Publications
Conference Speaker: MACH THREE
MACH IN PRACTICE WORKSHOPS
Co-hosted MACH in Practice Workshops on:
How Do You Educate & Train the Business in Readiness for Composable?
The Developer Hero Culture... How to Manage & Balance
When to Build—When to Buy
06/2024 in New York City (USA)
Blog article on LinkedIn.com and Medium.com
MACHING IT HAPPEN: THE FUTURE OF E-COMMERCE UNLEASHED
Why MACH is finally leap-frogging E-Commerce from the 2000s era to the 2020s
E-Commerce has undergone significant changes since its inception, yet many of its foundational architectures remain firmly rooted in the past. The MACH architecture, comprising Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native (or more recently Composable), and Headless, is not groundbreaking by itself. However, it has become a critical catalyst for modernizing E-Commerce by integrating advanced software engineering principles. This transformation is not only technical but also socio-technical, bridging the gap between robust technological frameworks and agile organizational structures.
In this blog post, we will delve into how MACH is reshaping E-Commerce and enabling cutting-edge innovations, particularly with regards to recent breakthroughs in machine learning and artificial intelligence.
06/2024 on LinkedIn.com and Medium.com
Podcast Interview: CTO Confessions Podcast Episode 154
ARCHITECTING SUCCESS: ANDREAS WESTENDÖRPF'S VISION OF TECH AS BUSINESS BACKBONE
In this insightful episode of CTO Confessions, listeners are treated to an in-depth exploration of technology and leadership through the experiences of Andreas Westendörpf, CTO of Emma. His journey, from a budding software engineer to an influential technology leader, is a central theme. The episode covers the crucial role of good architecture, with a focus on the MACH Alliance's contributions to e-commerce. It delves into the significant impact of organizational structure on technology, advocating for empowered, interdisciplinary product teams. Additionally, the episode sheds light on topics like technical debt and the essence of software development, all while underscoring the necessity of empathy in the tech industry.
Key takeaways from the podcast are:
Empathy is Key in Bridging Technology and Business - Mutual understanding between technical and non-technical teams is crucial for effective collaboration and problem-solving.
Organizational Dynamics Shape Software Development - The structure of an organization significantly influences its software architecture. Implementing effective team structures and interdisciplinary approaches can lead to more innovative and efficient product development.
Continuous Learning and Community Engagement are Essential - Engaging with peer networks, podcasts, and tech blogs is vital for staying updated and tackling the complexities of technology leadership.
02/2024 online on IT-labs.com and Spotify
Podcast Interview: Behind the C Podcast Episode 140
TECHNOLOGIE IST ENTSCHEIDEND
Guter Schlaf - die Bedeutung von Matratzen und Regeneration ist 👨💻 Andreas Westendörpf bewusst: Er ist CTO von Emma – The Sleep Company. Zuvor arbeitete er unter anderem bei KPMG , Zalando und Engel & Völkers. Der #Technologie Fan gewährt spannende Einblicke in seine Erfolgsstrategien in einem schnell wachsenden Unternehmen. Andreas spricht über die Charaktereigenschaften, die im #CLevel benötigt werden, und gibt eine Prognose für die Zukunft.
Wie wirkt sich die KI auf Unternehmen aus?
Was denkt er über die Work-Life Balance als junger Vater?
Weshalb sieht er Sustainable Pace als unabdinglich an?
Und was meint der CTO mit Unlearning im C-Level?
Die Antworten warten in dieser Episode #BehindTheC
Podcast Interview: People Changing Enterprises Podcast Episode 48
YOUR 2024 TRANSFORMATION GUIDE: WISDOM FROM COMPOSABLE TRAILBLAZERS
In this episode, we check in with some of our first guests, sharing what they've been working on over the past year - and their advice for anyone looking to embark on a transformation in 2024. Bob Howland, Chief Digital Officer at Dawn Foods, explains how composable technology helps their company to effectively cross-pollinate content between their e-commerce and corporate sites. Jon Richards, Head of Digital at Golfbreaks, shares how composable architecture provides time-saving benefits. Danielle Diliberti, CEO of Sommsation, talks about the fast-paced innovative advantages of building a digital marketplace using composable technology. Andreas Westendörpf, CTO of Emma Sleep, shares how their composable stack helped them handle high business spikes during the holiday season. Along with these insights, the guests offer advice for organizations looking to begin their composable transformation journey.
01/2024 online on Contentstack, Spotify, Apple, Google and Amazon
Webinar: Webinar by MACH Alliance
UNLOCKING BLACK FRIDAY
"Unlocking Black Friday" - flexible tech stack during peak is possible! Join Jasmin Guthmann (Executive Board Member of the MACH Alliance) and 👨💻 Andreas Westendörpf (CTO at Emma – The Sleep Company) as they share:
👨💻 Common challenges they faced with legacy systems during peak periods
👩💻 Their remarkable journey towards a cutting-edge MACH Architecture
👩💻 How they can now effortlessly navigate high demands thanks to a flexible tech stack
12/2023 online on Youtube, Contentstack and LinkedIn
Conference Masterclass: Web Summit 2024
OWN THE DIGITAL DECADE AHEAD
Meet the future of digital excellence with AirFrance-KLM and Emma. Discover leadership strategies, essential skills, and architectural approaches you need to navigate the digital landscape in the next decade. Learn from the diverse perspectives of a digital native brand and an established 100-year-old brand how to prepare your teams, organization, and technology for the ever-evolving digital future.
11/2023 in Lisbon (Portugal)
Webinar: LinkedIn Live Webinar by MACH Alliance
ASK ME ANYTHING: BUILDING A MACH MINDSET
Join us for an engaging LinkedIn Live session with our MACH Ambassadors! In this inaugural session, we dive into the world of the MACH mindset. Get ready for an open, no-holds-barred discussion featuring honest conversations and real stories from the frontline.
10/2023 online on LinkedIn
Conference Panelist: MACH TWO
THE ERP PANEL - HOW FAR BACK DOES MACH GO?
Panel on how classic ERP software lives with the new MACH initiative, how bi-modality might be changing system of records into systems of differentiation / innovation and if the 'P' of ERP stands for pain or possibility.
06/2023 in Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Conference Speaker: Shoptalk Europe Barcelona
SIMPLIFYING THE E-COMMERCE TECH STACK
As retailers and brands implement new technologies to improve their online offerings, it can result in a complex web of solutions and processes that are challenging to connect and manage efficiently. In this session, an industry analyst will share tactics for simplifying the ecommerce tech stack. The presentation will be followed by a conversation with a retail leader that’s successfully completed this work to work more efficiently and innovate at pace.
05/2023 in Barcelona (Spain)
Podcast Interview: People Changing Enterprises Podcast Episode 24 - Part 3
MAKE YOUR COMPANY A GREAT PLACE TO WORK
Every company pays lip service to building a great culture where people trust each other, feel free to challenge each other, and openness and transparency are the name of the game. But building that kind of culture doesn't happen without work - and more importantly, a set of principles against which to work. Andreas Westendörpf (CTO, Emma Sleep) has transformed several organizations from slow and complex to agile and innovative - and he says the company culture must transform along with the technology, if you want to be in the 21st century as a business. In this episode, Andreas lays out the principles that Emma Sleep has used to build a culture of openness, trust, and transparency - and how Andreas thinks about management, leadership, and the principles of human motivation to underpin his team's participation in this culture and the company's success.
Podcast Interview: People Changing Enterprises Podcast Episode 24 - Part 2
THE LAST REPLATFORM YOU'LL EVER DO
Andreas Westendörpf (CTO) brought the concept of composable commerce to Emma Sleep. But that wasn't his agenda from the outset. In this episode, he shares how to know if your organization is ready for composable; why e-Commerce organizations can be surprisingly outdated in their technology; how to challenge vendors and commercial models in parts of the enterprise technology landscape that have not yet embraced composable principles; why Emma Sleep made the jump -- and what you should be prepared for if you do the same.
Podcast Interview: People Changing Enterprises Podcast Episode 24 - Part 1
YOUR MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE IT DEPARTMENT
If you're on the "business" side of your company and don't think too much about the workings of the IT department, CTO has some news for you: it's time to start paying attention.
In this episode, Andreas uncovers common misconceptions about the IT department and shares why it's essential to close the gaps between IT, marketing, and everything in between.
Podcast Interview: Wechselwillig Podcast S02/E05
EMMA MATRATZEN: DER TESTSIEGER FÜR DEINE KARRIERE
"𝐖𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐳𝐮, 𝐝𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧, 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐚ß 𝐚𝐦 𝐤𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐤𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐧, 𝐬𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐞 𝐢𝐦 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐧."
Wenn du diese Einstellung teilst, ist Emma – The Sleep Company genau das richtige Team für dich. Bei Emma wird daran geglaubt, dass Erfolg nicht nur durch die Arbeit einzelner, sondern durch die #Zusammenarbeit und das gemeinsame #Engagement aller Mitarbeiter:innen, entsteht. Ein wichtiger Faktor dabei ist die Freude an #Ownership - also die Bereitschaft, Verantwortung zu übernehmen und sich aktiv am Erfolg des Unternehmens zu beteiligen. Wenn alle im Team verstehen, wie ihre Arbeit in den Gesamtkontext des Unternehmens passt, dann können sie gezielt darauf hinarbeiten, dass das Unternehmen als Ganzes erfolgreich ist.
Emma zeigt, dass die Firma nicht nur auf kurzfristigen Erfolg aus ist, sondern langfristig denkt und auf eine nachhaltige Unternehmensentwicklung setzt. Wer sich noch weiter mit dem Thema #Unternehmenskultur und #Mitarbeiterzufriedenheit beschäftigen möchte, sollte unbedingt in die aktuelle Podcast Folge reinhören. 🎧
Podcast Interview: OpsLevel Level-up Podcast
MOVING OFF THE MONOLITH: IMPLEMENTING A DECENTRALIZED FRAMEWORK TO DRIVE SCALE-UP GROWTH
Scaling and re-platforming your operating systems to meet the scale of your company can be a never-ending task. Re-engineering, re-training, and re-tooling can all quickly become overwhelming. Our guest today discusses his approach to refocusing and building out a technical and decentralized framework in a company that had previously viewed tech as an enabler, rather than a driver of business growth.
Andreas Westendörpf, Chief Technology Officer at Emma Sleep joins to discuss his teams’ re-platforming effort as Emma scaled to a worldwide e-commerce brand, reaching 30 different countries since its start in 2015.
Join us as we discuss:
Moving off the monolith
Making decisions in a decentralized framework
Empowering individual teams to move quickly
Build vs Buy OR Build and Rent
02/2023 online on OpsLevel.com, Spotify and Youtube
Podcast Interview: DVC LeadingTech - der Podcast von und für CEO/CTO/CDO
EMMA - THE SLEEP COMPANY CTO ANDREAS WESTENDÖRPF ÜBER DIGITALISIERUNG EINES PHYSIKALISCHEN PRODUKTES
Unter Produktdigitalisierung versteht man das Hinzufügen digitaler Funktionen zu physischen Produkten, so dass die Käufer mit dem Produkt interagieren und Informationen in digitaler Form erhalten können. Es kann zwischen Digitalisierung ersten Grades und Digitalisierung zweiten Grades unterschieden werden. Erfahren Sie mehr über Digitalisierung, Markteintrittsstrategien, die neue IT-Welt und das MACH-Prinzip am Beispiel von Emma - The Sleep Company von CTO Andreas Westendörpf in Folge #20 mit Host Felix Zirpel in #LeadingTech - dem Podcast von und für #CEO / #CTO / #CDO!
10/2022 online on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube
Publication Interview: diginomica.com
EMMA SLEEP'S BUSINESS-LED BLUEPRINT FOR COMPOSABLE COMMERCE
Fast-growing mattress e-commerce company Emma Sleep has adopted a composable MACH architecture to take the brakes off its business ambitions.
09/2022 online on diginomica.com
Podcast Interview: The MACH Alliance Podcast
EMMA - THE SLEEP COMPANY IS ONE OF EUROPE'S FASTEST GROWING SCALE-UPS
Having reached the limits and challenges of their legacy system, a solution was needed that would carry Emma's vision forwards - Emma's Commerce Operating System (EmmaCOS). In the MACH Alliance podcast, CTO Andreas Westendörpf joins Sonja Keerl to discuss the journey and outcomes moving a triple digit million € business to a new platform built on the principles of a modern composable commerce architecture.
08/2022 online on machalliance.org, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and Spotify
Conference Speaker: MACH One Fireside Chat
FROM MONOLITH TO MACH - HOW EMMA SLEEP USES MACH FOR HYPERGROWTH, ONE NIGHT AT A TIME
Andreas Westendörpf and Jamie Cairns up on the #MACHONE MACH Alliance stage talking through Emma - The Sleep Company's journey from Monolith to MACH.
06/2022 in London (UK)
Conference Speaker: OMR Festival 2022 Masterclass
HOW TO CRACK THE BILLION EUR REVENUE - ONE NIGHT AT A TIME.
Your leap into #ComposableCommerce is possible – If you take bold decisions, value opportunity over risk and iterate quickly.
05/2022 in Hamburg (Germany)
Publication Interview: Internet World
WARUM EMMA AUF COMPOSABLE COMMERCE SETZT
Der Matratzen-Händler Emma verabschiedet sich vom alten Shopsystem und richtet derzeit eine komplett neue IT-Architektur ein. CTO Andreas Westendörpf erläutert, warum Emma auf einen modularen Ansatz setzt.
05/2022 online on internetworld.de
Podcast Interview: Innovators in Commerce & Delivery
WHY NOT BOTH? HOW TO REINVENT ONLINE & OFFLINE SALES
Disrupting an industry doesn't just mean making purchases easier online. In many industries, the vast majority of sales are made offline. Innovation happens in both realms — and to neglect either is a mistake.
That’s one of the key insights Andreas Westendörpf has learned innovating the way consumers interact with sleep brands during his time as Chief Technology Officer at Emma - The Sleep Company an organization offering state-of-the-art sleep solutions, online and off.
Join us as we discuss:
How to leverage modern digital tools to disrupt an industry where most purchases are made offline
The complex problem that selling optimal sleep poses
How Emma see agility in their organization and industry
04/2022 online on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Press Announcement: MACH Alliance
ANDREAS WESTENDÖRPF ANNOUNCED MACH AMBASSADOR
MACH Alliance is excited to welcome its newest ambassador: Andreas Westendörpf, Chief Technology Officer of Emma – The Sleep Company.
MACH Alliance ambassadors are individual industry leaders who actively support and contribute to advance MACH technology, who drive adoption for the most advanced tech standard and those who deliver great results.
Looking forward to the knowledge & idea share with Andreas, especially around MACH adoption in e-commerce.
03/2022 online on machalliance.org
Publication Interview: Location Insider
EMMA - THE SLEEP COMPANY: WIE SICH DER D2C-CHAMPION TECHNOLOGISCH NEU AUFSTELLT
Erst 2013 gegründet, ist Emma – The Sleep Company aus Frankfurt auf dem besten Weg, die wichtigste Marke der Welt im Bereich Schlafen zu werden. Egal ob Matratze, Kopfkissen oder Boxspringbett – Verbraucher auf der ganzen Welt kaufen mittlerweile Schlaf-Produkte von Emma. Fünf Office-Standorte auf mehreren Kontinenten und ein Umsatzanstieg in 2020 von 170 Prozent auf 405 Millionen Euro sprechen für sich. Um sich für weiteres Wachstum zu rüsten, führt Emma derzeit ein Replatforming seines Commerce-Systems durch und nennt es Emma Commerce Operating System, kurz Emma COS. Der CTO Andreas Westendörpf stellt es uns vor.
01/2022 online on locationinsider.de
Publication Interview: Intelligent-SME.tech
EMMA - THE SLEEP COMPANY RISES AND SHINES WITH MODERN E-COMMERCE SOLUTIONS
Emma - The Sleep Company, a leading direct-to-consumer sleep brand, has selected commercetools and Fluent Commerce to provide a new E-Commerce platform for its rapidly growing business, ensuring it can not only meet customer demands but exceed expectations in the future.
01/2022 in print issue 15 of Intelligent SME.tech and online on magazine.intelligentsme.tech
Blog Series
EMMA DESIGNS THE E-COMMERCE ARCHITECTURE OF THE FUTURE.
A SERIES.
A SERIES.
At #Emma, we always try to share early, broadly and openly - this enables us to produce state-of-the-art products in fast iterations. But did you know our sleep products are not the only area of our business we try to constantly improve? 🧐 In his blog post series on Medium, our CTO Andreas Westendörpf explains how our Tech team aims to step up Emma´s IT systems to the company´s hypergrowth!
In nine posts, Andreas and his team illustrate why and how we have been working relentlessly on re-platforming our e-commerce platform.💪 Of course, he elaborates on the conditions one should follow to succeed in such an ambitious endeavour. The most important prerequisite of all? To have an #agile and #entrepreneurial team that goes for ambitious targets no matter what. At Emma, he's definitely come to the right place.🤗
⏭Interested in finding out more about how our tech architecture is evolving? Then check out Andreas' entire blog series
12/2021 on Medium.com
Podcast Interview: programmier.bar
CTO-SPECIAL #10
Was können wir in Deutschland von anderen Arbeitskulturen lernen? Dieser und weiteren Fragen gehen wir in der neuen Folge unseres CTO-Formats nach und haben dazu Andreas Westendörpf, CTO von Emma – The Sleep Company, zu Gast.
Andreas ist selbst Informatiker und war aufgrund seines ausgeprägten Interesses an Technologien immer nah beim Programmieren dabei. Seine Laufbahn brachte ihn von Consulting-Tätigkeiten zunächst zur Zalando SE und anschließend zu Engel & Völkers, wo er das Technology Department im eigenen Tech-Startup, der Engel & Völkers Technology GmbH, aufbaute. Heute ist er bestrebt, Emma – The Sleep Company auf ein neues Level zu heben. Konkret bedeutet das einen Wechsel von funktionalen Teams zu Product Teams und weitere Umbauten von Strukturen, die wir in dieser Folge gemeinsam ergründen. Doch auch die übergeordnete Frage bewegt Andreas: Wie kann man mit Technologie den Schlaf verbessern?
In dieser Folge hört ihr mehr über Andreas’ Erfahrungen und den technischen Blickwinkel auf ein Matratzenunternehmen, das mehr als nur das ist.
11/2021 on programmier.bar and Spotify
Podcast Interview: K5 CommerceCast
CC#7: SCHNELL & FLEXIBEL SKALIEREN WIE EMMA - THE SLEEP COMPANY
Als Start-Up ist man schnell unterwegs und skaliert bestenfalls genauso rasant. Doch irgendwann sorgt die Größe für Limitierung bei Systemen und jede Änderung braucht viele Handgriffe. Da den richtigen Technologie-Partner zu finden, ist nicht leicht.
Für Emma – The Sleep Company war daher eine composable commerce Lösung wichtig. Im brandneuen #K5CommerceCast erzählt CTO Andreas Westendörpf, warum ihre Entscheidung auf commercetools fiel und welche Möglichkeiten nun auch bei der Produktentwicklung entstanden sind.
Conference Speaker: Meta Festival 2021 Masterclass
SWEET DREAMS WITH EMMA - POWERED BY COMMERCETOOLS
Emma – The Sleep Company is one of Europe’s fastest-growing tech startups with 750+ team members representing over 50 nationalities at international offices in Frankfurt, Manila, Lisbon, and Shanghai. Emma disrupts sleep by pushing the boundaries of what technology can do for rest with the aim to make a positive impact on people’s lives everywhere by enhancing their sleep. Having reached the limits and challenges of the previous system, a solution was needed that would carry Emma’s vision forward. In this masterclass you will get a deep insight into the philosophy and requirements of Emma and learn which challenges could be solved by working with commercetools.
09/2021 on https://www.meta-festival.com
Conference Speaker: Netlight EdgeX Vol. 9: Surrounded
WAKE UP! SLEEP TECH IS HERE
Sleep is surrounded with concepts fundamental to our well-being and ability to lead joyful and productive lives. When done right, sleep can act as a catalyst to unleash our full potential and this is what Emma is all about. But how do you innovate something as well known to everyone as sleep? This is the story of how Emma transformed itself from a low-tech, mattress retailer to an innovative sleep tech company.
06/2021 on https://edgex.live
Conference Speaker: TechConference 2020 (by TechAcademy e.V. | Goethe-Universität Frankfurt)
PUSHING THE BOUNDATIES OF SLEEP THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
The importance of a good night’s sleep is undeniable. In our impulse session Neuroscientist Dr. Verena Senn will provide some interesting facts on human sleep, our natural clock, and why good sleep can save the world. But how is that related to tech? Andreas Westendörpf (CTO) and Philipp Wagner (Director of Research & Development) will share exciting insights on how the tech team at Emma is working on saving the world by pushing the boundaries of sleep with innovative tech innovations you may have never heard of before, such as smart mattresses, headbands, lights and more!
11/2020 on conference.tech-academy.io
Blog: Engel & Völkers Technology TechBlog
WELCOME TO THE ENGEL & VÖLKERS TECH-BLOG!
03/2018 on tech.engelvoelkers.com
Conference Speaker: MacSysAdmin 2017
THE IT WORKPLACE IN THE AGILE AGE
10/2017 in Gothenburg (Sweden)
Conference Speaker: code.talks 2017
HOW TO TRANSFORM A BRICK AND MORTAR INDUSTRY FROM WITHIN
Building the world's best platform for real estate brokerage
09/2017 in Hamburg (Germany)
Conference Speaker: Marcus Evans — Digital Workplace Transformation
THE RADICAL AGILE WORKPLACE
Case Study: Transformation of internal IT
01/2017 in Cologne (Germany)
Publication: DMR No. 4/2008
MODEL (I)T
From IT manufacturer to a factory for virtual infrastructure services
12/2008 in Detecon Management Report (DMR)
Publication: Diploma Thesis
Plugin-basierte Komponentenarchitektur zum ticketbasierten, drahtlosen Zugriff auf ein geschütztes Netzwerk
05/2005 at University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (Germany)