I’m Cristina Ionescu-Taifas, a brand and communications leader with 20+ years of experience building marketing functions from the ground up across banking, fintech, telecom, IT, and shared services. I focus on brand strategy, corporate and internal communication, employer branding, and events—always with one guiding belief: great brands aren’t just presented, they’re felt through consistent interactions, culture, and day-to-day behaviors. I’ve led teams and cross-market programs from Romania to Czechia, Slovakia, Germany, and multiple remittance markets, including growing functions from zero to full scale and shaping employer experiences that directly improved engagement and retention. Whether I’m aligning leadership storytelling with data, turning employee insights into an EVP people can live, or orchestrating integrated campaigns, I help organizations build a single, coherent brand story—from boardroom strategy to the break room.…

CRISTINA IONESCU-TAIFAS

I’m Cristina Ionescu-Taifas, a brand and communications leader with 20+ years of experience building marketing functions from the ground up across banking, fintech, telecom, IT, and shared services. I focus on brand strategy, corporate and internal communication, employer branding, and events—always with one guiding belief: great brands aren’t just presented, they’re felt through consistent interactions, culture, and day-to-day behaviors. I’ve led teams and cross-market programs from Romania to Czechia, Slovakia, Germany, and multiple remittance markets, including growing functions from zero to full scale and shaping employer experiences that directly improved engagement and retention. Whether I’m aligning leadership storytelling with data, turning employee insights into an EVP people can live, or orchestrating integrated campaigns, I help organizations build a single, coherent brand story—from boardroom strategy to the break room.…

Available to hire

I’m Cristina Ionescu-Taifas, a brand and communications leader with 20+ years of experience building marketing functions from the ground up across banking, fintech, telecom, IT, and shared services. I focus on brand strategy, corporate and internal communication, employer branding, and events—always with one guiding belief: great brands aren’t just presented, they’re felt through consistent interactions, culture, and day-to-day behaviors.

I’ve led teams and cross-market programs from Romania to Czechia, Slovakia, Germany, and multiple remittance markets, including growing functions from zero to full scale and shaping employer experiences that directly improved engagement and retention. Whether I’m aligning leadership storytelling with data, turning employee insights into an EVP people can live, or orchestrating integrated campaigns, I help organizations build a single, coherent brand story—from boardroom strategy to the break room.

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Language

English
Fluent
Spanish; Castilian
Advanced
Romanian, Moldavian, Moldovan
Fluent

Work Experience

Brand & Communications Consultant at UNIMIND Studio
February 1, 2025 - Present
Provide brand strategy, positioning and communication consulting for founder-led companies, including a proprietary Brand OS framework for brand evaluation, repositioning, and growth. Support Romanian clients and international initiatives across multiple markets with brand assessment, repositioning plans, and launch/communication strategy.
Marketing Manager at Insight
October 1, 2024 - January 1, 2025
Set up and run an Insight Marketing Hub in Bucharest to support North America and EMEA. Recruited and structured a multidisciplinary marketing team and defined the hub’s operating model, priorities, and cadence with regional stakeholders across digital, account-based and field marketing.
International Marketing & Events Manager at Deutsche Telekom Services Europe
August 1, 2020 - September 1, 2024
Owned marketing, communication and events strategy across four countries aligned with group headquarters. Launched internal employer-branding content (video podcast) and led regional events and marketing budgets while coordinating cross-border stakeholder agendas.
Communication Manager at Deutsche Telekom Services Europe
January 1, 2015 - September 1, 2020
Built the marketing and communication function from zero to 14 people in Romania under one brand. Created the Happiness@Work program to improve employee retention metrics and engagement, launched internal communication platforms, and led location/investment storytelling that aligned stakeholders and partners around a consistent narrative.
Change & Communication Manager at Deutsche Telekom
January 1, 2015 - January 1, 2020
Led internal and external communications; produced internal video podcast; enhanced employer brand and engagement across multiple entities.
Brand & Communications Consultant at Independent Consultancy (Romania)
September 1, 2012 - December 31, 2014
Part-time consulting for selected clients focused on brand identity, customer experience, and go-to-market strategy. Supported luxury-sector positioning and campaigns through a Monaco-based partnership spanning yachting, horology, jewellery, fashion, FMCG, and hospitality.
Brand & Communications Consultant at Independent Consultancy (RO)
September 1, 2012 - December 1, 2014
Delivered part-time consulting across brand identity, customer experience, and go-to-market strategy. Developed positioning and campaign support for luxury sectors in partnership with a Monaco-based network spanning yachting, horology, jewellery, fashion, FMCG, and hospitality.
Project Marketing Manager, Romania & Bulgaria at Western Union
August 1, 2011 - August 1, 2012
Developed marketing strategy for Romania and Bulgaria aligned across remittance send markets. Led a cross-functional team across eight markets, managed partnerships with bank chief marketing officers, and used consumer research and analytics to inform positioning and go-to-market plans.
Head of Brand & Communication at Alpha Bank
March 1, 2005 - May 1, 2011
Owned a EUR 6M+ annual marketing and communications budget and built the division from zero into a team of six. Delivered 75+ ATL and BTL campaigns across Romania, improved brand performance, and helped shape brand architecture and retail manuals adopted regionally by head office.
Marketing Coordinator at Finansbank (now Credit Europe Bank)
April 1, 2003 - March 1, 2005
Supported B2B contract negotiations and creation of personalized banking offers using market research, competitor analysis, and nationwide branch-level campaign coordination.

Education

Master in Marketing at Romanian-American University
January 1, 2004 - January 1, 2004
Bachelor: International Business Relations at Romanian-American University
January 1, 1998 - January 1, 2002
LEVEL C, Strategy & Architecture at Strategy & Architecture
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Master in Marketing at Romanian-American University, Bucharest
January 1, 2002 - January 1, 2004
BA International Business Relations at Romanian-American University, Bucharest
January 1, 1998 - January 1, 2002
Master in Marketing at Romanian-American University, Bucharest
January 1, 2002 - January 1, 2004
BA International Business Relations at Romanian-American University, Bucharest
January 1, 1998 - January 1, 2002

Qualifications

Digital Marketing Institute Certification
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2025
Google Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Professional Certificate
January 1, 2025 - January 11, 2026
LEVEL C, Strategy & Architecture
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Level C - Brand Disruption, Brand Strategy, Brand Architecture (Marty Neumeier)
January 1, 2025 - October 7, 2026
DMI Pro - Digital Marketing Institute
January 1, 2024 - January 1, 2025
Google Digital Marketing and E-Commerce Professional Certificate
January 1, 2025 - October 7, 2026
Integrative Enneagram - individual and team coaching certifications
January 11, 2030 - October 7, 2026
Noble Manhattan Coaching - Life and Business Coaching Practitioner
January 11, 2030 - October 7, 2026
Level C - Brand Disruption, Brand Strategy, Brand Architecture (Marty Neumeier)
January 1, 2025 - October 7, 2026
DMI Pro - Digital Marketing Institute
January 1, 2024 - January 1, 2025
Google Digital Marketing and E-Commerce Professional Certificate
January 1, 2025 - October 7, 2026
Integrative Enneagram - individual and team coaching certifications
January 11, 2030 - October 7, 2026
Noble Manhattan Coaching - Life and Business Coaching Practitioner
January 11, 2030 - October 7, 2026

Industry Experience

Financial Services, Software & Internet, Telecommunications, Professional Services, Retail