David Castell

Director Business Development, Marketing & Communication | Board Director

Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

About

As a driven Business Development Executive, I possess +21 years success in delivering regional operational excellence leading new market entries in China, Japan, South Korean and Malaysia. I routinely launched emerging entities and maintain a talent for recruiting and mentoring cross-functional interdisciplinary teams. My reputation for negotiating complex agreements supersedes me, to the point where I readily foster key partnerships.

Experience

  • Director Program Management | Europe at OPmobility
    Feb 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 5 mos

    Leading European Programs, with a strong focus on profitability result, cash collection and CAPEX spendings.

  • HBPO (21 yrs 7 mos)
    • Director Business Development & Marketing | VP Transformation
      Apr 2020 - Feb 2024 · 3 yrs 11 mos

      Leading the Group’s global business development, define strategic new products, new market entries and identifying partnerships. Responsible for the Group’s strategic growth across all regions, pioneering with new product concepts specifically fitting to the new mobility market trends. Designing creative thinking platforms to grow opportunities to innovate & expand, re-designing processes and services within the Group including Joint Ventures. Leading M&A activities till fulfilment of the acquisition, followed by Post Merger Integration (PMI) from planning till implementation. Pioneering transformation projects and enhance alignments within Group divisions. Responsible for the Group’s marketing activities including internal & external communication.

    • Board Director at HICOM-HBPO Joint Venture
      Nov 2012 - Jan 2024 · 11 yrs 3 mos

      I strategized the JV partner selection and negotiation in Malaysia till conclusion. Achieved a solid customer base with multiple project nominations by offering higher added value services, strongly contributing to operational margins. I also enhance efficiencies of three production facilities, regularly identifying local business expansion opportunities, implementing cost optimization programs and aligning business management plans between the JV partners. Responsible for ASEAN region business development, achieving multiple customers nominations, ensuring booked business till 2026.

    • Managing Director at HBPO Asia Ltd. | VP Asia Region
      Sep 2014 - Mar 2020 · 5 yrs 7 mos

      Executive Committee Member at HBPO Group since 2008. Leading the company’s strategic direction within the Asian region being full P&L responsible, for the regional business development with annual consolidated revenues of +100M€ (incl. JVs +500M€). I build-up and develop a Regional Service Office as the new Headquarters of Asia while sourcing and establishing a local management team. I regularly implement long-lasting improvements on new and existing regional production operations with strict control on CAPEX, working capital & cashflow. I also source, train and successfully retain the local management team, by integrating them in short term within the organization and by designing creative workshops to enhance communication and collaboration among cross-functional teams. Our regular risk assessments with the local management team ultimately supports the implementation of our regional expansion strategy.

  • Program Manager at Webasto AG
    Apr 1999 - Jul 2002 · 3 yrs 4 mos

    Managed full automotive projects from initial development phase till start of productions (cost-quality-timing).