She’s a mommy blogger—so what? That’s what we all thought when Sara Kristin, the Instagram influencer with a flair for blending family life and fitness, teamed up with O2 to launch their new banking app.
What began as a typical campaign quickly turned into a creative spectacle that shook up the influencer marketing space. In a bold move, Sara invited her followers to join her live on Instagram Stories, sharing the fun of a family road trip kit giveaway, while simultaneously showcasing how easy it is to shop and pay with the O2 banking app. What followed was a viral success, blending family entertainment with cutting-edge tech—making Sara not just a mom, but a marketing powerhouse.
In the world of influencer marketing, this campaign serves as a perfect example of how the right leadership and vision can turn an idea into a cultural moment. And today, we’re spotlighting the top CEOs leading this charge in Frankfurt’s influencer marketing scene.
Top CEOs of Influencer Marketing Companies in Frankfurt
In Frankfurt, where finance meets innovation, a new breed of leaders is redefining digital influence. These influencer marketing CEOs aren’t just running agencies—they’re building powerhouses that connect brands with audiences in authentic, game-changing ways.
1. Miriam Nadja Ernst
Miriam Nadja Ernst isn’t just shaping influencer marketing—she’s elevating it. Through her leadership at Miriam Ernst Consulting, she has built an agency that prioritizes authentic storytelling and strategic impact, helping brands across tourism, fashion, lifestyle, finance, and automotive industries turn digital influence into tangible business growth.
Her success lies in her ability to merge data-driven precision with emotional resonance. Rather than executing one-off influencer collaborations, she focuses on crafting immersive experiences that deeply connect with audiences. Whether working with B2B or B2C brands, she ensures that every campaign aligns seamlessly with a company’s identity, goals, and values.
What truly sets Miriam apart is her meticulous approach to influencer partnerships. From talent selection and content briefing to real-time performance tracking, she ensures that every detail is fine-tuned for maximum engagement. Clients consistently praise her ability to provide practical, results-oriented strategies that drive real ROI in an industry often dominated by vanity metrics.
Beyond agency leadership, Miriam is a respected voice in the digital marketing space, frequently contributing insights through industry interviews and thought leadership content. With a growing team and a reputation for delivering high-impact campaigns, she remains one of Frankfurt’s most influential figures in influencer marketing—turning digital engagement into measurable success.
2. Stephan (Lukinski) Czaja
Influencer marketing is evolving rapidly, and Stephan Czaja has been at the forefront of that transformation. Recognizing early on that digital influence was becoming as powerful as traditional media, he expanded his modeling agency, CM Models, into the social media space, launching Social Media One in 2018. This move positioned him as one of Frankfurt’s key players in influencer-driven brand storytelling.
His deep understanding of media, marketing, and branding has earned him features on RTL, Pro7, Sat1, ZDF, and Business Insider, where he shares insights on digital influence, virtual influencers, and the intersection of fashion and social media. His ability to anticipate market trends has allowed him to develop innovative strategies for brands looking to build credibility and reach new audiences.
Beyond his work in influencer marketing, he has authored The Model Book, offering aspiring models a roadmap to success in the industry. His expertise extends beyond social media campaigns—he is actively shaping the future of how influencers and brands collaborate.
3. Niels Verlemann
Niels Verlemann’s journey from project manager to CEO of Envy is a testament to his strategic vision and ability to drive tangible results in influencer marketing. Since stepping into the Managing Director role in 2020, he has transformed the agency’s approach, turning influencer campaigns into performance-driven initiatives that deliver real business impact for major brands.
His leadership has been instrumental in crafting high-impact collaborations, such as the successful campaign with Cosnova’s L.O.V. brand, where his expertise in brand-influencer alignment helped create an authentic and engaging partnership. But for Niels, it’s not just about creative storytelling—his focus on data-driven decision-making has led to measurable success. The Audi Discovery Days campaign, which achieved a 150% increase in traffic and a 50% conversion rate, is a prime example, earning Envy the prestigious ABC Award in 2020.
Beyond individual campaigns, he has played a key role in securing and expanding partnerships with powerhouse brands like SEAT and CUPRA Deutschland. Under his leadership, Envy manages their digital marketing efforts, overseeing social media channels and influencer activations to ensure maximum audience engagement.
With a background that seamlessly blends digital strategy and creative execution, Niels isn’t just leading an agency—he’s redefining how brands approach influencer marketing in an era where authenticity and ROI must go hand in hand.
4. Peter Finn
Building a successful communications agency requires a deep understanding of both storytelling and business strategy—two areas where Peter Finn excels. Since founding Finn Partners in 2011, he has expanded the agency into a global force, now spanning over 34 offices and 1,300 employees worldwide.
His background in literature from Brown and Columbia University has given him a unique ability to craft compelling brand narratives, an expertise he honed while co-leading Ruder Finn, a firm co-founded by his father. His ability to combine traditional PR with digital innovation has helped brands navigate the evolving influencer landscape, ensuring their campaigns are both strategic and culturally relevant.
Influencer marketing is a key pillar of Finn Partners’ services, with the agency focusing on authentic brand partnerships that create lasting engagement. Whether through social collaborations, digital partnerships, or influencer-driven campaigns, his team ensures brands connect with the right voices to amplify their message.
Beyond marketing, he remains actively involved in cultural initiatives, serving as Co-Founder and Chairman of the Catskill Mountain Foundation. His leadership continues to influence not just the business world but also the creative industries that shape public perception and brand storytelling.
5. Kim Sophie Renker
The influencer marketing industry is filled with agencies chasing quick engagement, but Kim Sophie Renker is focused on something more sustainable—long-term brand and creator relationships. Through 24hours Agency, she has built a business that prioritizes strategic influencer matchmaking, ensuring that brands partner with content creators who align with their values and audience.
Her agency specializes in lifestyle, business, and informational content, helping brands craft campaigns that feel both organic and performance-driven. From influencer selection to campaign management and data tracking, her approach ensures that brands see real impact beyond just likes and views.
Her background in entrepreneurship extends beyond influencer marketing. As the President of the Entrepreneurship Initiative at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, she has long been committed to fostering innovation and helping businesses scale strategically. This experience translates into her leadership style, where she combines business acumen with creative marketing solutions.
With influencer marketing becoming an essential part of brand strategy, she continues to push the industry forward, helping brands move past superficial metrics and toward meaningful audience engagement. A core offering of 24hours Agency is influencer consultancy, where they help clients distribute their influencer budgets more efficiently.
6. Jörg Stark
For nearly two decades, Jörg Stark has been refining the way brands approach digital visibility, blending influencer marketing with performance-driven strategies at Online Digital X. His agency specializes in SEO, SEM, and social media marketing, ensuring that brands don’t just gain exposure but also maintain a strong digital presence long after a campaign ends.
With a background in Marketing & Communication from IMK Wiesbaden and Computer Science from TU Berlin, he brings both creative and technical expertise to the table. His approach to influencer marketing is rooted in AI-powered analytics and strategic partnerships, helping brands connect with authentic voices on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Beyond running campaigns, he is a well-known industry speaker, having presented at SEACamp 2019 and other digital marketing events. His focus on innovation has allowed his agency to evolve with the fast-changing digital landscape, keeping his clients ahead of industry trends.
With experience across fintech, e-commerce, tourism, and sports, his strategies are built for brands that want more than just impressions—they want measurable, long-term digital success.
7. Jon Cook
Jon Cook’s leadership at VML has been nothing short of transformative. Over nearly three decades with the agency, he has played a pivotal role in its evolution from a 30-person firm in Kansas City to a global marketing powerhouse with 28,000 employees across more than 60 markets. Since stepping into the Global CEO role in 2011, he has been at the forefront of integrating influencer marketing into the agency’s broader digital and creative strategies, ensuring that brands harness the full potential of influencer-driven campaigns.
A key driver of VML’s success has been its proprietary Brand Trust Network (BTN), which Cook helped develop to ensure strategic influencer selection, campaign activation, and real-time performance tracking. By leveraging a vast ecosystem of over 4 million influencers—ranging from niche nano-creators to globally recognized celebrities—VML has set a new industry benchmark for influencer marketing at scale.
Beyond influencer marketing, Cook’s leadership has positioned VML as a dominant force in the marketing world. His 2023 merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson created a unified agency that seamlessly blends creativity, technology, and data, making it an indispensable partner for industry giants like Microsoft, Ford, Nestlé, and The Coca-Cola Company. The agency’s ability to execute influencer campaigns on a global scale while maintaining authenticity and brand alignment has earned it accolades, including recognition as the 2023 Network of the Year.
8. Bettina Gebhardt
With a career spanning over 25 years in communications, Bettina Gebhardt has been instrumental in helping brands craft compelling narratives through influencer marketing and PR. As the Founder and CEO of Kontx Kommunikation, she leads one of Frankfurt’s most respected agencies, offering a full suite of services, including public relations, social media strategy, and reputation management.
Her expertise spans multiple industries, from B2B and B2C to crisis management and multi-market campaigns. Before founding Kontx Kommunikation in 2015, she held leadership roles at global firms like Grayling and Ketchum, where she developed high-impact PR and digital strategies for multinational brands.
Her approach to influencer marketing is highly strategic, ensuring that brands collaborate with carefully vetted creators who align with their values and messaging. Her agency’s work extends across sectors like travel, fashion, food, sustainability, and health, creating authentic partnerships that drive audience trust and engagement.
Beyond her agency work, she has played a critical role in industry thought leadership, serving as an Advisory Board Member at Huperty and providing strategic guidance on international brand communication structures.
From reputation management to influencer collaborations, she continues to shape the way brands engage with audiences, proving that credibility and storytelling are at the heart of every successful marketing campaign.
Shaping the Future: The CEOs Defining Frankfurt’s Influencer Marketing Landscape
From Fitvia’s viral success to the strategic masterminds behind Frankfurt’s top agencies, the CEOs of these influencer marketing firms are not just industry players—they’re industry shapers.
Whether it’s Gloria Haagmans’ Glowstaff redefining talent partnerships, Stephan Czaja’s CM Models bridging fashion and digital influence, or Bettina Gebhardt’s Kontx Kommunikation crafting compelling brand narratives, each leader has left a unique imprint on the marketing world.
These firms and services go beyond follower counts; they cultivate trust, engagement, and innovation. As influencer marketing continues to evolve, these CEOs prove that Frankfurt isn’t just keeping up—it’s leading the charge.
