Christoph Kowatschik

General Manager at SANHUA AWECO Appliance Systems

Austria

About

Gained broad international management and inter-cultural experience based on strong commercial and technical background; succeeded in accomplishing wide variety of challenging assignments, either by setting up new businesses, developing organizations, achieving profitable growth, or focussing on maximizing profit generation. Personality: Extroverted, inquisitive, and inspired; always see new possibilities; strong analytical and innovative problem-solving skills; can immerse myself in details and work on repetitive tasks, if required, but get most energy from focussing on global issues (with promise of change and challenge); loyal team-player, value trust, and put business above personal goals and expect the same from team members

Experience

  • SANHUA AWECO Appliance Systems (11 yrs 11 mos)
    • General Manager
      Jun 2019 - Present · 7 yrs 2 mos

    • Head of Sales and Marketing
      May 2018 - Present · 8 yrs 3 mos

      for Europe and US

    • Strategic Marketing and Business Development Manager
      Sep 2014 - Apr 2018 · 3 yrs 8 mos

      Member of the Group Management to drive Business Development and Strategic Projects

  • Global Sales and Marketing Director Danfoss Heatpumps at Danfoss
    Jul 2009 - Mar 2013 · 3 yrs 9 mos

    Defined and implemented global sales strategy as member of heat-pump management group Proposed and agreed on business targets and assured execution in matrix organization and for key markets in direct-reporting line Defined product portfolio for the long term based on customer/market requirements and classic product-lifecycle management Driver of all functions toward customer orientation, motivated organization to keep making improvements in very challenging business environment I found it very exciting and extremely challenging to balance the requirement of adjusting sales and marketing investments based on the extremely volatile business environment. Greatly enhanced my management skills and experience in tough times and learned lessons about how to assure motivation and employee buy-in

  • Managing Director at SolarPump GmbH
    Feb 2008 - Jun 2009 · 1 yr 5 mos

    Managed joint venture of Danfoss and Sonnenkraft for development and launch of advanced renewable solution with Germany as focus market Successful on-schedule product launch in challenging environment of two multinational development teams with divergent management styles and cultural background Represented joint venture vis-à-vis Danfoss and VKR board My holistic business view was enhanced by managing all stakeholders from both companies, for example by aligning the board-supported business strategy for the daily management of the development teams with concrete implementation in sales and service.

  • Danfoss (16 yrs 11 mos)
    • Business Director Commercial Heatpump Solutions
      Jun 2007 - Jan 2008 · 8 mos

      Responsible for integrating commercial heat-pump businesses acquired by Danfoss in Norway, Switzerland, and Denmark In addition to defining the business strategy and managing the relationship with the previous owners, key success criteria were the management of the sales and technical teams to achieve growth. Crucial conversion of build-to-demand setup into standardized products/solutions to minimize risks in commercial projects (contract management, clarification, and alignment of interfaces with other professions, etc.) Managing the integration of entrepreneurial managers in a structured and large organization was actually very challenging but also rewarding because, in so doing, I enhanced my leadership skills.

    • Business Consultant - Sales Improvement
      Sep 2005 - Jun 2007 · 1 yr 10 mos

      Developed Danfoss Business System toolbox for sales as in-house business consultant in close cooperation with and as part of on-the-job training by McKinsey Specialized in global key account management with improvement pilots in Germany, Denmark, and United States Focussed on analysing business-critical processes, implemented in workshops best practice within global key account management; achieved critical success by ensuring local-management ownership and focussing on on-going improvements after pilot phase In addition to my strategic and analytical skills, this assignment in particular enhanced my project-management skills for organizational-improvement projects and my change-management expertise. This assignment enhanced besides the strategic and analytical analysis capabilities especially my project management skills for organizational improvement projects and change management expertise.

    • HVAC manager APAC
      Jun 2003 - Sep 2005 · 2 yrs 4 mos

      Successful start-up of new business segment components sales to balance solutions within HVAC across APAC Initially focussed on establishing strong dealer network and assuring high-profile reference projects followed by organizational development to cover target regions and professionalize dealer and project management, taking into account vast cultural differences in relationship building and reporting The stationing assignment in particular enhanced my intercultural skills in managing sales across markets and building relationships on all levels with high-profile projects.

  • Training and Technical Support Engineer at Vaillant
    Jun 1987 - Feb 1991 · 3 yrs 9 mos

    Technical support of gas and oil boilers and conceptual design of boiler-room solutions; technical training for Vaillant installer partners