app within an aggressive 5-month timeline.
- Product Management: Managed the full product lifecycle – defining vision/roadmap based on stakeholder feedback, managing backlog across features, infrastructure redesign, architecture, APIs, state machines, and UX/UI releases. Set up and configured product metrics.
Developing and managing customer-facing digital products for a smart-energy management system within a large European energy provider.
My Contribution & Impact
- Product Development: Led the development of digital Q&A flows, energy contract switching processes, and check-out functionalities (web & mobile) using agile methodologies (Scrum/DevOps).
- User Experience: Created customer journey prototyping/testing, user story mapping, service blueprints, and bug investigation processes.
- Technical Management: Managed API monitoring, lead management, B2B distribution management, and contract negotiation support.
- Industry Representation: Represented the company by pitching at industry events and managed staff/freelancers.
Prototyping the Future: AI in Action
As Founder of value-driven.io, I recently designed and developed a modular AI workflow automation prototype focused on enhancing HR and recruitment processes (Nov 2024 - Feb 2025). This project involved building capabilities for intelligent document and database analysis, automated candidate matching, and streamlined communications, demonstrating the potential of fast adaptable AI solutions to solve specific business challenges and validating the flexibility of a modular approach. The prototype served as a powerful proof-of-concept for value-driven innovation and the core technology offered by value-driven.io.
Education & Certifications
Master of Science in Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Germany
Specialized studies, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Diverse Engagements & Community Involvement
Training & Facilitation
Delivered certified Agile Product Owner & Scrum Master courses as a Dozent & Trainer for EXIN Academy. Conducted pro-bono product and skills workshops for social impact companies like share.
Keynote Speaking
Presented on Transformation, Change, Agile, Product, and Empowerment topics for diverse audiences including Hamburg Wasser, Mars, and various Otto Group events.
Digital Consulting (Since 2016)
Ongoing freelance work helping startups and mid-stage companies with positioning, marketing funnels, market launch optimization, communication enhancement, and online profiles.
Mentorship
Actively participate as a mentor in the Intelligent People program, supporting product professionals in navigating their careers, aligning with my passion for developing talent within the product community.
Social Impact & Community Building
Provided web consulting and tech setup for sustainable development projects in South America (Ecuador, Nicaragua). Currently organize donation-based "Moorea Events" in French Polynesia focused on cultural exchange, skill sharing, and supporting local causes.
My Approach
Meaningful transformation requires more than just technical solutions; it demands a holistic approach grounded in clear principles, executed through proven methodologies, and sustained by genuine partnership. My approach integrates deep diagnostic insight with iterative action, always focused on delivering tangible value and enabling your organization's potential within its unique context.
A Structured Path to Transformation: A.D.A.P.T.
While every transformation journey in its detail is unique and often non-linear, structured frameworks provide essential guidance. A key framework I utilize is A.D.A.P.T., focusing on iteratively building capability:
Awareness
We start by establishing a clear, shared understanding of the 'Why' – identifying the core challenges, circumstances, and sense of urgency that necessitates change.
Desire
Together, we cultivate the motivation for change by shaping a compelling vision for the future state and addressing potential concerns to build strong buy-in.
Ability
Focus shifts to equipping your organization with the means to succeed – removing obstacles, empowering teams, providing necessary training, and setting up focused pilots.
Perform
We implement change through iterative action, monitoring progress via data, fostering transparent communication, and embracing a 'learn fast' mindset.
Transfer
Finally, we embed the change sustainably by sharing knowledge broadly, scaling successes based on data, and ensuring continuous learning and adaptation become part of the organizational DNA.
How We Work Together
Partnership Focus
I work with you, not just for you, fostering shared ownership and bringing diverse perspectives together.
Transparent Dialogue
Expect clear, honest, and regular communication about progress, challenges, and decisions.
Remote Effectiveness
I leverage best practices for seamless remote collaboration across time zones, supplemented by in-person sessions for crucial deep dives when needed.
Empowerment & Enablement
My goal is to transfer knowledge and build your team's capabilities, fostering long-term self-sufficiency.
What Collaborators & Clients Say
Let's Connect
I'm always open to exploring collaborations, discussing consulting engagements, individual workshops and trainings or answering inquiries about keynote opportunities. Whether you have a specific project in mind or simply want to start a conversation about leveraging AI and transformation for positive impact, please reach out.
