Gerhard Kreß joined Siemens Corporate Strategy in 2010 for the corporate program to refine the IT strategy for the Siemens businesses. Currently he is responsible for the Siemens big data initiative, improving the capabilities of Siemens to use industrial data. Before joining corporate strategy, he spent 8 years working in Siemens IT Solutions and Services (SIS), managing systems and technologies for the global service desks and in the project management of major IT outsourcing projects. Gerhard Kreß started his professional career in McKinsey & Company, where he focused on growth initiatives and high tech industries. He holds a German diploma in Theoretical Physics and a Master of Arts in International Relations and European Studies.