Albrecht K. - Interim Manager

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Frankfurt, Germany

Experience

Apr 2023 - Present

2 years 9 months

Interim Manager

Freelance

Interim Manager
Start-up mentor/coach (volunteer)

Jul 2016 - May 2022

5 years 11 months

Cologne, Germany

Board Director Quick Lane Europe Ltd

Ford Werke GmbH

Responsible for developing and launching a franchise concept in the automotive quick-service industry in Europe as a UK subsidiary of Ford Motor Company (USA)
Developed and implemented the Quick Lane (QL) franchise strategy in Europe (UK, DE, FR, ES)
Founded the company in the UK and a branch in DE, and set up the central and local QL teams
Responsible for onboarding the CEO hired at the end of 2019 and continued acting as owner’s representative focused on strategy
Terminated and settled all existing franchise agreements in Q3/Q4 2021, after which QL operations were ceased and the company was wound up in 2022

Sep 2013 - Jun 2016

2 years 10 months

Cologne, Germany

Head of Quality & Retail Excellence

Ford Werke GmbH

Measured customer satisfaction (sales & service) in 20 European markets and developed and implemented improvement measures
Quality management, ISO certification and Six Sigma activities for the European sales and service organization
Dealer network planning for European markets including contractual and legal matters such as dealer agreements and competition law

Feb 2011 - Aug 2013

2 years 7 months

Cologne, Germany

Manager Marketing Strategy and Retail Experience

Ford Werke GmbH

Developed a new European service strategy and oversaw its implementation through cross-functional project management
Managed the program to improve customer experience (Retail Experience RE) in the European service organization and supported the RE program in vehicle sales
Coordinated the globalization of global service marketing

Aug 2010 - Jan 2011

6 months

Moscow, Russian Federation

Project Manager

Ford Werke GmbH

Represented operational aspects in negotiations with national banks
Responsible for switching dealer inventory financing from own funding to bank financing
Adjusted all IT systems, accounting and logistics processes

Nov 2009 - Jul 2010

9 months

Bucharest, Romania

Project Manager

Ford Werke GmbH

Managed the project to convert from an importer market to a Ford-owned sales organization
Negotiated the handover with the importer, and planned and set up the entire organizational infrastructure including office, IT, HR, etc.
Defined all local processes and integrated them into international company processes (accounting, financial planning, sales reporting, etc.)
Negotiated and implemented new dealer agreements
Renewed new car logistics and dealer inventory financing with a national bank

Nov 2007 - Oct 2009

2 years

Detroit, United States

M&A Demerger Deal Team

Ford Motor Company

Volvo sale: global responsibility for marketing, sales & service (MS&S)
Jaguar/Land Rover sale: European responsibility for marketing, sales & service (MS&S)
Negotiated the required services and spare parts supplies for the transition
After closing, responsible for all transformation and restructuring measures (carve-out) in MS&S, including splitting the national sales organizations in Sweden, Greece, Russia and Belgium

Jul 1990 - Oct 2007

17 years 4 months

Cologne, Germany

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Ford Deutschland / Ford Europa

Program Manager (PMO), re-engineering, off-shoring (EU Marketing & Sales, Cologne)
Coordinator, vehicle sales planning (EU Marketing & Sales, Cologne)
Coordinator, marketing plans & business development (EU Customer Service, Cologne)
District coordinator / zone manager parts distribution (DE Customer Service, Cologne region)
Coordinator, service diagnostic systems (EU product development, Dunton, UK)
Specialist, technical product complaints (DE/EU Customer Service – Cologne)

Mar 1987 - Jul 1988

1 year 5 months

Ottrau, Germany

Managing Director

Autohaus Krey

Crisis management after the sudden death of the owner to keep the company running
Negotiated with banks to secure liquidity
Retained existing customers through intensive communication
Restructured business processes
Stabilized and grew business volume and profitability
Found buyers, negotiated, sold and handed over the business to the new owner

Summary

Project management for transformation, restructuring, M&A carve-in/carve-out and implementing strategic change
Strategic business development
Operational interim tasks in aftersales/service (B2B/B2C) and customer satisfaction (CX)
Start-up and franchise activities