People

Sophie Lankheit

Manager

Sophie is a strategic thinker with a sharp eye for unlocking growth through insight-driven innovation, brand repositioning, and organizational transformation. As a Manager at Vivaldi, she combines deep expertise in consumer research with a passion for turning complex challenges into actionable strategies that resonate internally and in the market.

Her experience spans industries including toys, automotive, telecommunications, and retail, where she has helped clients identify new customer segments, craft compelling brand narratives, and design scalable innovation frameworks. Whether facilitating executive workshops or leading qualitative and quantitative research streams, Sophie thrives in environments that demand both analytical rigor and creative problem-solving.

Prior to joining Vivaldi, Sophie worked at The Retail Performance Company, where she supported major automotive and mobility clients such as BMW and Sixt in designing and implementing customer-centric experiences across digital and physical touchpoints.

She holds a Master of Science in Consumer Science from the Technical University of Munich and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science, Business Administration, and Economics from LMU Munich.

Read full bio

Challenges taken on recently

  • Unlocking new revenue streams for a toy manufacturer by identifying growth segments and co-developing a strategic innovation roadmap beyond the core business.
  • Driving a full brand repositioning through in-depth consumer research and stakeholder alignment, resulting in a unified internal narrative and stronger market presence.
  • Shaping the future of innovation for a leading German brand by co-creating a new organizational model and operating system for scalable innovation.

Likes to talk about

  • How cognitive biases shape our decisions and how collective reflection can lead to better outcomes
  • Interior design, with a special love for vintage furniture and curated spaces
  • The latest episode of Search Engine and thought-provoking podcast conversations

Is reading or listening to

  • "Nudge - Improving decisions abut health, wealth and happiness" by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein
  • "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" by Malcolm Gladwell
  • "Emma" by Jane Austen