Building for Growth: InnoPro’s Country Manager Search for Lernigo

Client: Lernigo (German brand of Dutch EdTech scale-up Bijles Aan Huis)

Location: Germany

Role: Country Manager

Search Duration: ~4 weeks (from engagement to offer acceptance)

Sector: EdTech, Consumer SaaS, Education

Search Type: Retained Professional Search

Julian Pankratz | Country Manager - Germany

The Brief

Lernigo, the German brand of Bijles Aan Huis, is a high-growth EdTech platform on a mission to personalise education access across Europe. After early traction in Germany, the founders committed a significant budget to local growth and partnered with InnoPro to secure a strategic commercial leader to localise and scale operations.

The brief called for a commercially-minded, hands-on leader with strong knowledge of the German education space and consumer behaviour. The ideal candidate would need to navigate ambiguity, test assumptions, lead sales and marketing, and represent the brand on the ground.

Our Approach

InnoPro deployed a research-led strategy combining market mapping, outreach, and direct engagement across a diverse candidate pool. Given the open brief, ranging from high-potential talent to experienced growth leaders, we applied a flexible, multi-tiered sourcing method.

We focused on:

• Leaders with B2C growth experience and revenue accountability

• Talent from EdTech, DTC, digital platforms, and consumer services

• German-speaking operators with a track record of localisation and go-to-market execution

• Candidates who could align with Lernigo’s values, agility, and purpose

Engagement Metrics

Across our outreach:

• Response Rate: 50% of candidates responded to outreach

• Assessment Rate: 22% of the full pipeline were positively engaged and assessed

• Shortlist Delivered: Strategic shortlist of 5 candidates

• Final Hire Made: 1 highly aligned placement

Time to Hire

Following engagement, the search took approximately 4 weeks from active sourcing to offer acceptance, demonstrating InnoPro’s ability to move with speed and precision, even in dynamic search environments.

The Outcome

Julian Pankratz was appointed Country Manager – Germany. A senior marketing and growth leader with a great deal of experience, Julian brought the ideal balance of strategic oversight and hands-on leadership. His profile was particularly compelling due to:

• His success scaling digital consumer brands across DACH and southern Europe

• Experience launching and localising brand strategies across multiple markets

• A strong command of paid acquisition, customer insight, and team leadership

• A clear values alignment with Lernigo’s mission and startup energy

Julian’s appointment brings proven capability and fresh energy to a high-potential market.

Why It Worked

• Aligned, Insightful Briefing: Co-developed with the client for clarity and focus

• Flexible Outreach Strategy: Balanced “step-up” and “seasoned” candidates

• Candidate Experience: Transparent, tailored, and professionally managed end-to-end

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