Michael Berns

Evaluator
DISC Type : DCS

Head of Artificial Intelligence at Eclipse Foundation

Frankfurt Rhine-Main Metropolitan Area, Germany

Overview

Michael is the Head of AI at the Eclipse Foundation, leveraging over 23 years of international experience at the crossroads of Open Source AI, FinTech, and digital transformation. Educated at London Business School, he focuses on creating vendor-neutral, collaborative ecosystems. Colleagues describe him as intelligent, dedicated, and empathetic, with a talent for presenting complex topics.

His passion lies in mentoring startups and applying technology to solve significant challenges, including financial crime, cancer detection, and human trafficking. He has served as a mentor and judge for organizations like Startup Bootcamp and the United Nations World Food Program, aiming to use technology to make life more sustainable and create solutions that help humanity.

He is a TEDx Frankfurt Idea Challenge winner for his talk on using "AI Superpowers for Sustainability. "

Personality Overview

Quality Focused

Hard To Convince

Thorough Evaluator

They are not very likely to become strong advocates of your product or service  They focus on the results, but can still be quite procedural and analytical about how to get there They have a unique set of diverse traits where they are decisive and methodical but can sometimes be extra cautious and skeptical

Topics They Care About

Open Source AI
As Head of AI for the Eclipse Foundation, he is a major advocate for shaping the future of AI through open, transparent, and collaborative ecosystems.
AI for Sustainability
He won the TEDx Frankfurt Idea Challenge for his talk on this topic, where he presented a call to action for using AI to achieve sustainability goals.
Digital Sovereignty
A core theme in his professional mission is helping organizations and ecosystems achieve digital autonomy through vendor-neutral technology standards.

Media Appearances

Michael has no verified media appearances

Work History

2026
Head of Artificial Intelligence at Eclipse Foundation
2018 - 2025
Director, Artificial Intelligence at PwC Deutschland
2016 - 2018
Principal Client Strategist at Digital Reasoning
2014 - 2015
Global Head of Professional Services (Interim) at ITRS
2013 - 2014
Engagement Director at RMS

Education

9-2011 - 7-2013
Executive MBA (EMBA) from London Business School

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 23 Location : Frankfurt Rhine-Main Metropolitan Area, Germany Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Head of Artificial Intelligence at Eclipse Foundation
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Insights For Selling To Michael

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Keep a professional, business-like approach; especially if you tend to get informal quickly
  • Showcase your competitive superiority clearly when possible or address it at the minimum
  • Use phrases like ‘the ROI of this’, ‘X% more’ etc.

DONT's

  • Don’t focus on relationship, focus purely on the merit of your product
  • Avoid too much small talk, just a few formal pleasantries should be fine
  • Avoid making strong statements, instead invite them to agree with you by asking them questions

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Michael is

  • ROI matters the most to them, followed by process and finally proof of results
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Michael

  • They might hesitate a little, but will go ahead and say no when necessary (or asked)

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Michael move?

  • They are unlikely to move very fast, especially when it comes to new products or services
  • Can Michael take some risk or not?

  • They have relatively low risk-appetite and are not very likely to go for something unproven and risky

You And Michael

Personality Compatibility


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