Munich, Bavaria, Germany
At the core of my work: building and scaling technology-driven businesses in energy and industrial tech, and turning product ideas into commercial success. What drives me are apparent opposites: strategy and operational execution under one accountability, corporate discipline and scale-up dynamics, rapid growth and restructuring within the same company. At Quest One, I co-led the journey from R&D-driven scale-up to industrial OEM and the growth from 50 to 600 employees in just four years. First as COO driving the operational build-out, then as EVP with strategic and commercial ownership of the full product portfolio. Before that, I built MAN Energy Solutions' energy storage business from scratch, spanning technologies from BESS through thermal storage to Power-to-X. Earlier roles in corporate strategy and M&A advisory. Education: Ph.D. in Philosophy, Diploma in Business Administration. Open to conversations about scale-ups, the energy transition, restructuring in volatile markets, and AI in industrial contexts. # How I work I think in value creation, not functions. Complexity is to be reduced, not managed. Depth and transparency, not surface and pretense. I combine corporate experience with hands-on scale-up reality, M&A and capital allocation thinking with operational industrialization. AI-Transformation gains traction on the workflow and architecture level, not through slides or tool tourism. # Experience - 15+ years of leadership experience as MD, COO, Executive Vice President (EVP) Strategy & Product, Head of Energy Storage, and M&A Advisor - Full lifecycle: business building, commercial scaling, go-to-market, industrialization, restructuring, and transformation - P&L, R&D-budget and CAPEX responsibility - Built and led cross-functional organizations across Product, Operations, and Strategy # Scope - Energy, industrial tech, and hardware-driven value chains: renewables, hydrogen, energy storage, OEM / EPC, mechanical Engineering. Cross-sector-background in M&A - Track record in industrial scaling, product & market development, and operational value creation - Comfortable in both entrepreneurial environments and corporate structures, including matrix organizations # Roles & competencies - Managing Director (MD), General Manager (GM), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Executive Vice President (EVP) - Business Building & Scaling | Product Strategy & Commercialization | Industrial Operations & Value Creation | Cost Management & Value Engineering | Strategy, M&A & Corporate Finance | Restructuring & Transformation
Quest One (formerly H-TEC SYSTEMS) is a leading PEM electrolyzers OEM for green hydrogen production. Founded in 1997 and acquired by MAN Energy Solutions in 2021, the company has 600 FTE in Germany and the U.S. # Role & Responsibilities Member of the Executive Leadership Team. Strategic and Commercial responsibility for the complete product offering and growth strategy. Leadership of Product Management, Project Management, Cost Management & Value Engineering, and Corporate Strategy. # Results & Successes Took the 1 MW PEM electrolyzer from prototype to serial production and market leadership in the containerized segment. Led development and market launch of a modular large-scale electrolyzer platform for the 50 MW+ segment. Cut product cost substantially, defined the company-wide AI strategy and governance, U.S. market entry initiated Ran a turnaround program wie structural portfolio, cost, and personell meeassures when market growth stalled.
# Role & Responsibilities Member of the Executive Leadership Team. Led Operations, Procurement, Quality, and Product Management during the company's industrial scale-up phase. # Results & Successes Scaled production and supply chain by 10x. Professionalized Production and Procurement, established Quality Management and Product Management as new functions, and introduced lean principles and digital assembly support across operations. Co-lead the investment case with MAN ES and McKinsey that secured a €500m growth-capital commitment from MAN Energy Solutions and Volkswagen AG, responsible for the operations business case
MAN Energy Solutions SE (today Everllence SE) is a leading provider of propulsion, decarbonization and efficiency solutions for shipping, energy and industry. Part of the Volkswagen Group, ~15,000 employees, 140 sites globally, >€ 4 bn revenue. # Role & Responsibilities Built a new energy storage business line from zero, covering Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Molten Salt Energy Storage (MOSAS), Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES), Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES), Power-to-X (P2X) / Hydrogen, and industrial heat pumps. Formed and led a cross-functional team across business development, sales, product, and engineering # Results & Successes Defined the value Proposition and go-to-market strategy across all technologies, using MAN ES's existing portfolio to enter new market segments. Drove strategic business development, opened first reference customer relationships and feasibility-study engagements. Established MAN ES as a credible player in long-duration storage, anchored energy storage in the company's decarbonization portfolio, and developed reference designs for turnkey EPC offerings.
# Role & Responsibilities Led M&A transactions (buy-side and carve-outs) end-to-end, including valuation, negotiation, and post-merger integration preparation. Directed corporate strategy programs across portfolio optimization, international go-to-market, and R&D / CAPEX prioritization. # Results & Successes Co-led the redefinition of MAN ES's corporate strategy towards decarbonization and digitalization, identifying energy storage, hydrogen, and e-fuels as strategic growth fields. Executed the acquisition of a steam turbine manufacturer in India, and developed new digital business models within a group-wide digital transformation program.
SBCF & Cie. is an independent M&A and corporate finance advisory firm focused on mid-market transactions. # Role & Responsibilities Joined as the first employee and helped the founding partners grow the firm to 8 professionals. Led M&A and corporate finance projects end-to-end across multiple sectors, both buy-side and sell-side. Supervision of Consultants and Analysts. # Results & Successes Closed multiple mid-market transactions across healthcare, IT, logistics, consumer goods, and travel. Built strong working relationships with C-level clients and investors, supporting repeat mandates.
M&A transaction support in mid-market deals, alongside business administration and philosophy studies