Klaus Schottenhamel
President and CEO
Klaus Schottenhamel leads B4 Consulting, providing strategic direction for all customer-, partner-, and integration-related activities around the world. An SAP consulting and business technology veteran, Klaus has domain expertise in building SAP systems integration consultancies worldwide. Prior to B4 Consulting, he was president and CEO of IMG Americas, a company of S&T. At IMG Americas, he directed a successful management buyout from S&T resulting in the establishment of B4 Consulting. Previously, he was president and CEO of SAP SI America, Inc., the systems integration division of SAP AG. At SAP SI America, Klaus led a successful US expansion that averaged a 40 percent annual revenue growth rate during his tenure. Earlier in his career, he worked with PLAUT AG, an international SAP integration consultancy. A key member of PLAUT’s executive board, Klaus was responsible for launching several PLAUT international business units, including a joint venture with Deloitte/PLAUT in South Africa, PLAUT UK, and PLAUT Consulting Inc. USA. Klaus also served as a member of the SAP National Partner Advisory Council and in executive management positions with other consulting and technology companies including Inforte, living systems, inc., and ConnectUS, LLC. Klaus earned his undergraduate degree in finance and MBA from the College of Pforzheim (Germany).

Peter Zagel
COO
Peter Zagel, a management-consulting veteran with domain expertise in SAP solutions, manages the day-to-day operations as Chief Operating Officer and leads B4 Consulting delivery teams in all SAP implementation projects. Peter’s SAP experience spans successful careers with PLAUT Consulting and Deloitte Consulting where he held both executive- and consulting-level positions in which he advanced business process improvements and rapid implementation methodologies. Part of the PLAUT leadership team in North America, Peter was instrumental in helping to build PLAUT’s presence, client base, and implementation projects. Additionally, he launched and staffed competency centers in Waltham (MA), developed customer-training programs, and established SAP Academies for PLAUT clients. During his tenure at Deloitte, he led cross-industry implementations in which he focused on costing models and SAP upgrades. Early in his career, Peter worked as a software support consultant with Nixdorf Computer. Peter is certified in a number of SAP solution modules, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in business information systems from the University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, SA).

Carmen Kaechler
Vice President – Finance
Carmen Kaechler brings a unique blend of finance and operations expertise rooted in management consulting experience to her role as vice president of Finance at B4 Consulting. She was an instrumental member of the management team that guided B4 Consulting’s successful acquisition by Sumisho Computer Systems USA in 2008. Previously, she led finance and administration at IMG Americas, Inc. where she played a key role in IMG Americas’ transition to B4 Consulting. One of IMG Americas’ first employees, Carmen helped establish the company’s US headquarters in Kennett Square (PA) and opened regional offices throughout the US. During her tenure with IMG Americas, she created the infrastructure that enabled the company’s growth from 1998 to 2007. Prior to IMG Americas, Carmen helped launch IDS Scheer’s office in Pennsylvania where she established operations and instituted business processes for the consultancy's US presence. Fluent in German and English, she has served as a technical translator at the Institute for Information Systems and Management at the University of Saarbruecken (Germany). Carmen began her professional career in the banking industry and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Saarbruecken.

Jacquelyn Thrasivoulos
Vice President – Corporate Communications
Serving as a consulting vice president for B4 corporate communications, Jackie Thrasivoulos helped to strengthen IMG Americas’ global brand and led the rebranding initiative resulting in B4 Consulting. At B4 she directs all corporate marketing and communications, public relations, and customer and partner programs. With a career devoted to corporate communications in the high-tech arena, Jackie has managed both US and global marketing and public relations programs. While much of her work has focused on go-to-market initiatives for early-stage companies, she has also supported industry leaders such as Cisco Systems, EMC Corporation, and SAP SI Americas. Prior to consulting, Jackie held account management positions with advertising agencies in the Greater Boston area, and was part of the marketing team that introduced ground-breaking office automation and laptop technologies at Data General Corporation (acquired by EMC). She began her career in the editorial and promotions department of a Boston-based publishing house. Jackie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and English from Simmons College and a Master of Science in Mass Communications from Boston University.