Interim Management in Procurement: Successful Projects and Results
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Client: over 60,000 employees, 10 billion € turnover (NASDAQ) Company with 12 independent country organization and over 9.000 Stores
Sector: Telecommunications Service Operator
Location: Netherlands/ Amsterdam Global HQ
Function: Group Director Cooperate Indirect Procurement approx.1,5 billion €
• Successfully led Change Management, transforming 12 decentralized procurement organizations into one centralized global procurement matrix organization covering multiple categories.
• Built a global indirect procurement Management Team from the ground up.
• Streamlined headcount from over 750 to 270, achieving significant efficiency gains.
• Led the design and implementation of ERP (Oracle Fusion) for global procurement.
• Implemented a digital Procure-to-Pay (P2P) process.
• Centralized over 85% of spends, delivering approximately 30% in savings through proactive spend and stakeholder management.
• Developed and executed procurement matrix strategy and KPI system for Global Category Directors, Regional Heads, and Country Indirect Procurement Heads.
• Defined and implemented global, regional, and local taxonomies, procurement master plans, standard processes, governance, power of attorney matrix, policies, and a global procurement compliance system.
• Designed and established a Global Shared Centre for procurement in Pakistan and Ukraine.
• Successfully managed outsourcing projects, including Call Centres, Warehouses, and HR Services.
• Conducted numerous large tenders to centralize and optimize conditions across various categories, such as ERP System, Travel Management, Data Centres, IT and Software, HR Services, Media, Security Services, Shop Refurbishments, Health Insurance, Facility Management, and Consulting.
• Organized and executed annual global and local vendor days in each country.
03/09 – 02/12 Chief Procurement Officer Board Member
Brno, Czech Rep., engines and tractors, 3 plants, 1,000 employees, € 150m turnover
Portfolio Company of a Private Equity
Responsible for strategic and operational purchasing, logistics and production planning with over 80 employees and a purchasing volume of approx. € 100m.
As Chairman of the Board Zetor Service:
- Achieved a 40% reduction in OPEX through a merger with the parent company
- Increased EBIT by 30% through the implementation of new price and sales strategies
- Eliminated pure service part dealers
- Successfully relocated the company, including stocks
- Restructured the sales, purchasing, and logistics departments
- Made necessary adjustments to internal processes and structures for integration into the parent company
- Implemented a new remuneration and bonus system
As Deputy Managing Director of the Tractor Division (ad interim):
- Developed an operational restructuring concept
- Created a new 5-year business plan
- Successfully managed crisis situations involving banks and suppliers
- Achieved a 50% reduction in CAPEX
- Renegotiated the syndicated loan, resulting in a reduction of fees and interest margins by 2%
- Secured successful participation in a public tender in Iraq, leading to approximately 30% increase in turnover
- Conducted selection and hiring processes for C-Level positions
- Implemented a new cash management and planning system
- Introduced a hedging strategy
In Strategic and Operational Purchasing:
- Achieved a 20% reduction in material costs over a span of 3 years
- Increased free cash flow by 30% through the implementation of new payment terms, setting up a consignment warehouse, and defining new min-max stocks
- Reorganized the group-wide purchasing to a central matrix organization
- Rebuilt the departments of Global Sourcing, Project Purchasing, Supplier Development, and CAPEX and Raw Material (Steel) Purchasing
- Designed and implemented an internal catalogue system for non-productive material
- Achieved a 50% reduction in OPEX, including the development of a new remuneration and bonus system
- Participated in building a new supplier development team
- Implemented and negotiated a new standard frame contract
- Reduced the supplier base by 25%
- Implemented new structures, processes, and tools within purchasing
In Logistics, Warehouse, and Production Planning:
- Achieved an overall cost reduction of approximately 50% in logistics
- Reduced work-in-progress (WIP) and finished inventory levels by over 60% through the implementation of Kanban
- Redesigned in- and outbound transport routes and introduced an end-to-end system
- Redesigned internal material flows and eliminated buffer stocks
- Transitioned from a push to a pull principle in production planning
- Shortened production lead time from 12 weeks to 5 weeks
Client: Private Equity
Sector: Portfolio Company within Construction
Location: Germany
Function: Interim-CPO (Procurement, Logistic and Warehouse)
- Achieved a 50% reduction in working capital (AP, WIP, AR)
- Reduced material costs by 20%
- Optimized the Logistics and Warehouse system
- Transformed the Procurement Department and established a Project Purchasing team
- Implemented a new project management system, including IT/software integration
- Developed and implemented a KPI system
- Provided M&A support in target company selection and due diligence in Turkey
Period: 12/21 – 06/22
Client: over 4.000 employees, over 1,2 billion € turnover / Private Equity
Sector: Medical Technology
Location: Remote / Germany-USA
Function: Head of Sourcing for RDX Division
- Led and developed the Sourcing Team
- Managed a major EMS supplier transfer (70% of total spend, over 200 Tier 2 Suppliers)
- Executed shortage management and broker sourcing for electronic components
- Conducted MDR Supplier Qualification
- Implemented digitalization of RFX processes
- Sourced and successfully implemented new suppliers
Client: over 800 employees, 300 million € turnover
Sector: mechanical Engineering
Location: Remote / Salzgitter
Function: Advisor to CFO / Crises Management
Averted Multi-Month Production Shutdown: Strategic Crisis Management and Supply Chain Reinvention
- Rapidly responded to critical supply chain failure caused by the loss of a major Chinese supplier due to internal mismanagement
- Implemented immediate crisis management strategies to prevent production stoppage and mitigate potential multi-million euro losses
- Introduced and leveraged e-sourcing and e-auction tools to quickly identify and evaluate alternative suppliers globally
- Collaborated closely with R&D to develop and implement alternative manufacturing technologies, ensuring short-term continuity
- Conducted comprehensive RFX processes, rigorous supplier selections, and strategic price negotiations under extreme time pressure
- Established new strategic supplier partnerships, diversifying the supply base and enhancing long-term resilience
- Orchestrated seamless integration of new suppliers into existing production processes, minimizing disruption
- Implemented robust risk management protocols to prevent future supply chain vulnerabilities
- Achieved cost savings through innovative sourcing strategies despite crisis conditions
- Presented comprehensive supply chain restructuring plan to board, securing approval for long-term strategy“
Client: Energy Company, over 3.000 employees, over 5 billion € turnover
Sector: Utilities
Location: Remote / Germany
Function: Head of Project Process Optimisation and Digitalisation in Procurement
- Revitalized a Stalled €Multi-Million Procurement Digitalization Project
- Assumed leadership of a critical initiative that had struggled for 2+ years, rapidly turning it around
- Led a cross-functional team of 10, aligning diverse stakeholders towards project success
- Conducted comprehensive workshops to map and optimize current processes, identifying critical pain points and improvement opportunities
- Mediated and resolved long-standing conflicts, creating a collaborative environment conducive to progress
- Performed in-depth analysis of the existing IT infrastructure, identifying integration challenges and potential efficiencies
- Implemented strategic quick-wins, demonstrating immediate ROI and building organizational momentum
- Executed extensive market research to identify best-in-class Procurement Software solutions, considering scalability and future needs
- Facilitated high-level workshops with top-tier software providers, ensuring optimal fit with organizational requirements
- Developed and presented a global digitalization strategy to the board, securing buy-in for the selected future ERP system
Cologne, engines and generators, 5,800 employees, 6 plants, € 1.4bn turnover
Director Purchasing & Head of Global Sourcing/ Cologne
Management of 30 employees with a purchasing volume of approx. € 500m.
Co-Head of Purchasing of the Joint Venture in China
- Development of a global purchasing strategy and a new KPI system
- Introduction and negotiation of a standard frame contract
- Annual price reduction by 2.5% while increasing cash flow
- Optimisation of working capital by more than € 130m
- Comprehensive process optimisation based on Lean aspects
- Creation and implementation of a staff training plan
- Selection and implementation of E-Procurement and SCM software
- Transfer of about 30% of purchasing volume to LCC´s with an average saving of 15%
- Participation on operational due diligences
- Realisation of various Make-or-Buy analysis incl. outsourcing projects
Head of Global Sourcing & PM Joint Venture/ Cologne
Leadership of 6 global purchasing offices with a sourcing volume of over € 1.1bn
- Development of 6 global purchasing offices with 19 employees
- Definition and implementation of a global commodity and supplier strategy
- Selection and development of 40 new suppliers worldwide
- Transfer of about 10% of purchasing volume to LCC´s with an average saving of 15%
- Adjustment of the purchasing processes to the related departments
- Introduction of Project Management (Software, Steering Committee, Governance etc.)
- Successful production start of the machining line of the Joint Venture in Turkey