Daniel Huber
Interim Managing Director Technical Division
Experience
Nov 2023 - Jun 2024
8 months Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Interim Managing Director Technical Division
badenovaNetze GmbH
- badenovaNetze GmbH (EUR 480 M revenue, 780 employees) is a subsidiary of the regional energy supplier badenova and the grid operator for electricity, gas and water networks.
- The energy transition and climate neutrality requirements bring major changes that lead to various strategic initiatives alongside the operational business.
- The interim managing director covers the position during maternity leave.
- Management of the GmbH together with two other managing directors.
- Operational leadership of the technical department, e.g. fault resolution, maintenance, investments in the electricity, gas and water networks.
- Definition, implementation and control of various strategic initiatives:
- Climate Neutrality Master Plan.
- Hydrogen pilot projects.
- Electricity Network Vision 2045.
- Future grid/load management system.
- Work Force Management 2.0.
- Strategy implementation using OKR (Objectives and Key Results) and SCRUM.
- Organizational development of the division, including significant staffing expansion.
- Contributed to developing the badenova leadership framework for classic and agile organizational forms.
Oct 2022 - Jul 2023
10 months Eningen, Germany
Interim Managing Director
Kurth Electronic GmbH (Metrawatt International)
- Kurth Electronic supplies measurement and test equipment for the telecom industry (EUR 2.5 M revenue, 20 employees).
- Acquired by Metrawatt in 2016 to extend Metrawatt products with KE technology. This goal wasn’t met for organizational and personnel reasons. Market shifts in copper and fiber tech led to volume and revenue decline and ultimately losses.
- Managed the company during the transition phase between the former managing director and his successor.
- Completed the 2022 year-end financials and implemented budgeting and business planning.
- Led and controlled sales, managed strategic customers and expanded the customer base.
- Developed and executed a future business strategy.
- Operational management including key account management.
- Analyzed P&L, balance sheet, sales, product costing, R&D results, market and competitors.
- Created strategic options for Metrawatt Int. management and recommended the most promising.
- Implemented the chosen strategy.
- Conducted impairment analysis and required write-downs.
- Relocated production from Eningen among other sites to Nuremberg.
- Sold parts of the company as an asset deal.
- Integrated the GmbH into its sister company.
- Managed IT and CRM transition.
- Staff reductions.
- Site closure.
Jun 2022 - Sep 2022
4 months Germany
Interim Head of Technology
Metall + Plastic GmbH (Optima Pharma)
- Metall + Plastic supplies isolators for decontaminating filling lines for pharmaceutical companies.
- Rapid growth (from EUR 20 M in 2019 to approx. EUR 80 M in 2022) caused projects to miss deadlines or quality standards.
- Improved processes in technology organization (R&D, engineering, production and materials management) with a focus on automation (Rockwell/Siemens).
- Introduced team structures and selected team leads.
- Held daily intercompany shop-floor meetings.
- Regular meetings with group and team leaders.
- Set up interface meetings between departments and war‐room meetings to spot delay risks.
- Enhanced resource planning, e.g. by starting a project management tool and central scheduling.
- Prepared for better project delivery: an internal candidate was chosen and groomed for the permanent Head of Technology role.
- Developed a concept to involve top management more in running the company.
May 2022 - Present
3 years 3 months Lampertheim, Germany
Business Consulting/Interim Management
Huber – Experience for Enterprises (HEFE)
- Strategic realignment | Operational leadership: growth initiatives, change management, restructuring, relocation.
- Sales Excellence: sales optimization and digitalization (CRM).
- Technology management: automation and Industry 4.0 (IIoT).
Feb 2021 - Apr 2022
1 year 3 months Germany
Division Head Inovan; Managing Director William Prym Holding GmbH; Member of the Executive Board
William Prym Holding GmbH
- Founded in 1530, Prym is one of Germany’s oldest industrial family firms. At the top of the group (EUR 380 M revenue, 3,200 employees) is William Prym Holding, with four independent divisions below.
- Inovan division is Prym’s industrial arm, providing technical consulting, development and economical production of complex electromechanical contacts and components for automotive and electrical industries.
- Managed the holding with ~3,200 employees and EUR 380 M revenue at 30 sites.
- Operational and strategic leadership of Inovan division (EUR 150 M revenue, 700 employees) in line with agreed KPIs.
- Strategic realignment:
- Five strategies from various consultancies existed but none were fully implemented.
- Analyzed and adjusted existing strategies and drove action.
- My analysis found too many defined actions and too few resources. Area heads acted as project leads but only reported “on track.” First step was to replace them with those doing the actual work. With new leads I did a deep dive and found consultants’ assumptions too vague, from hourly rates to margins. I stopped or revised some projects and reduced initiatives to a realistic number.
- Key project: set up Czech production and transfer machines. Czech team didn’t push, and German team didn’t drive. I changed machine transfer plans to move only labor-intensive ones, and restarted a sales initiative to utilize them.
- Reduced initiatives to feasible ones and implemented them. Czech plant fully started. Regular reviews with the teams delivered success.
- CRM selection:
- Divisions had old or no CRM systems.
- Gathered requirements from divisions, functions and IT. Engaged a consulting firm. Shortlist had SAP Sales Cloud vs. Salesforce. Although I favored Salesforce, SAP was a better fit organization-wide (existing SAP ERP usage). SAP CX was chosen.
- Other actions:
- Integrated Inovan after restructuring. Despite sites in Germany, Czechia, Mexico and China, Inovan depended on Germany. Introduced a global organization with global leads for better collaboration.
- External change management raised customer satisfaction.
- Directly led global sales with focus on process and key accounts, winning new clients in automotive and non-automotive.
Sep 2017 - Feb 2021
3 years 6 months Göppingen, Germany
Division Head Hydraulics; Managing Director Schuler Pressen GmbH
Schuler Group
- Schuler offers custom top technology in forming: from connected presses to press shop planning. Its portfolio includes presses, automation, software, tools, process know-how and service for metalworking.
- Schuler group has EUR 1.1 B revenue and 6,200 employees at sites in Europe, China and America, and service companies in 40+ countries. It’s part of Austria’s ANDRITZ group.
- Led global Hydraulics division (Brazil, USA, Germany, China; EUR 150 M revenue; ~500 employees); MD of Schuler Pressen GmbH (EUR 660 M revenue, 2,850 employees).
- Division built hydraulic presses/systems for OEM (automotive) and non-OEM (rail, wastewater, installation).
- Implemented major projects:
- In 2017 automotive was booming. Schuler’s results, largely serving auto, were excellent.
- Two delayed mega-projects in Kazakhstan and Turkey had to go live simultaneously, shared resources, needed new leads.
- I chose a lead my predecessor opposed; it proved the right call and the customer valued it.
- Resource allocation was tough, especially with subcontractors, solved by compromise. We prioritized one project for a national “Industry Day” opening with the president—motivating staff for a political event was challenging but we succeeded.
- Opening was a full success and led to more orders.
- Navigated cultural differences by assigning commissioning engineers from those countries. In monthly reviews with client MDs I always respected cultural norms. I even built a friendship with one MD.
- Both projects ran smoothly until Covid-19 caused further delays.
- Success improved our market reputation and won a rail wheel project in Russia.
- China product relocation:
- Chinese competitors caught up tech-wise and undercut on price. Govt pushed local buying. We couldn’t sell German presses anymore.
- Developed and built a cost-effective press for China.
- Had to convince German org it was doable (I showed my past China success) and hire key local staff. We found a strong dev lead and sales lead.
- Motivated locals to design a press meeting Chinese specs, not German high-tech. After hurdles, we followed normal project reviews, mostly remote.
- Press was 40% cheaper than German model, launched successfully. Further presses for China are in development. Same approach used for US market via Brazil.
- Restructuring:
- After a decade of boom, the auto crisis started in 2018 and Covid-19 hit in 2019. Orders dried up, staff faced long short-time work.
- With EUR 150 M revenue, HQ questioned division’s independence amid tech substitutes.
- I drafted four options: run smaller, split tasks across divisions, full closure, or restructure and merge the remaining ops into another division. First two weren’t viable, so we restructured and integrated.
- To cut costs, I planned the site closure since the new unit size didn’t justify an independent site and the other division’s site had room. Key was keeping critical staff. We negotiated a “name list” with works council: those leaving vs. staying. Crafting it was a compromise but we kept a functional team. Then we agreed on social plans and executed the restructuring and closure.
- The remaining business continues under a new division.
- Other actions:
- Directly led global sales with focus on key accounts, opening non-OEM markets and big projects (e.g. Russia).
- Clear local responsibilities (“local for local”) in China and USA boosted revenue and satisfaction.
- Cut product costs by 40%, making presses competitive in price-sensitive segments.
- US hydroforming plant successfully served IHD niche for e-mobility.
- Piloted Industry 4.0 apps “Process Monitoring System,” “Track & Trace” and “Visual Die Protection.” Used deep learning in rail wheel production.
Oct 2016 - Aug 2017
11 months Allendorf, Germany
Chief Sales and Service Officer (CSO); Managing Director Viessmann Industrial Service GmbH
Viessmann, Division Industriesysteme
- Viessmann group is a leading global maker of heating, industrial and cooling systems. Founded in 1917, it has 11,600 employees and EUR 2.2 B revenue.
- Viessmann Industrial Systems offers solutions for efficient steam (up to 120 t/h), heat (up to 120 MW), cooling (up to 2 MW) and power (up to 50 MW).
- Introduced Salesforce CRM:
- The Industry Systems division (EUR 160 M revenue, 270 employees) comprised various acquired firms operating independently with disparate or no sales processes.
- Optimized sales processes.
- Implemented Salesforce CRM.
- Defined sales contacts per unit and clarified processes. Salesforce was chosen group-wide.
- Selected an agile SCRUM-based CRM implementer.
- Built a product backlog from input across sales units.
- Weekly sprint planning and progress meetings; monthly updates to owners and exec board. Phased rollout across units.
- Delivered a highly usable CRM matching the new unified sales process.
- Other actions:
- Restructured biggest loss makers (Switzerland and Germany).
Mar 2016 - Sep 2016
7 months Offenburg, Germany
Lecturer in Automation Systems
Hochschule Offenburg
- Lecturer in automation systems (process control systems, manufacturing execution systems, production planning systems, Industry 4.0).
Mar 2016 - Sep 2016
7 months Germany
Consultant for Globalization and Digitalization
SAMSON AG
- Globalized procurement organization.
- SAMSON AG is a mid-sized firm specializing in control valve technology (smart valves) for process control systems in chemical plants, power stations, food production and building automation. It’s world leader in control valves for the chemical industry.
- Acquired various companies but never realized synergies.
- Built a global sourcing & purchasing network for 15 group companies.
- Kicked off with a workshop of site MDs to build direct contact. On site visits (DE, USA, ES, IT, RU, IN) I analyzed needs and jointly developed 50 initiatives, including a central data repository for usage data. We quantified global sourcing volumes (e.g. cast parts) and negotiated with the main supplier in Coimbatore, India.
- Established a global purchasing team.
- Collated global procurement data.
- Developed a central data repository.
- Defined and implemented KPIs.
- This work enables future efficient material flows and significant cost savings.
Feb 2011 - Mar 2016
5 years 2 months Mannheim, Germany
Chair of Management Board; Division Head Process Automation
ABB Automation GmbH
- ABB Automation GmbH and ABB Automation Products GmbH belong to ABB Group, offering products, solutions and services to boost productivity and competitiveness in all industries.
- P&L responsibility for process automation in Central Europe (USD 1.8 B revenue, 4,000 employees).
- Strategy development and execution:
- While Asia and North America grew strongly, Europe stagnated, so we had to actively pursue market growth.
- Developed and rolled out a “Europe for Europe” strategy.
- Europe was split into North, Central and South regions, each with division heads. I led Central Europe's process automation. The strategy program covered all divisions and regions.
- We first mapped the addressable market using Mekko charts. Defining growth options was hardest: in workshops (internal and with customers) we generated ideas and evaluated them. With top initiatives, we set growth targets and created an implementation roadmap. Since Europe is mature, many initiatives were after-sales service.
- We rolled out in waves, starting with Germany, Poland, Austria and Benelux. Each country had project leads. I continuously tracked progress and reported results.
- This increased Central Europe order intake by USD 144 M.
- Other actions:
- Aligned sales org and key accounts for stronger customer focus, boosting German orders by 17%.
- Turnaround of three metrology plants in Germany raised margins to double digits.
- Acquired and integrated Lorentzen & Wettre into ABB Automation GmbH and divested ABB Full Service GmbH in a socially responsible way.
- Defined and piloted Industry 4.0 for process industry with competitors and clients like BASF and Bayer, achieving IoT successes.
- Supervisory/board roles:
- ABB Stotz-Kontakt GmbH.
- ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association).
- Fieldbus organizations (FDI Cooperation LLC, FDT Group).
- Industry 4.0 (platform, ZVEI leadership circle).
Dec 2007 - Jan 2011
3 years 2 months Mannheim, Germany
Global Business Unit Manager; Global Technology Manager; Senior Group Vice President
ABB Automation GmbH
- P&L for global ABB control system business: USD 630 M revenue, 1,800 employees.
- Global technology responsibility for ABB control systems. R&D budget USD 130 M, 700 staff.
- Restructuring and relocation to India:
- With R&D in high-cost USA, Sweden and Germany and many automation systems, R&D costs were ~50% of revenue.
- Restructured R&D to cut costs by 25% and build an R&D center in Bangalore, India.
- First I created a migration strategy to reduce automation systems toward one unified system. This was complex due to differing reasons for existing systems, but we developed a stepwise migration that respected market needs.
- With that, I designed a new global R&D organization, assigning clear roles to each site to secure their future, and secured buy-in from development managers.
- In Bangalore we built a new R&D center focused on software and system testing. In USA, DE and SE we cut headcount drastically. Key to India success was 7 expats who moved to transfer knowledge.
- Outcome: a well-functioning global R&D organization with 25% lower costs.
- Other actions:
- Exceeded profit targets and grew control system market share despite financial crisis.
- Moved control system production to growth markets (Singapore).
- Developed and launched the leading 800xA control system to boost customer productivity.
- Introduced agile software development (SCRUM).
Apr 2001 - Nov 2007
6 years 8 months Mannheim, Germany
Global Service Manager; Global Technology Manager; Group Vice President
ABB AG
- ABB AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of ABB Ltd in Zurich, provides energy and automation tech to help customers improve performance and reduce environmental impact. The group operates in ~100 countries with ~145,000 employees.
- Responsible for strategic build-up of the global life-cycle service business in Power Generation BU: USD 250 M in 30 countries with 765 staff.
- Led the international R&D and product management for power plant automation.
- Strategic realignment:
- Power generation business had offices in 30 countries but focused on new sales. Small units only did service when not selling new plants.
- Built the global life-cycle service business for Power Generation.
- With the division service head, we created a concept to map our installed base in 4,000 plants using a survey to capture key data like module IDs and software versions. We assigned a plant key account rep per plant, often under service contracts, ensuring on-site presence and early involvement in investment plans. We trained these reps through on-site test interviews. I held regular reviews with local units to maintain focus.
- Result: significant profit and revenue increase in after-sales service.
- Other actions:
- Developed and implemented automation strategy for power plants.
- Set up a global R&D org with central funding and consolidation.
- Launched a global product sales unit with internal transfer pricing.
Jan 1999 - Mar 2001
1 year 3 months Bad Dürkheim, Germany
Director Marketing and Business Development
General Electric (GE Harris Harmon Railway Technology)
- GE Harris Harmon Railway Technology, a GE subsidiary, provides products and services for rolling stock monitoring and control. It has 2,500 employees at 20 sites in the USA and Europe.
- Grew order intake for North American products and systems in Europe, Middle East and Africa by winning new customers.
Jun 1995 - Jan 2000
4 years 8 months Mannheim, Germany
Head of Sales & Marketing/Product Management
DaimlerChrysler Rail Systems (Adtranz, now Alstom)
- Adtranz builds rail vehicles and components and contributes to ICE trains.
- Built internal and external sales & marketing for train control technology.
- Coordinated international R&D and product management to develop and standardize train control systems.
Apr 1994 - Sep 1994
6 months Västerås, Sweden
Project Manager, Information Technology Department
ABB Corporate Research Center
Sep 1987 - May 1995
7 years 9 months Heidelberg, Germany
Project Manager/Development Engineer
Asea Brown Boveri AG (ABB), Research Center
- Led various international research projects.
Summary
Daniel Huber develops and implements your strategy with you, including growth projects, change management, sales optimization and digitalization, technology management, as well as restructuring and relocation.
- as interim manager or consultant for energy, industrial and automotive suppliers.
- so that your realignment is carried out consistently and your employees are taken along interculturally.
Languages
German
Native
English
Advanced
French
Elementary
Education
Oct 2003 - Jun 2004
Business School St. Gallen
General Management Diploma · Switzerland
Oct 1988 - Jun 1994
FernUniversität Hagen
Dipl.-Ing. · Electrical Engineering · Germany
Oct 1983 - Jun 1987
Fachhochschule Offenburg
Dipl.-Ing. (FH) · Communications Engineering · Germany
Certifications & licenses
Six Sigma Training, Green Belt Project
General Electric
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