BABBEL | CEO OFFICE IN PRACTICE
This case study shows what building a CEO Office looks like inside a fast growing technology company, as complexity rises and expectations shift towards IPO readiness.
CONTEXT
I spent a decade at Babbel, most recently building and leading the CEO Office as the company scaled from €100M to over €350M in annual revenue. This work was done in close partnership with CEO Arne Schepker through a period of rapid growth and IPO preparation.
As the company scaled, growth itself became the constraint.
Decision making slowed. Context fragmented. Leadership time disappeared into coordination and escalation. Strategy remained clear, but execution no longer moved cleanly.
The CEO Office was built to sit between strategy and execution. Its role was to absorb coordination load so the CEO and executive team could focus on strategy, people, and external work that only they could do.
LEADERSHIP OPERATIONS
What was built
A leadership operating system run from the CEO Office, aligning decision frameworks, planning rhythm, and information flow across the executive team.
Decision ownership and clarity
Decision frameworks and one pagers clarified who decides what and when. Informal escalation was replaced with consistent decision logic, preventing decisions from defaulting to the CEO as complexity increased.
Operating rhythm and planning cadence
A predictable leadership cadence was established in close partnership with Corporate Strategy. Weekly executive syncs, quarterly strategy reviews, and the company wide OKR rhythm were aligned into a single operating system that anchored priorities and kept execution moving.
Information flow and selective automation
Information flows were designed to surface what mattered without creating noise. Automation and AI enabled workflows were introduced only where they clearly reduced repetitive coordination. Executive onboarding was rebuilt with People, IT, and Finance, compressing weeks of informal ramp up into a structured, repeatable programme.
What changed
The CEO shifted time away from escalation and coordination back to strategy, people, and external focus.
Cross functional decisions moved within defined decision windows rather than stalling in escalation loops.
New executives reached productivity faster with clearer context and ownership.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
What was built
Executive communications systems spanning board governance, internal alignment, and external positioning.
Board process and governance support
Board preparation and follow through were run from the CEO Office through a structured, repeatable process. Timelines, inputs, materials, and actions were coordinated so discussions were decision ready and continuity was maintained as expectations increased.
Internal communication systems
In partnership with Internal Communications, leadership decisions were translated into clear narrative teams could act on. Quarterly all hands, executive AMAs, and structured update rhythms connected strategy to day to day work across more than 1,000 employees.
External executive communication
External executive communication systems ensured consistent positioning with investors, media, and senior talent. Messaging stayed in the leader’s voice while reinforcing the strategic narrative required for IPO readiness.
What changed
Board meetings ran smoothly with predictable materials and clear follow through.
Leadership intent travelled internally without constant re explanation.
External communication supported investor confidence and senior hiring.
LEADERSHIP CAPACITY
What was built
The Executive Assistant function as strategic leadership infrastructure, expanding executive capacity without adding headcount.
Executive Assistant function development
A team of four Executive Assistants was built and led as strategic partners to the leadership team. Clear objectives tied to company priorities, shared context across executives, and quarterly planning aligned with leadership rhythm replaced ad hoc coordination.
The function shifted from reactive support to strategic enablement, including decision preparation, cross functional coordination, and issue anticipation.
Leadership transition support
Through multiple leadership transitions, including new C level hires and organisational change, the EA function maintained execution continuity and decision discipline. In partnership with the VP of People and Organisation, executive team development was coordinated, including coaching and team effectiveness work.
What changed
EAs operated as high leverage leadership infrastructure rather than administrative support.
Leadership capacity expanded without additional headcount.
Significant change was navigated without losing execution discipline.
THE RESULT
The CEO Office scaled with the business from €100M to €300M without needing to be rebuilt.
Clear decision rights and stable operating rhythms prevented escalation as complexity increased. Board processes and communication standards met IPO expectations. Executive visibility supported external positioning. Internal communication aligned more than 1,000 employees through rapid growth.
Most importantly, the systems held.
Through leadership transitions, the shift to remote work, and IPO preparation, execution discipline remained intact. The infrastructure did not break under pressure. It adapted.