Success Architect Manfred Steinkellner

Porträt von Manfred Steinkellner: Gründer, Erfolgsarchitekt und Leiter des Büros in Innsbruck

Founder of Steinkellner China Search, trained technician, experienced project manager, and your personal contact for China.

Manfred Steinkellner believes that people are at the core and that real problem-solving requires more than standard approaches. As a project manager in China, he learned through intensive “firefighting” how crucial active listening and intercultural sensitivity are. Today, this experience and his more than 20 years of China expertise flow into his consulting and executive search processes, which offer tailor-made solutions and create measurable success with depth. He forges loyal, transparent success alliances to build leadership teams that make a real difference with confidence and vision.

The path to expertise: From practical shock to bridge builder

This philosophy is not a marketing promise, but the result of a career that noticeably goes beyond classic consultant careers.

Although young, happy, and quite successful as a programmer, Manfred Steinkellner felt early on that the world should consist of more than zeros and ones for him. During his European voluntary service in Glasgow, he not only expanded his international contacts and language skills but was able to directly understand the harshest sides of life.

Shaped by these experiences, he decided to complete his overseas civil service as an English teacher in an SOS Children’s Village in Qiqihar in northeastern China. At -35° Celsius in winter, he learned in a 1-million-inhabitant industrial city on the Russian border what it really means to be a stranger at the end of the world. He experienced both the typical Chinese drill and the repressive crisis and communication policy during the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Fascinated by this borderline experience in the land of contrasts, he began studying Sinology in Vienna upon his return. As a focused practitioner, however, he was quickly drawn back to China, where he perfected his Mandarin at the University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. After a total of two and a half years of intensive learning, Manfred spoke, read, and wrote fluently in the national language.

Back in Vienna, he completed his studies in Sinology and subsequently returned as a sought-after interpreter and project manager in technology and industry. Hardly any company at that time didn’t want to expand in and to China. Hardly any company succeeded without difficulties. Complex technical projects with large numbers and even greater pressure became Manfred’s daily business. In the later phase of his activity, he distinguished himself especially through effective firefighting for precisely this type of project.

In this equally exciting and challenging field, he learned the importance of active listening as the foundation for any problem-solving. Through his interpersonal intuition, coupled with trained analytical skills and exceptional language competence, he advanced to become an effective and highly sought-after crisis consultant.

In 2015, Manfred nevertheless consciously decided to end this intensive field of work and especially the permanent travel activity. Now a father of two children, his main place of residence should no longer be the long-haul aircraft between China and Europe. During his reorientation, he was coincidentally entrusted by an Austrian tire manufacturer with the search for a plant manager for the newly established production in China’s hinterland. Together with an experienced colleague from recruitment, he thus grew into the field of executive search.

With Steinkellner China Search, he has since then shaped personnel consulting as an exclusive, process-oriented service. While he used to manage crises, today he helps companies like yours find hand-picked and tailor-made executives to prevent problems from arising in the first place.

The fascination with China’s complex economic environment and the will to enable sustainable developments drive Manfred Steinkellner and his team. They are convinced: Sustainable success and the right connections can only be created through genuine intercultural bridge-building – an attitude based on the principle of active listening and understanding both worlds.

Therefore, long-term thinking, trust, and uncompromising quality are at the center of their actions. Steinkellner China Search rejects pretense and a short-term mercenary mentality, instead focusing on radical transparency, reliability, and a “tough but fair” approach. Their goal is to find the best possible, lasting solution for their clients as a trusted partner. This emerges in a success alliance – an authentic partnership at eye level, working together towards a common goal. For this reason, potential assignments are also rejected if the impression arises that a company is merely looking for a quick solution to delegate responsibility without actively shaping the company’s well-being themselves. Genuine commitment on both sides is the non-negotiable basis for shared success.

This attitude of careful examination led to two central insights: First, that even the best executive is only successful if the organization has a solid cultural understanding. Second, that an apparent personnel problem often has deeper, structural causes. Consequently, the Steinkellner method looks beyond the resume to the actual impact goals. From this practice, the Culture Compass China and the Performance Check China organically emerged – not standard products, but strategic tools that give executives the necessary clarity and sovereignty to make the right decisions in the Chinese market.

Although young, happy, and quite successful as a programmer, Manfred Steinkellner felt early on that the world should consist of more than zeros and ones for him. During his European voluntary service in Glasgow, he not only expanded his international contacts and language skills but was able to directly understand the harshest sides of life.

Shaped by these experiences, he decided to complete his overseas civil service as an English teacher in an SOS Children’s Village in Qiqihar in northeastern China. At -35° Celsius in winter, he learned in a 1-million-inhabitant industrial city on the Russian border what it really means to be a stranger at the end of the world. He experienced both the typical Chinese drill and the repressive crisis and communication policy during the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Fascinated by this borderline experience in the land of contrasts, he began studying Sinology in Vienna upon his return. As a focused practitioner, however, he was quickly drawn back to China, where he perfected his Mandarin at the University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. After a total of two and a half years of intensive learning, Manfred spoke, read, and wrote fluently in the national language.

Back in Vienna, he completed his studies in Sinology and subsequently returned as a sought-after interpreter and project manager in technology and industry. Hardly any company at that time didn’t want to expand in and to China. Hardly any company succeeded without difficulties. Complex technical projects with large numbers and even greater pressure became Manfred’s daily business. In the later phase of his activity, he distinguished himself especially through effective firefighting for precisely this type of project.

In this equally exciting and challenging field, he learned the importance of active listening as the foundation for any problem-solving. Through his interpersonal intuition, coupled with trained analytical skills and exceptional language competence, he advanced to become an effective and highly sought-after crisis consultant.

In 2015, Manfred nevertheless consciously decided to end this intensive field of work and especially the permanent travel activity. Now a father of two children, his main place of residence should no longer be the long-haul aircraft between China and Europe. During his reorientation, he was coincidentally entrusted by an Austrian tire manufacturer with the search for a plant manager for the newly established production in China’s hinterland. Together with an experienced colleague from recruitment, he thus grew into the field of executive search.

With Steinkellner China Search, he has since then shaped personnel consulting as an exclusive, process-oriented service. While he used to manage crises, today he helps companies like yours find hand-picked and tailor-made executives to prevent problems from arising in the first place.

The fascination with China’s complex economic environment and the will to enable sustainable developments drive Manfred Steinkellner and his team. They are convinced: Sustainable success and the right connections can only be created through genuine intercultural bridge-building – an attitude based on the principle of active listening and understanding both worlds.

Therefore, long-term thinking, trust, and uncompromising quality are at the center of their actions. Steinkellner China Search rejects pretense and a short-term mercenary mentality, instead focusing on radical transparency, reliability, and a “tough but fair” approach. Their goal is to find the best possible, lasting solution for their clients as a trusted partner. This emerges in a success alliance – an authentic partnership at eye level, working together towards a common goal. For this reason, potential assignments are also rejected if the impression arises that a company is merely looking for a quick solution to delegate responsibility without actively shaping the company’s well-being themselves. Genuine commitment on both sides is the non-negotiable basis for shared success.

This attitude of looking closely led to two central insights: First, that even the best executive is only successful if the organization has a solid understanding of culture. Second, that an apparent personnel problem often has deeper, structural causes. Consequently, the Steinkellner Method looks beyond the resume to the actual impact goals. From this practice, the Culture Compass China and the Performance Check China organically emerged – not standard products, but strategic tools that give executives the necessary clarity and confidence to make the right decisions in the Chinese market.

Listen to Manfred Steinkellner in conversation

Real dialog instead of a sales pitch – even the first contact with Manfred Steinkellner is a confidential strategic sparring session at eye level. A clear goal: Optimally use your time for immediate, tangible added value. The conversation is non-binding, offers honest insights and lays the foundation for a successful partnership.

No obligations, only opportunities.