Recommended expert

Jakob (M.) Hess

Interim Sales Director

Jakob Hess
Wiesbaden, Germany

Experience

Feb 2025 - Jun 2025
5 months
Rahden, Germany

Interim Sales Director

KOLBUS Group GmbH

  • Reactivated sales after insolvency
  • Focus on contract manufacturing and iron foundry
  • Revenue: €50M
  • Employees: 350
Oct 2023 - Jun 2024
9 months
Wissen, Germany

Interim Managing Director

DALEX Automation & Welding GmbH

  • Restructured after insolvency
  • Revenue: €20M
  • Employees: 150
  • Reported to shareholders
Jun 2023 - Mar 2024
10 months
Bonn, Germany

Interim Managing Director

EuroPriSe Cert GmbH

  • Reported to shareholders
  • GDPR Article 42 accreditation
  • Built international sales network
Mar 2021 - Sep 2021
7 months
Zella-Mehlis, Germany

Interim Managing Director

Boehm Group GmbH

  • Reported to shareholders
  • Revenue responsibility approx. €20M
  • Personnel responsibility for 180 employees (now approx. 150)
  • Stabilized customer and supplier relationships
  • Structured production
  • Post-merger integration
Jul 2019 - Mar 2020
9 months
Riesa, Germany

Interim Managing Director & COO

Teigwaren Riesa GmbH

  • Reported to shareholders
  • Revenue responsibility as COO over €20M
  • Revenue responsibility as Managing Director approx. €2M
  • Significant efficiency and quality improvements
  • Structured production
May 2018 - Present
7 years 9 months
Wiesbaden, Germany

CEO – CTO – CRO – Advisory Board Member

Self-employed

  • Advised companies including Seysen GmbH & Co. KG; shareholder of EFAFLEX, PROTEC B.V. NL, and Matchbird GmbH – world market leader in serendipity services; private equity firms
  • Internationalization of sales
  • Increased production efficiency (30%)
  • Established advisory boards (Protec, Matchbird)
  • Post-merger integration (PMI) into the parent company / group
  • Preparation for an acquisition (private equity)
  • Accreditation of EuroPriSe Cert GmbH by DAkkS
Jan 2016 - Aug 2018
2 years 8 months
Bruckberg, Germany

Managing Director

EFAFLEX GmbH & Co. KG

  • Responsible for revenues > €150M
  • Responsible for approx. 1,300 employees
  • Overall responsibility for sales (worldwide) & production in Germany and Czech Republic
  • Responsible for R&D in Germany, Czech Republic & Slovenia
  • Revenue growth > 15%
  • Restructured the sales organization
  • Reactivation of lost markets and customers
  • Digitalization: Initiation and implementation of SAP-CRM
  • Introduction of new products (e.g., machine protection doors, bulletproof gates)
  • Internationalization (USA, China, India, Australia)
  • New trading partners in Asia and Australia
  • Implementation of company-wide marketing
  • Implementation of document management
  • Development of a KPI system
  • M&A activities in Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the USA
  • Works agreements with the works council
Apr 2012 - Dec 2015
3 years 9 months
Osnabrück, Germany

Sales Director

Herzog Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG

  • Supplier in plant construction for cement and mineral production
  • Revenue > €40M
  • Employees: approx. 220
Apr 2012 - Dec 2015
3 years 9 months
Bremen, Germany

Managing Director

Inmess GmbH

  • Focused on profitable product segments
  • PMI / restructuring and site closures
  • Market stabilization and establishment
  • Product portfolio optimization and introduction of modular design
  • Introduction of optical measurement technology as a new product area
  • Cost savings through renegotiation and centralization
Jan 2008 - Jun 2009
1 year 6 months
Mariager, Denmark

Advisory Board Member

FLSmidth Airloq

  • Increased revenue from €7M to €25M
  • Post-merger integration (PMI) of Airloq & FLSmidth Wuppertal into the group
  • Product development
  • Restructuring and consolidation of production at a single site
  • Optimization of inventory turnover
  • Product and process standardization within the group
  • Acquisition of a medium-sized company
  • Implementation of end-to-end IT support to increase efficiency in order processing
  • Implementation of document management
  • Introduction of key performance indicators (KPI)
  • Preparation for production relocation to Chennai, India
Apr 2005 - Jan 2012
6 years 10 months
Copenhagen, Denmark

Sole Managing Director of 3 Group Companies

FLSmidth

  • Publicly traded Danish group in plant engineering for cement and mineral production
  • FLSmidth Wuppertal GmbH, Pfaff Maschinenbau GmbH, FLSmidth spol. sr.o. Brno
Jun 2002 - Mar 2005
2 years 10 months
Wiesbaden, Germany

Managing Partner

Hess Unternehmensberatung

Jan 2002 - Dec 2014
13 years
Wiesbaden, Germany

Interim Managing Director

WIBERA GmbH

Events & Catering

Mar 1996 - Jun 2002
6 years 4 months
Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany

Managing Director

Legris GmbH

  • 80% increase in sales
  • Built a tier-1 structure
  • Restructured the exclusive dealer network
  • Significant expansion of the distribution network
  • Developed and implemented the European price list
  • Developed the sales strategy and pricing policy
Nov 1993 - Feb 1996
2 years 4 months
Wermelskirchen, Germany

Head of Sales

Kugelfabrik Schulte GmbH & Co.

  • Sales increase of approx. 12%
  • Reactivated lost markets
  • Internationalized sales (Europe/Asia, especially Japan)
  • Established a sales company and partners in the USA and Japan
Apr 1989 - Aug 1993
4 years 5 months
Germany

Head of Sales/Marketing/Customer Service

Ingersoll–Rand Group

  • Development and sales of maintenance contracts
  • Market analysis to verify the compatibility of competitors' spare parts
  • Lead trainer for TQM measures at Ingersoll Rand Germany
Oct 1987 - Dec 1988
1 year 3 months
Faßberg, Germany

Training Non-Commissioned Officer

Air Force Technical School

Training in mathematics, jet engines and physics

Jan 1979 - Jul 1979
7 months
Neuss, Germany

Machine Mechanic

International Harvester Company mbH

Training and qualification

Summary

Since 1996, I have been used to taking on entrepreneurial responsibility as a managing director. I am driven by curiosity and my firm belief that every company should actively shape technical progress in its industry with full commitment. I prefer to work in a medium-sized, family-owned environment. In my career, I have gone through all company phases: from start-up and business development to the design and implementation of global internationalization strategies, as well as crisis management or the launch of key digitalization initiatives.

Skills

Management

  • Executive Management > 25 Years
  • Personnel Responsibility Up To 1,300 Employees
  • Revenue Responsibility > €150m
  • Experience In Corporate And Medium-sized Company Structures
  • Pmi / Integration Of Companies Into Corporate/company Structures
  • Member Of Advisory Board / Board Of Directors
  • Cross-functional Management Experience In Sales, Production, And Finance
  • Restructuring
  • M&a / Buy & Build

Industries

  • Mechanical And Plant Engineering
  • Process And Plant Automation
  • Industrial Doors
  • Automotive Industry
  • Measurement And Testing Technology
  • Cement, Steel Production, And Mining

International Experience

  • Developing International Markets With Focus On China, Middle East, India, North And South America

Method Skills

  • Strong Negotiation And Closing Skills
  • Analytical, Conceptual, And Goal-oriented Working Style
  • Persuasive And Coaching Leadership With Employees

Communication

  • Open, Clear, And Respectful Communication Style

Personal Strengths

  • High Level Of Authenticity And Persuasiveness
  • Entrepreneurial Mindset And Initiator
  • Strong Market And Customer Focus
  • Sustainable And Holistic Thinking

Languages

German
Native
English
Advanced
French
Advanced
Chinese
Advanced

Education

Oct 1981 - Jun 1987

Fachhochschule

Diploma in Engineering (FH) · Aerospace Engineering · Aachen, Germany

Oct 1975 - Jun 1979

International Harvester Company mbH

Industrial Mechanic · Industrial Mechanic · Neuss, Germany

WWZ der Universität

Master of Advanced Studies in Marketing · Marketing · Basel, Switzerland

Certifications & licenses

Marketing Manager (EBS)

EBS European Business School

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