Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Ich habe dreistellige Millionen-Finanzierungen strukturiert, Unternehmen aus der Restrukturierung zurück auf Wachstumskurs gebracht und internationale Strukturen von Grund auf aufgebaut. In über 20 Jahren als CFO/COO habe ich eines immer wieder erlebt: Finance ist kein Reporting-Job. Es ist der Ort, an dem entschieden wird, ob Wachstum trägt – oder kippt. Die meisten Scale-ups scheitern nicht an der Idee, sondern an Strukturen, die mit dem Tempo nicht mithalten. Genau hier setze ich an: Ich baue das finanzielle Rückgrat, das dreistelliges Wachstum, internationale Expansion und Restrukturierung tatsächlich tragen kann – über Finance, IT, HR, ESG, Compliance und Supply Chain hinweg. Unternehmerisch gedacht, strukturell sauber. Heute baue ich dieses Rückgrat bei wachsenden Food-Unternehmen wie el origen. Und ich experimentiere intensiv damit, wie KI die Reporting-, Compliance- und Verwaltungsbürokratie auffrisst, die im Mittelstand viel zu viel Energie bindet – weil ich überzeugt bin, dass darin gerade der größte Hebel für den Mittelstand steckt. Du baust ein Food- oder Consumer-Scale-up und brauchst jemanden, der Finance vom Wachstum her denkt – nicht von der Tabelle? Schreib mir. Am liebsten direkt mit der Frage, an der es gerade hakt.
Building the financial and operational backbone of a fast-growing organic food scale-up bringing Latin American snacks into European retail. - Executive responsibility for Finance, IT, HR, ESG, Compliance and Supply Chain - Structuring growth financing and managing liquidity, cash flow and banking relationships to support scaling - Building scalable finance and reporting structures designed to keep pace with triple-digit growth - Driving international sourcing and supply chain strategy across Latin America (incl. Ecuador, Peru) - Leveraging AI and automation to reduce reporting, compliance and administrative overhead - Partnering closely with management on strategy, expansion and operational decision-making
Interim finance and operational leadership for a Hamburg-based food-tech company scaling its mushroom-based (mycelium) product business – from financial structure to retail execution. - Led finance team during a critical growth and market-entry phase - Drove the retail launch across German and Austrian grocery retail (LEH) - Built scalable finance, planning and reporting structures to support growth - Selected and implemented a new ERP system to professionalize core processes - Connected finance, operations and commercial execution in a fast-moving start-up environment
- Develop corporate strategy and mission following the transition to the next-generation ownership - Lead Finance, IT, HR, Logistics & Warehousing, ESG, Legal & Compliance (60 staff) - Managing full company relocation, including warehouse move with > 4.7 million item stock - Select and implement a process-optimized warehouse management system - Design and execute FX strategy in response to U.S. trade and tariff developments - Develop shipping strategy amid the maritime crisis in the Red Sea region - Establish leadership and recruitment standards in HR - Key contact for banks, insurers, legal counsel, tax advisors and auditors
- Executive responsibility for Finance, IT, HR, Supply Chain, ESG & Legal (7 direct reports, 45 staff) - Built high-performing, process-oriented and modern teams with strong, independent leadership - Scaled structures and teams during rapid, triple-digit growth - Structured triple-digit million financing facilities and implemented FX strategy - Led strategy development and international (Hongkong, PRC) transformation projects - Built subsidiaries in Luxembourg and Germany (incl. asset deal integration) - Drove automation (BI, reporting) and paperless process design - Managed investor relations, banks, insurers, auditors and advisors - 2 executed M&A transactions including a later exit via “Die Höhle der Löwen”
- Leading the financial & IT department & of the company - Managed investor relations, banks, insurers, auditors and advisors
Experienced advisor to medium-sized enterprises in Northern Germany with annual revenues rangingfrom €50 million to €15 billion. Proven expertise in structuring and optimizing complex financing solutions, including new financings, refinancing strategies, off-balance-sheet structures, asset-based lending, working capital solutions and syndicated facilities. Strong track record in advising clients on currency and interest rate hedging through derivative instruments.