Privacy policy

1. Introduction and contact details of the person responsible

1.1 We are pleased that you are visiting our website and thank you for your interest. In the following, we will inform you about how we handle your personal data when you use our website. Personal data is all data with which you can be personally identified.
1.2 The controller in charge of data processing on this website, within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is Patronus Executive Search GmbH, Welfenstrasse 16a, DE-81541 Munich, Germany, Tel.: +4917632284035, E-Mail: thomas@patronusexecutive.com. The controller of personal data is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.

2. Data collection when visiting our website

2.1 If you only use our website for informational purposes, i.e. if you do not register or otherwise provide us with information, we only collect the data that your browser transmits to the site server (so-called “server log files”). When you visit our website, we collect the following data, which is technically necessary for us to display the website to you:

• Our visited website
• Date and time at the time of access
• Amount of data sent in bytes
• Source/reference from which you reached the page
• Browser used
• Operating system used
• IP address used (if applicable: in anonymized form)
  The processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website. The data is not passed on or used in any other way. However, we reserve the right to check the server log files retrospectively if there are concrete indications of unlawful use.
  2.2 This website uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of personal data and other confidential content (e.g. orders or inquiries to the controller). You can recognize an encrypted connection by the character string “https://” and the lock symbol in your browser line.

3. Hosting & Content Delivery Network

For the hosting of our website and the presentation of the page content, we use a provider that provides its services itself or through selected subcontractors exclusively on servers within the European Union.
All data collected on our website is processed on these servers.
We have concluded an order processing contract with the provider, which ensures the protection of the data of our website visitors and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

4. Cookies

In order to make visiting our website attractive and to enable the use of certain functions, we use cookies, i.e. small text files that are stored on your end device. Some of these cookies are automatically deleted after you close your browser (so-called “session cookies”), while others remain on your device for longer and enable page settings to be saved (so-called “persistent cookies”). In the latter case, you can find the storage period in the cookie settings overview of your web browser.
If personal data is also processed by individual cookies used by us, the processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR either for the execution of the contract, in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR in the case of consent given or in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR to safeguard our legitimate interests in the best possible functionality of the website and a customer-friendly and effective design of the page visit.
You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and can decide individually whether to accept them or to exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general.
Please note that if you do not accept cookies, the functionality of our website may be restricted.

5. Contact

5.1 Calendly
To provide an online appointment booking function, we use the services of the following provider: Calendly, LLC, BB&T Tower, 271 17th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30363, USA
For the purpose of making appointments, first and last name and email address (and telephone number if a telephone appointment is requested) are collected in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR. the telephone number, if a telephone appointment is requested) are collected and transmitted to the provider in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in effective customer management and efficient appointment management and stored there for the organization of appointments.
Once the appointment has been held or the agreed appointment period has expired, your data will be deleted by the provider.
We have concluded an order processing contract with the provider, which ensures the protection of the data of our website visitors and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.
For data transfers to the USA, the provider has signed up to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

5.2 Personal data is collected when you contact us (e.g. via contact form or email). Which data is collected when using a contact form can be seen from the respective contact form. This data is stored and used exclusively for the purpose of responding to your request or for contacting you and the associated technical administration.
The legal basis for the processing of this data is our legitimate interest in responding to your request in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. If your contact is aimed at concluding a contract, the additional legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR. Your data will be deleted after final processing of your request. This is the case if it can be inferred from the circumstances that the matter in question has been conclusively clarified and provided that there are no statutory retention obligations to the contrary.

6. Web analytics services

Independent Analytics
This website uses “Independent Analytics”, a web analytics tool from Independent Insights LLC, 1901 S 9th St, 515B, Philadelphia, PA 19148, USA
. It is used to anonymously record the interactions of randomly selected individual visitors with the website. This creates a log of, for example, mouse movements and clicks with the aim of identifying potential improvements to the respective website. At no time is personal data collected or processed. When using this website, Independent Analytics only collects non-personal data such as information about the browser and the user agent. This data is stored in a non-personally identifiable form and analyzed for statistical purposes. The data is deleted as soon as it is no longer required for our analysis purposes.

If personal data is processed in individual cases, the processing is based on our legitimate interest in the statistical evaluation of user behavior for optimization purposes in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR.
For the transfer of data to the USA, the provider refers to standard contractual clauses of the European Commission, which are intended to ensure compliance with the European level of data protection.

7. Tools and miscellaneous

Cookie Consent Tool
This website uses a so-called “cookie consent tool” to obtain effective user consent for cookies and cookie-based applications that require consent. The “cookie consent tool” is displayed to users when they access the website in the form of an interactive user interface, on which consent for certain cookies and/or cookie-based applications can be given by ticking a box. By using the tool, all cookies/services requiring consent are only loaded if the respective user gives their consent by ticking the appropriate box. This ensures that such cookies are only set on the user’s end device if consent has been granted.
The tool sets technically necessary cookies to save your cookie preferences. Personal user data is not processed in this process.
If, in individual cases, personal data (such as the IP address) is processed for the purpose of storing, assigning or logging cookie settings, this is done in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in legally compliant, user-specific and user-friendly consent management for cookies and thus in a legally compliant design of our website.

Another legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR. As the controller, we are subject to the legal obligation to make the use of technically unnecessary cookies dependent on the respective user consent.
Where necessary, we have concluded an order processing contract with the provider, which ensures the protection of the data of our site visitors and prohibits unauthorized disclosure to third parties.
Further information on the operator and the setting options of the cookie consent tool can be found directly in the corresponding user interface on our website.

8. Rights of the data subject

8.1 The applicable data protection law grants you the following data subject rights (information and intervention rights) vis-à-vis the controller with regard to the processing of your personal data, whereby reference is made to the legal basis stated for the respective exercise requirements:

• Right of access pursuant to Art. 15 GDPR;
• Right to rectification pursuant to Art. 16 GDPR;
• Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”) pursuant to Art. 17 GDPR;
• Right to restriction of processing pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR;
• Right to notification pursuant to Art. 19 GDPR;
• Right to data portability pursuant to Art. 20 GDPR;
• Right to withdraw consent pursuant to Art. 7(3) GDPR;
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR.
  8.2 RIGHT TO OBJECT
  IF WE PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA ON THE BASIS OF OUR OVERRIDING LEGITIMATE INTERESTS AS PART OF A BALANCING OF INTERESTS, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THIS PROCESSING AT ANY TIME, WITH EFFECT FOR THE FUTURE, ON GROUNDS RELATING TO YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION. IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL CEASE PROCESSING THE RELEVANT DATA. HOWEVER, FURTHER PROCESSING REMAINS RESERVED IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING THAT OVERRIDE YOUR INTERESTS, RIGHTS, AND FREEDOMS, OR IF THE PROCESSING SERVES TO ESTABLISH, EXERCISE, OR DEFEND LEGAL CLAIMS. IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS PROCESSED BY US FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR SUCH MARKETING. YOU MAY EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT, WE WILL CEASE PROCESSING YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES.

9. Duration of storage of personal data

The duration of the storage of personal data depends on the respective legal basis, the purpose of processing, and—if applicable—also on the statutory retention periods (e.g. commercial and tax law retention periods).
If the processing is based on explicit consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, the data will be stored until the data subject withdraws their consent.
If statutory retention periods apply to data processed within the scope of contractual or pre-contractual obligations under Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR, such data will be routinely deleted after the retention period has expired, provided that it is no longer required for contract performance or initiation and/or there is no legitimate interest in further storage.
In the case of processing based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, the data will be stored until the data subject exercises their right to object pursuant to Art. 21(1) GDPR, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing that override the interests, rights, and freedoms of the data subject, or the processing serves to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
Where personal data is processed for direct marketing purposes on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, the data will be stored until the data subject exercises their right to object pursuant to Art. 21(2) GDPR.
Unless otherwise specified in this Privacy Policy for particular processing situations, personal data will be deleted once it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or otherwise processed.

Last updated: June 26, 2025