Thomas Steinbrueck joins Utopia Music as Chief of Brand and Design

08 December 2021 - Press release

Steinbrueck left his imprint on iconic brands such as Reebok, Porsche Design, Elie Saab, and Kenneth Cole

- Steinbrueck will join Utopia Music as Chief of Brand and Design Officer and report directly to CEO Markku Mäkeläinen
- Steinbrueck will officially start his tenure at Utopia Music on January 1st, 2022, after more than two years as Head of Creative and Brand Director at Joyn, a German a cross channel entertainment streaming platform
- His experience includes Reeboks’s rebranding efforts, Porsche Design”s foray into a luxury brand, serving as Vice President at Elie Saab, among others

Utopia Music, the Swiss Music fintech company, announced Thomas Steinbrueck will officially join the company as Chief of Brand and Design Officer on January 1st, 2022 reporting to CEO Markku Mäkeläinen and will be based out of Zug and Berlin.

Steinbrueck will join after leaving his current position as Head of Creative and Brand Director at Joyn, a German cross channel entertainment streaming platform and subsidiary of media giants Pro7 and Sat1, where he was instrumental in shaping its brand image. Steinbrueck has more than 20 years of experience successfully leading international powerhouse brands through creative changes and new branding efforts including Porsche Design, Reebok, and Ellie Saab.

“We are proud to announce that Thomas Steinbrueck will join the Utopia family starting next January,” said Mäkeläinen. “Thomas’ extensive career in successfully transforming and modernizing brands into iconic and highly visible powerhouses is why we are convinced he is the right person for the job. His talent will only add up to our vision and help us make Fair Pay for Every Play a reality in the Music World.”

In 2016 Steinbrueck was named Creative Director of Reebok where he created a new brand and marketing strategy, reformed all design, marketing, and digitalization. He also designed the new HQ in the historic Dry Dock Building in Boston. Previously, in 2011 he became the Creative Director for the Porsche Design Group, where he quickly evolved it into one of Germany’s Top Luxury Brands. In 2005, as Vice President for Merchandising and Design, he launched the new “Kenneth Cole New York” collection and created a new brand identity for Kenneth Cole. In 2002, Thomas Steinbrueck became a faculty member and the Chair of Fashion, Merchandising, Textiles and Design at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania as well as an Assistant Professor for Fashion Design at Parsons School of Design in New York.

“I’m thrilled to build Utopia and help Markku and the team on achieving true transparency for such an important industry,” said Steinbrueck. “I’ve worked with fashion, automotive, and sportswear. So, my new frontier is Music and to help creators and the value chain to really reach its potential, truly resonates with me.”

Steinbrueck graduated from the prestigious fashion school, Studio Bercot. He also earned a Master’s from the world-renowned Ecole De La Chambre Syndicale De La Couture Parisienne in Paris. Following graduation, he began working as the assistant designer to the late Gianfranco Ferré for the house of Christian Dior.