Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany
Strategic Executive Leader | Change Architect | Growth Champion I am a versatile, results-driven executive with a proven track record of leading organizations through transformational change, delivering business growth, and navigating complexity. With expertise in cross-cultural leadership, full P&L ownership, and strategy execution, I excel at bringing clarity to ambiguity and structure to complexity, driving sustainable success in dynamic business environments. My career spans industries (Consumer Goods, Financial Services, and Automotive) and regions (Europe and Asia), where I have consistently delivered results by building robust cultures, scalable processes, and high-performing teams. From scale-ups to multinational corporations, I have thrived by adapting to diverse settings and challenges. An electrical engineer by training and a systems thinker at heart, I began my career in management consulting, providing executives with actionable insights and innovative strategies. This foundation inspired me to transition from advising leaders to becoming one, taking on full accountability for business outcomes. In the Automotive industry, I have successfully guided organizations and teams through significant disruption and volatility, fostering resilience and adaptability. Following a spin-off, I restructured and built up a business unit, achieving profitable growth by implementing fit-for-purpose structures and processes. Subsequently, I led the integration of this business during a merger, uniting teams and driving synergies to deliver lasting value. My global experience includes bridging cultural and operational gaps to align stakeholders and achieve exceptional results. As Managing Director of a company in Japan, I successfully expanded the business, balancing Western management practices with Japanese cultural expectations to more than double sales and profits. By inspiring and empowering people, I have cultivated cultures of collaboration and innovation that drive long-term success. I am passionate about crafting value-driven strategies, achieving tangible results, and ensuring seamless execution that exceeds stakeholder expectations. If you are seeking a transformational leader to define and deliver bold strategies, lead with clarity in times of change, and inspire growth in challenging markets, let’s connect. I am always open to explore opportunities where I can make a meaningful impact.
I lead AUMOVIO's global strategic direction, steering long-term planning and the group’s value-creation agenda as a member of the Extended Executive Board / Executive Committee. My mandate focuses on driving organizational resilience and ensuring strategy execution translates into tangible margin improvement and innovation leadership. Key Responsibilities: - Corporate & Portfolio Strategy: Managing the value-creation agenda, including M&A, operational carve-outs, and the development of new business models. - Transformation Management: Directing group-wide cost optimization, SG&A efficiency, and footprint optimization to drive margin improvement. - Innovation Ecosystem & Partnerships: Cultivating global alliances and joint ventures to accelerate innovation and market access. - Public Affairs & Intelligence: Leading a team focused on geostrategy, regulatory shifts, and engagement with industry bodies to navigate global trade tensions and tech sovereignty.
I held global P&L responsibility for the Specialty Business division, encompassing four distinct business units that serve a diverse array of customers, business models, and value propositions. The business division delivered innovative spare part and repair solutions for automotive OEMs, tier-1 suppliers, and 2-wheeler and powersports manufacturers, as well as parts distributors. Additionally, it provided cutting-edge manufacturing solutions to start-ups and industrial companies, leveraging technical know-how and mass production expertise to drive value and scale. In this role, I reported directly to the Schaeffler Executive Board Member responsible for the Vehicle Lifetime Solutions (VLS) division and was an active member of the VLS Board of Management. My responsibilities included leading post-merger integration, driving strategic growth initiatives, and enhancing customer-centric value propositions. I was also focused on ensuring operational excellence and fostering collaboration across a complex and dynamic global ecosystem.
Global P&L responsibility for Aftermarket, 2-Wheeler & Powersports, and Engineering & Manufacturing Services business lines. Serving traditional automotive vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, as well as non-automotive industrial companies and mobility start-ups, with spare parts, systems and manufacturing solutions. Member of the management team of Vitesco Technologies, reporting directly to the executive board member responsible for division Powertrain Solutions. In preparation of the merger of Vitesco Technologies into Schaeffler, I led the integration of Vitesco Technologies' Aftermarket business in the Schaeffler's Vehicle Lifetime Solutions division. The merger took effect on 1 Oct. 2024
Global P&L responsibility for the Aftermarket business of Vitesco Technologies (the former powertrain division of Continental), comprising of the business areas of Original Equipment Services (OES), Independent Aftermarket (IAM), Remanufacturing and Small Volume Series Business. The Aftermarket team is spread out across manufacturing plants and office locations in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific, and covers Sales & Marketing, Finance & Controlling, Manufacturing & Operations, Quality, Purchasing and HR functions.
Set up the Aftermarket organization for Vitesco Technologies in preparation for spin-off from Continental in September 2021.
Representative Director and President of Continental Tire Japan Co.Ltd. (Company size: 50+ employees) Management Board Member of Continental Automotive Corporation Japan (Company size: 1500+ employees) P&L and people responsibility for Continental's tire business in Japan; scaling up the business, implementing new processes and coaching and developing teams across Marketing and Sales, Finance, HR and Logistics functions. - Developed long-term growth strategy for underdog company in declining market - Restructured organization, redefined roles and responsibilities, introduced new functions - Redesigned processes for greater efficiency and improved communication across departments - Streamlined customer and multi-brand product portfolio and rationalized price positioning - Worked closely with regional HQ stakeholders to create buy-in and support for strategic plans and organizational changes - Achieved 10%+ growth (2016-2019 CAGR) in Revenue, Sales volume and EBIT - Improvement of Great Place To Work employee satisfaction score by +20%-point (biggest improvement and best overall result among all Continental organizations in Japan)
- Managed cross-functional teams to develop and implement strategies for the replacement tire business in Eastern European markets (e.g. Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, former Yugoslavia) - Acted as liaison and advisor between senior executive leadership in HQ and local country heads - Built trust and support among all stakeholders by understanding and supporting both regional and local objectives, and by facilitating smooth communication between markets and HQ - Managed stakeholder expectations by bringing structure and clarity to management reporting - Structured market intelligence, identified and analyzed growth opportunities and worked closely with country managers secure budgets and implement operational improvements
- Developed customer strategies for retail investment products across brands and distribution channels, applying fact-based decision making based on customer segmentation, behavioral data analysis and sales quality metrics - Managed data analyst teams to obtain and structure customer sales and behavioral data - Presented recommendations and gained buy-in from senior management to implement changes in customer targeting and product recommendations