Flex Manager
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CEO or COO with Lean Background

CEO or COO with Lean Background

Work Experience

After my studies in electronic engineering, I joined the UK subsidiary of a US company as development engineer. Having reached the position of General Sales Manager after two years, I left for a challenge in the professional audio industry to build an European sales and distribution company from the ground up. For this purpose I set up a subsidiary in Switzerland as part of a US corporation. Within the time span of 20 years, I brought this company to a turnover level of US$ 25 Mil. All relevant business functions, including an assembly facility, had to be created.
Strategically, significant further growth was only possible via acquisitions. The identification of companies in Europe and the Far East, the evaluation, analysis and finally the proposal to the US board were part of my responsibilities.

I left the audio industry for an opportunity to build up a Joint Venture Company in telecommunication, where all aspects of business had to be created. Under my direction we started developing a product portfolio to form a solid foundation. Five products were being brought to market in 1996. The joint venture did not hold and I thus accepted a position as CEO in a writing instrument business.

Professional CV

2002 to present
Specialization in process optimization and Lean techniques. Consulting an international
customer base in Germany, Belgium, the UK and Ireland, primarily in the application of Lean thinking.

1999 to 2002





Caran d’Ache S.A.
Geneva




1997 to 1999








Swatch Telecom A.G.
Biel




Active as independent management consultant. For close to two years I was exclusively involved in executive recruitment and project management in IT. Subsequently I was responsible for the relocation of a production unit from Germany to Belgium. My work today involves a great deal of coaching and support of management in project tasks.

A company involved in Writing Instruments in the luxury - as well as the color and fine arts market, with an exceptionally strong brand name in Switzerland. The company is highly integrated, almost 95% of it’s output is manufactured in Geneva. Its sales are around US$ 50Mil and it employs 310 people.

The position is CEO responsible for all aspects of this business. The priorities are in the marketing, and engineering area. I have introduced systems that have cut the time to market into half ( 9 month), completed the redesign of a major product line, established a clear C.I., developed strategy and introduced the process of changing the company from a purely production driven company to a market driven company. Conditions in Asia notwithstanding, the overall sales decrease had been stopped and the trend was reversed.

The company started on Jan 1st 1996 as a Joint Venture (50/50) between Siemens AG and SMH AG. Siemens sold its part to SMH in September 1996. All activities were then integrated into Swatch AG. The company was involved in the development, marketing and selling of telecommunication consumer end products, primarily in the digital cordless, the paging and the cellular markets.

1995 to 1997


My position was Executive Vice President responsible for R&D, Marketing and Sales, reporting to the Board.
The responsibility was to build a company including a product portfolio and all necessary business functions and to market and sell such products on a world-wide basis. Our plans called for a sales level of around Sfr. 200 Mil (incl.GSM) in1997. Including a development group of 15 highly qualified engineers, the total human resource was planned to be around 40 at the end of 1996.

Mark IV Audio (Europe) AG
Ipsach
1970 to 1995

1992 to 1995

The company, part of Mark IV Audio Inc headquartered in Buchanan, Michigan USA, was involved in the assembly, marketing and selling of professional electro acoustic components and systems, of US and European origin for the markets of Europe, Africa, India, Middle East. European headquarters.


My position was President for this business development area.
The responsibilities included all general management functions, the establishment and control of group budgets, the development of strategic guidelines. The total international group sales was US$ 60 Mil. I had the responsibility for 100 employees.



Mark IV Audio AG
Ipsach

1983 to 1992


Electro-Voice SA
Nidau


1970 to 1983

Company activity is as described above.

My positions were Managing Director of the Swiss company and Vice President International Sales and Marketing for the Group.
In this position all sales and marketing outside the USA was my responsibility. The acquisition activity is concentrated in this time span. Including acquisitions I was responsible for a sales level of some US$ 89 Mil.
Post acquisition activities included significant cost reduction programs which I concluded successfully with a workforce reduction of some 20 % in Germany.


Company involved in the assembly, marketing and selling of professional as well as consumer audio products in Europe.


Position during this time is Managing Director.
Responsibility included all general management functions, including the build up and control of a German sales office in Frankfurt.
The business grew profitably from virtually zero to US$ 15 Mil.


Vernitron Co. Ltd.
Southampton

1968 to 1970

Company involved in the development and manufacture of piezoelectric materials and components. US subsidiary responsible for markets in Europe

My last position there was General sales manager; I started as Development engineer for piezoelectric IF filters.


Education

Education


El Ing. HTL 1967
Electronic Technician 1963
Kant. Engineering School, Biel, Switzerland, Diploma in Electronics-H.F
Vocational training at ASCOM (then Hasler AG) in Bern, Switzerland



Further management training

1980 Kepner Tregoe : Decision making process
1980 Gulton Industries: Human Resource Management

Management Center Europe

1981
1992
1994
General management course
Dr. Edward de Bono : Lateral thinking
Various other seminars



Skills

general CEO Experience, Introduction of Lean thinking in Companies.

Languages

Languages

Fluent: Oral & Written
Understanding &
Reading


German, English, French, Italian
Spanish


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