Carsten Wildebrand

Industrial General Management | Capital Allocation & Portfolio Optimization | Driving ROCE, Cash & Value in Global Manufacturing

Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

About

I am an industrial enterprise leader with General Management and enterprise capital allocation experience, focused on capital discipline, portfolio transformation, and sustainable value creation in asset-intensive global manufacturing environments. I operate at the intersection of strategy, capital, operations, and governance — translating complex industrial realities into clear priorities, disciplined investment decisions, and measurable financial outcomes. Across multi-country organizations and global production networks, I combine structural clarity with execution discipline to strengthen competitiveness, margin resilience, and long-term performance. In my current role, I am accountable for enterprise-level capital prioritization and portfolio optimization. This includes the design of differentiated capital allocation frameworks and the execution of strategic portfolio actions, including M&A carve-outs and asset divestments delivering significant high double-digit € million EBIT impact. Previously, I served as Chairperson & Managing Director Taiwan and APAC Head of Operations, with full legal entity accountability in a three-digit € million revenue environment and leadership responsibility for 500+ employees. In close partnership with regional Business Unit and Sales leadership, I helped translate growth, margin, and portfolio priorities into entity-level performance, while leading multi-site operational and organizational transformation. I am particularly motivated by leadership roles that require capital discipline, portfolio focus, industrial transformation, and the ability to lead through complexity in demanding stakeholder environments. To me, sustainability, resilience, and operational excellence are not parallel agendas; they are integrated drivers of long-term enterprise value and industrial competitiveness.

Experience

  • Covestro (11 yrs 6 mos)
    • Head of Strategic Asset & Investment Management | Covestro
      Sep 2025 - Present · 10 mos

      Driving disciplined capital allocation, portfolio transformation, and enterprise value optimization across global asset-intensive businesses. • Accountable for optimization of the global BU investment portfolio with clear ROI, ROCE, and cash performance targets. • Led the full carve-out and asset divestment of the Taiwan LY site as transaction manager in direct reporting line to CTO and CFO, delivering a significant high double-digit € million EBIT impact and structurally strengthening portfolio focus. • Designed and implemented a differentiated Enterprise Capital Prioritization Framework, shifting investment logic from isolated project approval to enterprise-level value maximization. • Rebalance growth, integrity, digitalization, and sustainability investments to enhance capital efficiency, risk transparency, and long-term competitiveness. • Advise Executive Leadership on risk-adjusted capital deployment and portfolio trade-offs across global operations.

    • Chairperson & Managing Director Taiwan | APAC Head of Operations
      Jul 2022 - Aug 2025 · 3 yrs 2 mos

      • Accountable for operational and financial performance of the legal entity in a three-digit € million annual revenue environment, with leadership responsibility for 500+ employees across manufacturing and country functions. • Translated BU growth, margin, and portfolio priorities into entity-level P&L accountability in close alignment with four APAC BU Sales Heads and country sales organizations. • Strengthened profitability, cost competitiveness, and asset performance across the manufacturing footprint in Taiwan, Japan, and India. • Led cross-BU commercial initiatives, post-merger integration, portfolio programs, and M&A-related activities. • Directed regulatory governance, stakeholder management, and public affairs engagement at country level.

    • Head of Production & Technology Headquarters – BE Specialty Films
      Mar 2018 - Jun 2022 · 4 yrs 4 mos

      Member of EMLA Business Leadership Team • Led complex multi-technology manufacturing site (200+ employees) with full accountability for operational performance, cost competitiveness, safety, and long-term asset productivity. • Member of the EMLA Business Leadership Team, driving integrated demand–supply–asset planning and disciplined capital prioritization across the global manufacturing network. • Executed large-scale restructuring and transformation initiatives approved by Executive Board, strengthening performance culture and structural competitiveness. • Improved profitability and asset effectiveness through systematic investment planning, cost performance steering, and disciplined operational execution.

  • Dow Wolff Cellulosics (7 yrs 11 mos)
    • Improvement Manager
      Sep 2009 - Dec 2014 · 5 yrs 4 mos

      • Developed mid-term technology roadmaps and long-range asset strategies across a multi-site manufacturing network. • Directed capital improvement programs and cross-functional portfolio initiatives to enhance capacity utilization and cost competitiveness. • Supported divestment initiatives in collaboration with corporate M&A teams, contributing to strategic portfolio decisions.

    • Project Leader & Technology Consultant
      Feb 2007 - Aug 2009 · 2 yrs 7 mos

      • Led large-scale industrial investment projects from engineering through start-up and operational handover. • Managed cross-border capital projects within Dow’s European manufacturing network. • Acquired and executed engineering mandates for industrial clients, integrating commercial and technical perspectives.

  • Research Associate & Doctoral Candidate - Production Engineering at Universität Bremen
    Jun 2003 - Nov 2006 · 3 yrs 6 mos

    • Led design, construction, and commissioning of industrial pilot plant in collaboration with industry partners. • Acquired and managed funded R&D projects, aligning applied research with industrial performance requirements. • Delivered engineering support to external industrial clients and lectured in technical thermodynamics.