Bernt Arpagaus
Interim Manager
Experience
Interim Manager
AF Schweiz GmbH
- Mandate to restructure a medical technology company for X-ray equipment
- Claims management negotiations at a construction company (claim of 35 million)
- Recruitment of banking staff in wealth management under a mandate for an established staffing agency
- Managing the accounting of a temporary staffing firm under mandate
Head of Central Services / CFO, Executive Board Member on a Restructuring Mandate
WB Bürgin AG / WB Solar Partners AG
Responsible for finance, controlling, IT, and HR
Introduced internal control system (ICS) and IT risk management
Financial planning, liquidity planning
Digitization of processes (finance, HR), claims management
Purchasing and contract management
Support in sales negotiations
Established the photovoltaic company WB Solar Partners AG as CEO (5 people)
Led the company out of a liquidity crisis, took over active receivables management
Structured and organized new bank financing
Centralized purchasing and reduced procurement costs by 15%
Built organization for R&D, controlling, purchasing, logistics, IT, HR, and admin
Increased employee count from 40 to 200 and recruited key personnel
Legally optimized service contracts and reduced claims costs by approx. 3-4 million through negotiations
WB Solar Partners AG achieved approx. 2 million in revenue in its 2nd year with a positive EBIT
Director, CEO
Glarner Kantonalbank
Member of the credit committee, board member of the Association of Cantonal Banks
Board member of Finnova AG (IT company for banking software)
Initiator and board member of KMU Finance Plus (mezzanine financing) together with Otto Inneichen, Thurgau Cantonal Bank, and Nidwaldner Cantonal Bank
Led an entire cantonal bank (160 employees)
Developed a new cantonal bank law, new business organization, and strategy together with the bank council
Resolved legal cases from predecessors
Initiated, implemented, and launched the new core banking IT system Finnova, successfully completed within 9 months; cost reduction of 30%
Sales training and active support of advisors with clients
Improved profitability (tripled gross profit, cost-income ratio at 45%, previously over 70%)
Acquisition of a factoring company for SME clients
Acquired various real estate, commercial, and private clients (focus on SMEs in the Greater Zurich Area), 25% growth in commercial clients
Partner, Risk and Financial Management
Arthur Anderson
- Implemented operational risk in banks
- Introduced enterprise-wide risk management for a retailer in Portugal
- Conducted and optimized treasury risk analysis for a Swiss airline
- Implemented enterprise-wide risk management for a global cement manufacturer
- Analyzed and optimized the hedging strategy of an airline in Basel
Deputy Director, Head of World Class Finance and Risk Management
KPMG
- Rebuilt a team of 12 consultants in risk and financial management
- Established a new treasury for Infineon Group in Munich after its spin-off from Siemens
- Successfully built the new treasury for Wincor Nixdorf
- Analyzed and optimized risk processes of a global commodities group for the aluminum division
- Conducted due diligence of a German aluminum group for the Swiss acquirer with recommendations for the acquisition decision
- Automated the closing process of a German listed company (consolidated financials worldwide ready 3 days after quarter-end, revenue 8 billion euros)
Head of Finance, Deputy CFO, Head of Export Financing
Sulzer Rüti AG
- Managing the Finance, Treasury and Export Financing department
- Supporting sales worldwide with innovative financing solutions and leading contract negotiations. Financing solutions for customers to purchase the machines
Senior Manager, Commercial Loans and Trade Finance, Syndications
Standard Chartered Bank
Head of International and Infrastructure Financing
ANZ Grindlays Bank
- Contact with government agencies and building a Chinese and Japanese client base
- Structured and financed infrastructure projects and export deals
Relationship Manager, Authorized Signatory, Commercial and Trade Finance Clients
ANZ Grindlays Bank
Apprenticeship, Letters of Credit (12 months), Foreign Loans for Companies and Banks
Schweizerische Kreditanstalt
Industries Experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.
Experienced in Banking and Finance (26 years), Energy (14 years), Professional Services (7 years), Construction (4 years), Healthcare (4 years), and Manufacturing (3.5 years).
Business Areas Experience
The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.
Experienced in Finance (41 years), Accounting (24.5 years), Procurement (14 years), Information Technology (6 years), Project Management (6 years), and Sales (6 years).
Summary
Entrepreneurial type with extensive experience as CEO and CFO, deep financial knowledge, and broad experience in leading entire companies and specifically the finance function. I have experience in coaching, consulting, as well as in process and change management. My special strengths are negotiation skills and contract management, as well as good IT knowledge. I am familiar with various industries, particularly construction, banking, and machinery. I have also handled several M&A transactions with the required due diligence. I successfully built up 2 startups as a mandate and handed them over to management. I am results-oriented, analytical, proactive, yet hands-on, and I can put myself in the customers' shoes to bring new solutions for the company's success. As a strategy consultant and in line management, I have demonstrated my entrepreneurial skills. I enjoy working with people and can motivate them to achieve top performance.
Skills
- Microsoft Programs: Word, Excel, Powerpoint
- Erp Systems: Sap, Sorba, Finnova
Languages
Education
Graduate School of Business Administration
Certified Business Economist (Dipl. oec.) · Zürich, Switzerland
Schweizerische Kreditanstalt
Bank apprenticeship · Switzerland
Kaufmännische Schule
Commercial school · Zürich, Switzerland
Profile
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