Dirk is CEO at Phoenix Contact Cyber Security and Executive Vice President at Phoenix Contact group. He has held his current position since the beginning of 2016. Previously, he was CEO at Innominate Security Technologies, an industrial cyber security pioneer acquired by Phoenix Contact in 2008. In 1996, Dirk co-founded the startup Broadband Network Design, which later has been merged into the VPIsystems group. At VPIsystems, a telecommunications network planning software provider, he held several executive management positions, such as Chief Operating Officer and Vice President Sales & Business Development. Dirk started his professional career at Philips Car Systems as a project leader working for the CARiN automotive GPS navigation system. Dirk studied electrical engineering and graduated with a Dipl.-Ing. degree.