Grégory Wilhelm

Head of Production Operations | Manufacturing Excellence & CAPEX Leadership | Pharma · Chemicals · Food

France

About

Industrial operations professional with over two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries. I have led multi-functional plant organizations — production, warehousing, supply chain, safety, quality, CAPEX project teams and continuous improvement — with full operational accountability. I thrive in multicultural environments, with a focus on building solid teams and turning strategic plans into concrete results. Currently open to new opportunities as Operations Manager or Industrial Manager within pharma, chemicals and food manufacturing.

Experience

  • dsm-firmenich (Greater Mulhouse Area · On-site)
    • Head of Production Operations
      Mar 2023 - Apr 2026 · 3 yrs 2 mos

      * Led full plant operations — warehousing, dispensing, production and supply chain — for premix manufacturing serving major food, beverage and pharmaceutical customers * Held end-to-end accountability for OTIF performance, safety, CAPEX and OPEX, and mid-to-long term site strategy * Served as core member of the site steering committee (CODIR), shaping strategic direction alongside cross-functional leadership

    • Continuous Improvement Manager
      Jan 2018 - Mar 2023 · 5 yrs 3 mos

      * Led a multidisciplinary team of engineers and full-time contractors to identify and deliver improvement opportunities across the site * Drove Manufacturing Excellence standards site-wide, applying Lean Six Sigma DMAIC(S) methodology from problem statement through technical and organizational solution design * Monitored project and initiative benefits to ensure financial and KPI targets materialized, feeding forecasts into annual and mid-term strategic planning * Owned CAPEX management for continuous improvement and process enhancement projects

  • Production Manager at Octapharma SAS
    Sep 2015 - Dec 2017 · 2 yrs 4 mos

    * Led filling, pasteurization, viral inactivation, freeze-drying and packaging operations for human protein products * Owned production planning and quality compliance management * Sponsored Lean improvement projects across the production line

  • Production Manager at Eli Lilly and Company
    Sep 2013 - Sep 2015 · 2 yrs 1 mo

    * Led aseptic production operations across dispensing, formulation, filling and freeze-drying for sterile injectable products * Directly managed production shift supervisors and technical experts * Oversaw a process support team (process engineers, science & technology, maintenance) on an indirect basis

  • Project Manager at Eli Lilly China
    Sep 2010 - Aug 2013 · 3 yrs

    * Led China manufacturing organization activities for the commissioning, qualification, licensing and start-up of a brand-new facility * Acted as final decision point for customer deliverables (user requirements, design decisions) during the engineering design and construction phases * Directed Transfer of Custody of facility subsystems to local ownership following commissioning and qualification (C&Q) * Drove ramp-up of the new facility to full commercial production, establishing local teams and operational standards from the ground up

  • Eli Lilly and Company (12 yrs 1 mo)
    • People Development Manager
      Feb 2009 - Sep 2010 · 1 yr 8 mos

      * Supported managers in building development plans and action-oriented objectives for their teams * Acted as Site Transformation Deputy, driving restructuring and transformation initiatives within Packaging operations

    • Project Manager
      Jan 2008 - Jan 2009 · 1 yr 1 mo

      * Managed a new Medical Device Assembly & Packaging line from site acceptance (SAT) through commercialization * Led a multicultural, cross-functional project team (mechanical, vision systems, validation) with US, Swiss and German suppliers * Served as line manager and continuous improvement sponsor through formal handover

    • Continuous Improvement Manager
      Oct 2006 - Dec 2007 · 1 yr 3 mos

      * Led continuous improvement initiatives to reduce deviations and ensure GMP compliance across 10 assembly and packaging lines * Drove asset recapitalization to support line modernization