Search & AI
- • SEO Strategy, Expert (15+ years)
- • GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), Expert
- • AI Search Visibility & LLM Optimization, Expert
- • Voice Search & Answer Engines, Expert


Global Capability Owner (Director), Web & AI Search Strategy
Side ventures: Aviation Entrepreneur (Dross:Aviation & Trade:Aero, AIP:Aero)
Scaling global enterprise web platforms and AI-search visibility for regulated industries.
Target roles: VP / Director, Digital Strategy · Enterprise & Regulated Industries (Pharma / MedTech)
Focus: Global Web Platform · Search & AI (SEO/GEO) · Digital Transformation
Germany, Switzerland, Spain and USA preferred, open to relocation | Remote / Hybrid
Digital & AI-search leader who turns regulated, enterprise-scale web into measurable growth.
As Global Capability Owner (Director) at Boehringer Ingelheim, a top-20 pharmaceutical company, I own a 2,000-site, 130-market global web platform and lead a 29-person cross-functional team across internal stakeholders and agency / production partners. By consolidating 2,000+ properties onto a unified AWS estate I cut infrastructure costs by ~35% and improved page-load times by ~60%, all while operating under the Medical/Legal/Regulatory (MLR) and compliance rigor that regulated pharma demands.
I pair deep technical fluency across SEO/GEO, AWS, and enterprise architecture with governance at scale, and I'm now leading the shift from classic SEO to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to keep brands visible in AI-generated answers.
Open to director/VP-level search & digital leadership roles and freelance SEO, GEO, SEA & web consulting.
7 progressive roles · Apr 2016, Present
Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
Part of the 'Go-to-Market' (GTM) team in Corporate, reporting to the VP, Global Head of Customer Experience. Responsible for Boehringer Ingelheim's global Web Platform and AI-ready search infrastructure, delivered within a highly regulated (MLR / GxP) pharmaceutical environment.
Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
Leading both technical and business side of Boehringer Ingelheim's global Search Strategy, evolving from traditional SEO to GEO.
Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
Accountable for Search, Apps, 3rd Party Data & Paid Media Management across all digital channels.
Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
Developed and evolved global search engine optimization standards and domain strategy.
Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
Part of the 'Digital Excellence' team in Corporate.
Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
Implemented governance for quality standards and built a global Digital Governance process.
Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
Part of the 'Digital Excellence' team in Corporate. Worked on User Centered Design, A/B testing implementation, and established an internal UX Testing Center.
Dross:Media Consulting
Boutique digital consultancy run alongside my corporate roles on an advisory / freelance basis: online branding, Inbound & Social Media Marketing, and web development. Clients: McDonald's NRW, Bayer AG & Butterfly et al.
sixunity GmbH
frinXX, Gastronomy services innovation enabling customers to order real beverages online for own consumption or as gifts, redeemable via mobile codes at participating venues.
virtualnights:media Ltd. (now Brandfit GmbH)
Germany's biggest lifestyle community. Head of 200+ employed photographers, regional representative in lifestyle and event business.
IESE Business School, Barcelona
Gaining insights into digitalization's impact on the pharmaceutical industry.
Completed intensive program covering digital density, value propositions, rapid prototyping, and managing digital transformation.
Bochum University of Applied Sciences
B.Sc. business engineering and electrical engineering (250 credits)
Award for the best bachelor's thesis of the year: "Approach of a global domain strategy in pharmaceutical industry"
Entrepreneurial aviation ventures, built and operated alongside my corporate role.
A fast-growing marketplace for buying and selling airplanes, helicopters, and all types of aircraft
The open-source anti-collision system for private aviation and gliders
Open Library for Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP): VFR, IFR & Helipads
The 'Stratux' Project
Contributing to make uncontrolled airspace safer for private aviators through open source anti-collision systems.
Association of Enterprise Architects (AEA)
The definitive professional organization for Enterprise Architects.
Drupal Association
Helping the open-source Drupal CMS project flourish.
Build & Grow e.V.
Building housing for people in need in Europe's poorest nations.
Senior Leadership • January 2026"Alexander is a true digital wizard - one of the deepest and most technically fluent experts I have worked with across web technologies, apps, SEO, SEM, and the broader digital ecosystem. He has an exceptional ability to understand how the internet really works, cut through noise and buzzwords, and get straight to robust, scalable solutions. His expertise is not theoretical; it is hands-on, precise, and battle-tested. When Alexander owns a topic, you can be confident it is handled by someone operating several levels above the norm. For any organization looking for uncompromising digital excellence and real technical mastery, he is a rare asset."
Senior Leadership • April 2026"I've known Alex since our time at SAP and later worked closely with him at Boehringer Ingelheim, where our teams collaborated across data science and digital capabilities. Alex has a deep understanding of how web, search, and digital platforms create measurable business value in complex global organizations. What sets Alex apart is his ability to combine technical expertise in SEO, web architecture, and digital governance with real strategic thinking, always connecting what he builds to commercial and business outcomes. He's grown from a specialist into a true global capability owner, and that progression is no accident."
Agency Partner • August 2023"I've worked with Alex in my capacity as an agency leader, with him as our client for the last seven years. His knowledge and technical expertise has helped Boehringer Ingelheim to activate their GTM strategy and build meaningful engagements with their customers. He went in with a plan to centralise and systemise key technical, data and marketing functions in which he has been incredibly successful. Alex is a person who sees opportunities to do things better and drives the change he wants to see. He is tenacious, extremely smart and on top of all that, a truly nice guy."
Client • August 2023"I've had the pleasure to work together with Alexander on multiple occasions. He is extremely skilled in SEO and web development. His deep knowledge in these areas is clear in his work, where he consistently finds effective and efficient solutions. He understands both the big picture and the fine details, and he uses his expertise to create real value for his clients."
Mentee • November 2024"I had the pleasure of working with Alexander Dross, and I can highly recommend him, both professionally and personally. Alex supported me as a supervisor and developer of my websites in an impressive way. Without his professional help and his clear eye for details, I would never have been able to create such a structured and appealing website. I was particularly impressed by his ability to translate complex requirements into elegant and functional solutions. His know-how, reliability and patience made the collaboration not only effective, but also extremely pleasant."
Colleague • January 2026"I've had the privilege of collaborating with Alex at Boehringer Ingelheim, where he excels as Global Capability Owner - Web Strategy and Global Capability Lead for Search Engine Strategy. Alex masterfully bridges business and technical domains, driving our global web platform, SEO/SEA, paid media, apps (iOS/Android/PWAs), and third-party data integrations with strong analytical skills and clear strategic focus. In a regulated pharma environment, he consistently delivers measurable improvements in visibility, user experience, and process efficiency. He's a collaborative leader, results-oriented, and highly knowledgeable in digital transformation. I highly recommend Alex - he's a true asset to any team!"
Business Contact • January 2026"Alexander combines deep technical expertise with exceptional strategic thinking. As someone in real estate, I've seen firsthand how critical digital presence and search visibility are for business success. Alex doesn't just understand SEO - he understands how to translate complex digital strategies into tangible business outcomes. His ability to simplify technical concepts while maintaining precision made our collaboration both productive and insightful. A true professional who delivers results."
Available for freelance consulting in SEO, GEO, AI Search Strategy, and Enterprise Digital Transformation.
Pharmaceutical Companies, Universities, Municipal Facilities, Fast Food and Sports Equipment Manufacturers, as well as sponsorship for NGOs.