When restructuring is due
- Margin pressure — falling profitability despite stable or growing revenue.
- Investor pressure — a new ownership structure expecting OpEx levers.
- Scaling at the limit — growth that overwhelms existing structures.
- Regulatory pressure — new requirements that force structural change.
- Operational crisis — delivery problems, quality issues, customer losses.
Slide decks help little if implementation does not happen. An interim manager with C-level experience takes responsibility for turning the plan into reality.
Proven results
Shared service centres and site consolidation
Turned six sites working in isolation into one centrally steered organisation: two shared service centres built outside Germany, five German sites closed, OpEx reduced by more than 30%.
Role: Executive Director. Central steering and governance, new leadership team, process harmonisation across borders.
AI-enabled process digitalisation in customer service
Rebuilt a 25-year-old repair process around AI and introduced an AI-based service chatbot: cycle times more than halved, call volume down by a quarter — with NPS holding steady.
Contribution: designed and introduced the AI-enabled repair process and the service chatbot in response to shifting customer expectations and labour shortages.
What I focus on
I. OpEx reduction
Analysis of all major cost blocks — staff, IT, procurement, sites, third-party providers. Quick wins within 3–6 months, structural levers over 6–24 months. Realistic business cases instead of phantom savings.
II. Site and structural consolidation
Removing duplicate structures, closing redundant sites, consolidating functions — socially responsible, clearly communicated, consistently delivered.
III. Shared service centres
Building centralised service units for finance, HR, IT and operations — including nearshore locations.
IV. Process harmonisation and automation
Harmonising processes across borders, lean methods against waste, AI-enabled automation where it genuinely makes sense — no tool cosmetics.
How I work
Diagnosis instead of gut feeling
In the first four weeks a structured review of figures, processes, structures and people. The result: a prioritised action plan with owners and timelines.
Quick wins first
Visible results within the first three months — as proof that change is possible and as funding for the larger levers.
Structural levers with handover
Sites, SSCs and IT migrations take 12–24 months. I see them through at least to stabilisation while building an intact permanent leadership in parallel.
Frequently asked questions
What savings are realistic?
That depends on the starting point and the levers. As Executive Director at a financial information services provider, OpEx was reduced by more than 30% through site consolidation and the build-up of shared service centres.
When can a mandate start?
We agree the start date in the initial call. Once scope, objectives, reporting lines and duration are defined, a structured onboarding follows.
Let’s talk about your levers
Free initial call, 30 minutes, confidential. We discuss the starting point, possible levers and whether an interim mandate is the right way forward.
Arrange an initial call →