In this episode of The Executives, we sit down with Mirela Mus, Founder and Chief Product Officer of Product People - a trailblazing organization helping companies like Zalando and the WHO drive product innovation through interim product management. Mirela shares her journey from Berlin to building a 50,000-strong global product community and offers sharp insights into product ops, digital transformation, and sustainable team practices.

🚀 Topic: From Interim Product Teams to Organizational Transformation: Building Product Excellence with Mirela Mus

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• How interim product leaders can drive long-term business impact
• The difference between product ops, product management, and program management
• What companies often get wrong about digital transformation
• How to scale product knowledge and avoid the hidden costs of outsourcing
• Why real product work is about creating clarity

⏱️ Chapters:

• 00:15 Welcome and Guest Intro
• 03:47 Fun Question: What Would You Say to Aliens?
• 05:47 What Is Product People?
• 07:49 The Difference Between PM, PO, and Program Management
• 12:10 Why Mirela Started Product People
• 16:37 Knowledge Transfer, Documentation & Offboarding Done Right
• 19:21 Real Product Case Study: Scaling Customer Support Efficiency
• 34:22 Balancing Innovation and Discipline in Product Teams
• 37:03 Product Trends: AI, Tools, and Outcome Thinking
• 44:32 What’s Next for Product People

Guest Bio - Mirela Mus:

Founder and CPO of Product People, Mirela leads a team of top-tier product managers enabling companies to accelerate outcomes, embed best practices, and scale sustainably. With experience across OKRs, product discovery, and product ops, she’s also an active mentor and former Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Techstars, shaping the future of product leadership.

📢 Connect with Mirela

• LinkedIn Mirela- https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirelamus/
• Website - https://www.getproductpeople.com/
• LinkedIn Product People - https://www.linkedin.com/company/getproductpeople
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getproductpeople/
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ProductManagementPeople
• X - Mirela Mus: https://x.com/MirelaMus

• X - Product People: https://x.com/Product__People

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidmofficial
• X: https://x.com/majidmofficial
• MajidM: https://www.majidm.com 

In this power-packed special, recorded live at Transform 2025 in Berlin, I sat down with some of the boldest founders, builders, and change-makers reimagining the future through AI automation and digital transformation.

From AI accessibility to zero-hardware VR, and knowledge management to civic innovation - this episode captures real stories of execution from innovators across Germany’s tech scene.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

+ Digital transformation as a startup default

+ AI-driven product innovations and societal impact+ Enterprise-ready AI platforms and tools

+ Accessibility, sustainability & tech for good+ Real-life applications of AI in VR, meetings, and hearing support

⏯️ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction from Majid Mahmood

01:00 Björn Hinrichs, Head of Upskilling at SERVIEW

09:35 Jan Marquardt, Founder & CEO at ZIVE

13:10 Maike Voigt, Co-Founder & COO at UNWARE

17:32 Omer Madani, Co-Founder at synote

23:30 Björn Hiller, Head of Marketing at Comeco

27:08 Silvia Damme, from Civic Coding

29:40 Markus Paulußen, Founder at barrierefrAI

34:20 Peggy Sylopp, Founder & CEO at sinceare UG

38:22 Falko Saalfeld, Founder at Mother Earth AI

42:00 Final Reflections: Trends That Stood Out

🌐 Connect with Guests:

Björn Hinrichs – Head of Upskilling at SERVIEW

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernhinrichs
• SERVIEW: https://en.serview.de/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serview_gmbh

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ServiewDE

Jan Marquardt – Founder and CEO at ZIVE

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-mar/
• ZIVE: https://www.zive.com/en
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ziveapp

Maike Voigt – Co-Founder + COO at UNWARE

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikevoigt/
• UNWARE: https://unware.technology/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unware_official/

Omer Madani – Co-Founder at synote

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omer-madani
• synote: https://synote.io/
• X: https://x.com/synoteMeeting
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syno.te
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjPNdxI_nk-E96E2f5OMhfg

Björn Hiller – Head of Marketing at Comeco

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj%C3%B6rn-hiller/
• Comeco: https://www.comeco.com/de-de/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comeco_digitalisierung/

Silvia Damme – Mitarbeiterin in der Geschäftsstelle at Civic Coding

Civic Coding: https://www.civic-coding.de/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/civic-coding/

X: https://x.com/CivicCoding

Markus Paulußen – Founder at barrierefrAI

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrierefrai/
• barrierefrAI: https://www.barrierefrai.com/

Peggy Sylopp – Founder and CEO at sinceare UG

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggy-sylopp/
• sinceare UG: https://www.sinceare.com/jobs/

Falko Saalfeld – Founder at Mother Earth AI

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mother-earth-ai/
• Mother Earth AI: https://mother-earth.ai/
• X: https://x.com/MotherEarthAI

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidmofficial
• MajidM: https://www.majidm.com 

In this special episode, recorded live at Merchant Payments Ecosystem (MPE) 2025 in Berlin, I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with some of the most influential leaders in the payments, fintech, and merchant space.

As an official media partner of MPE 2025, the Executives brings you exclusive insights from industry leaders and experts. From open banking to payment orchestration, and fraud prevention to AI-driven innovations, this episode covers the cutting-edge trends shaping the future of payments.

📝 Key Topics Covered:

• Future of payments and financial innovation

• Strategies to maximize revenue and streamline payment processes
• Combatting fraud and ensuring cybersecurity
• Utilizing AI to balance fraud detection and customer experience
• Commercial strategies and global payment trends
• Building business resilience and scalability in the payment ecosystem

📌 Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:37 - Ugnė Buračienė, Group CEO at Payabl.: Trends shaping payments and the role of AI

04:57 - David Birch, Global Ambassador at Consult Hyperion: Future of digital payments and the rise of stablecoins

09:59 - Guy Houghton, Chief Revenue Officer at Tribe Payments: Simplifying payment infrastructure for enhanced customer experiences

12:24 - Nikhita Hyett, General Manager EMEA at Signifyd: Fraud and abuse prevention trends in e-commerce

18:21 - Jürgen Brandt, VP of Business Development at Risk Ident: Real-time fraud detection using AI and device fingerprinting

25:52 - Xi Ye, Global D2C Commercial Strategy Lead at Versuni: Direct-to-consumer payment challenges and AI integration

33:02 - Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned

Merchant Payment Ecosystem:

• Website: https://www.merchantpaymentsecosystem.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/merchant-payments-ecosystem/
• X: https://x.com/mpecosystem
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merchant.payments.ecosystem/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/EmpiriaGroup

🌐 Connect with Guests:

Ugnė Buračienė - Group CEO at Payabl.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ugn%C4%97-b-5a748927
• Payabl.: https://payabl.com/ 

David Birch - Global Ambassador at Consult Hyperion

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgwbirch
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/davidgwbirch/
• Consult Hyperion:https://chyp.com/ 
• Fime:https://www.fime.com/ 

Guy Houghton - Chief Revenue Officer at Tribe Payments

• LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-houghton-3985202 
• Tribe Payments:https://www.tribepayments.com/ 

Nikhita Hyett - General Manager EMEA at Signifyd

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhita-hyett 
• Signifyd: https://www.signifyd.com/  

Jürgen Brandt - VP of Business Development at Risk Ident

• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/juergenbrandt 
• Risk Ident: https://riskident.com/ 

Xi Ye - Global D2C Commercial Strategy Lead at Versuni

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xiye00769 
• Versuni: https://www.versuni.com/ 

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidmofficial
• MajidM: https://www.majidm.com 

In this episode of The Executives, we dive deep with Dr.Petrutsa, an expert in startups, investment, and sustainability. From moving to Germany alone at 19 to leading TIGZ, an accelerator fostering innovation in sustainability, she shares her career-defining moments, leadership insights, and hard truths about building impactful businesses. The topic for today’s episode is From Female Migrant to Startups Mentor: Pioneering Innovation and Sustainability in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem.

📢 Key Topics Covered:

• How Dr. Petrura transitioned from corporate consulting to startup mentorship
• The importance of trusting yourself before expecting others to trust you
• Why measuring impact is critical for sustainable startups
• How startups drive economic growth & innovation

📌 Chapters:

00:24 Who is Dr. Petruta

01:15 The Story of Dr. Petruta

03:36 Fun Question: Which Celebrity Would Be Your Co-founder?

06:13 Topic introduction

06:37 From Migrant to Startup Mentor: What Inspired the Journey?

10:03 Key Milestones That Shaped Leadership & Innovation

14:40 The Power of Journaling: Is It Helpful?

17:35 Biggest Challenges in Transitioning to the Business World

22:30 Inside the Accelerator: What Does It Do?

26:22 What Industries Does the Accelerator Focus On?

29:10 How Startups Drive Innovation & Economic Growth

35:05 How to Identify & Nurture High-Impact Startups

40:43 The Role of Partnerships in Startup Success

47:34 How to Integrate Sustainability in Startups

50:50 – How the Accelerator Supports ESG in Business Models

54:10 – Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

57:44 – Final Thoughts & Closing Remarks

📚 Guest Bio:

Dr. Petruta is a CEO, keynote speaker, and expert in startups, investment, and sustainability. She is the CEO of TIGZ (Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre), where she leads accelerator programs that support impact-driven startups. With over 18 years of experience in digital transformation, business development, and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), she has worked in corporate consulting, and academia, and now focuses on fostering entrepreneurship.

📢 Connect with Dr. Petruta Tatulescu

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-petruta-tatulescu-7ba3111

Technologie-, Innovations- und Gründungszentrum GmbH (TiGZ)- https://tigz.de/ 

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidmofficial
• MajidM: https://www.majidm.com 

🚀 Berlin’s Rise as a Global Startup Hub & International Partnerships 🌍

In this episode of The Executives, we sit down with Dr. Rainer Seider, an expert in international affairs, to discuss:

• How Berlin became a global startup magnet
• The role of AI & innovation in government
• Why Berlin’s ecosystem attracts international talent
• The impact of migration on Germany’s workforce

🔗 Watch the full episode to gain insights into Berlin’s transformation & how startups, investors, and policymakers are shaping the future.

📌 Chapters:

• 00:21 - Welcome to Rainer Seider
• 01:12 - Rainer’s Background: From Law & Politics to International Affairs
• 03:11 - Why Berlin’s Startup Scene Switched from German to English
• 06:04 - Rainer’s ultimate comfort food
• 08:30 - The professional journey of Rainer and passion for global partnerships
• 13:30 - Why Berlin needs Talent Migration?
• 15:37 - The Debate on Migration & Germany’s Workforce Needs
• 19:06 - Berlin’s Culture & Its Role in Global Startups
• 26:05 - What Makes Berlin Ideal for Founders & Investors?
• 30:04 - Services available to the General Public from the city of Berlin
• 34:46 - AI & Digitalization: The Future of Berlin’s Public Services
• 38:23 - Project Rainer is passionate about? Asia Berlin Summit: Why Startups Should Look to Asia
• 44:24 - Who Should Attend Asia Berlin? Startups, Corporates, Investors?
• 46:44 - Final Thoughts: Strengthening Berlin as a Global Hub

🎙 About the Guest

Dr. Rainer Seider is an accomplished leader in international affairs and strategic partnerships, currently serving as Head of Unit International Affairs for the Governing Mayor of Berlin.

With extensive experience fostering global connections for Berlin’s citizens, startups, and SMEs, he has spearheaded initiatives like the AsiaBerlin Summit, promoting intercontinental collaboration and innovation.

📢 Connect with Dr. Rainer Seider

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rainerseider/ 
• Berlin Partners: https://www.berlin-partner.de/en 
• Startup Map Berlin: https://startup-map.berlin/
• AsiaBerlin: https://asia.berlin/ 
• Learn more about Berlin: https://www.berlin.de/ 

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidmofficial
• MajidM: https://www.majidm.com 

In this week’s episode, Carlos González de Villaumbrosia, Founder & CEO of Product School, joins The Executives podcast. Carlos, a seasoned entrepreneur and leader in product management education, has been instrumental in shaping the careers of countless professionals. The topic for discussion is Empowering the Next Generation of Product Leaders: Insights from Building Product School and ProductCon.

Chapters

• 00:24 Who is Carlos? The journey from Spain to Silicon Valley
• 03:48 Fun question: What’s your go-to karaoke song?
• 04:36 Topic Introducion: 
• 05:30 What is Product School?
• 07:09 What is Product Management?
• 08:52 What were the biggest challenges in scaling Product School?
• 11:21 Why did you choose product management?
• 14:46 How long is the Product School certification?
• 16:32 ProductCon: The Largest Product Management Conference?
• 18:41 How did you launch ProductCon?
• 22:36 What are the biggest trends in product management?
• 27:44 How can product managers use AI to their advantage?
• 30:34 What makes a great product leader?
• 35:46 Should product leaders stay hands-on?
• 42:09 What are the biggest challenges product leaders face?
• 47:06 What are the biggest leadership lessons you've learned?
• 51:50 What’s next for Product School?
• 53:40 Closing Remarks from Carlos 

📚 Guest Bio:

With over 15 years of experience building digital products and global companies, Carlos has led Product School to become the worldwide leader of product management training, growing a community of over 2 million professionals. He is also the creator of ProductCon, one of the largest product management conferences in the world.

📢 Connect with Carlos 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/villaumbrosia/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villaumbrosia
• X: https://x.com/villaumbrosia 
• Product School: https://productschool.com/ 
• The Product Book: https://productschool.com/resources/ebooks/the-product-book 
• ProductCon: https://productschool.com/productcon 

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidmofficial
• MajidM: https://www.majidm.com

🎙 If you found this episode insightful, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

Join me for this exclusive episode of The Executives: A Dialogue with Majid, recorded live at the AsiaBerlin Summit 2024, where I dive into the minds of global innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs shaping the future. 🌍✨

In this episode, I sit down with a diverse lineup of incredible guests, including summit organizers, startup founders, and thought leaders, to discuss cross-border collaboration, innovation trends, and the transformative power of partnerships between Asia and Europe.

Chapters:

🎙️ From the challenges of scaling startups to the opportunities in fostering global partnerships, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

💡 Subscribe for more interviews with trailblazing leaders and innovators! Don’t forget to like, comment, and share your favorite moments from this episode.

📢 Connect with Guests

Marten Rauschenberg, Interim CEO at AsiaBerlin Forum, and Founding Partner at GIIC

Dr. Rainer Seider, Head of Unit International Affairs  Governing Mayor of Berlin - Senate Chancellery

Manori Unambuwe, CEO at PlanetPulse

Aparna Bhatnagar Saxena, Founder Ahana and CEO at Torajamelo

Haris Rehman, Founder at Rapid Venture Lab

Dmitry Kharchenko, Founder & CEO at TechBiz Global

Muhammad Fauzal Rizki, CEO and Co-founder at Sampangan

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood

In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Yash Ranga, an Impact Strategist, Conscious Luxury Evangelist, and Director of Strategy & Innovation at PYXERA Global. From grassroots initiatives to global leadership, Yash shares his journey of driving sustainable impact and stakeholder engagement across 100+ countries. The topic of discussion is Strategic Innovation and Impact: Driving Leadership, CSR, and Stakeholder Engagement.

Chapters

📚 Guest Bio:

Yash Ranga is an accomplished Impact Strategist, Director of Strategy & Innovation at PYXERA Global, and a pioneer in Conscious Luxury. With a background spanning social entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and technology innovation, he has created transformative partnerships impacting over 100 countries. Formerly heading the globally acclaimed Jaipur Rugs Foundation, Yash’s expertise lies in fostering inclusive socio-economic models, multi-stakeholder collaborations, and driving strategic innovations. Beyond his professional achievements, Yash is a national boxer, theater artist, and a passionate advocate for creating a sustainable, equitable future.

📢 Connect with Yash Ranga

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood

In this episode, we’re joined by Syeda Mahrukh Raza, Founder and CEO of Lean Outset, a consultancy helping startups achieve product-market fit through user research and lean methodologies. The topic of discussion is Building Successful Digital Products: From Concept to Market Fit through User and Market Research and Innovation.

Chapters

Mahrukh draws from her experience with top clients like TeamViewer and DP World to share actionable insights for startups and established companies. Whether you’re a founder, product manager, or tech enthusiast, this conversation is valuable!

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insightful episodes!

📚 Guest Bio:

Syeda Mahrukh Raza is the Founder and CEO of Lean Outset, a consultancy specializing in helping startups achieve product-market fit through user research and lean methodologies. With over 7 years of experience in product and service companies, she has worked with leading brands like TeamViewer and DP World. Passionate about solving user pain points and driving innovation, Syeda empowers businesses to develop digital products that deliver unique value and succeed in competitive markets.

📢 Connect with Syeda Mahrukh Raza

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood

Welcome to our latest podcast episode featuring the incredible Momina Rajput, Founder Spark Media! In this episode, Momina shares her inspiring journey through the world of marketing and entrepreneurship, from launching a successful brand to sparking impactful conversations in Canada’s competitive digital landscape.

Chapters

Whether you're a startup founder, marketing enthusiast, or small business owner, this episode is packed with actionable insights to fuel your brand journey! 🔥

Tune in now and get inspired by Momina’s story!

📚 Guest Bio:

Momina Rajput is the visionary founder of Spark Media, a marketing and brand-building agency dedicated to helping businesses of all sizes connect meaningfully with their audiences. With a background in engineering and over a decade of experience in marketing, Momina combines analytical rigour with creative insight to craft powerful brand strategies. Her journey spans from launching her agency in Canada, overcoming entrepreneurial challenges, to becoming a trusted advisor for brands looking to stand out in today’s digital age. Passionate about innovation, authenticity, and customer trust, Momina is known for sparking impactful conversations and driving real, measurable results for her clients.

📢 Connect with Momina Rajput

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood