Jakob (M.) Hess
Managing Director ad Interim
Experience
Oct 2023 - Jun 2024
9 months Wissen, Germany
Managing Director ad Interim
DALEX Automation & Welding GmbH
- System supplier for resistance welding technology.
- Transferred restructuring after insolvency.
- €20 million turnover, 150 employees.
- Reporting to shareholders.
Jun 2023 - Mar 2024
10 months Bonn, Germany
Managing Director ad Interim
EuroPriSe Cert GmbH
- Reporting to shareholders.
- Accreditation according to Art. 42 GDPR.
- International sales development.
Mar 2021 - Sep 2021
7 months Zella-Mehlis, Germany
Managing Director ad Interim
Boehm Group GmbH (formerly Böhm AG)
- System supplier for mechanical engineering.
- Reporting to shareholders.
- Revenue responsibility approx. €20 million.
- Personnel responsibility for 180 employees, currently approx. 150.
- Stabilization of customer and supplier relationships.
- Structuring of production.
- Post-merger integration.
May 2018 - Present
7 years 3 months Wiesbaden, Germany
CEO – CTO – CRO – Advisory Board Member
Self-employed
- Realignment, PMI, interim vacancy coverage.
- Advised companies include:
- Seysen GmbH & Co. KG / shareholder of EFAFLEX
- PROTEC B.V. / NL
- Teigwaren Riesa GmbH
- Matchbird GmbH – world market leader as a serendipity service provider
- Advisor to a German private equity firm
- Achievements:
- Internationalization of sales
- Efficiency increase in production (30%)
- Implementation of advisory boards (Protec, Matchbird)
- PMI/integration into the parent company/group
- Preparation of an acquisition (private equity)
- Accreditation of EuroPriSe Cert GmbH by DAkkS
Jan 2015 - Aug 2018
2 years 8 months Bruckberg, Germany
Managing Director
EFAFLEX GmbH & Co. KG
- Medium-sized company in the door industry, world market leader for high-speed doors.
- Reporting to shareholders.
- Revenue responsibility > €150 million.
- Personnel responsibility for approx. 1,300 employees.
- Overall responsibility for sales (worldwide) and production in Germany and the Czech Republic.
- Responsibility for R&D in Germany, the Czech Republic & Slovenia.
- Achievements:
- Sales increase > 15%
- Restructuring of the sales organization
- Reactivation of lost markets/customers
- Digitization > initiation and implementation of SAP–CRM
- Introduction of new products, e.g. machine safety doors, bulletproof doors
- Internationalization (USA, China, India, Australia)
- New trading partners in Asia and Australia
- Implementation of company-wide marketing
- Introduction of document management
- Development of a key performance indicator system (KPI)
- M&A measures in Switzerland, the Netherlands and the USA
- Works agreements with the works council
- Customers include:
- Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Porsche, Amazon, Giesecke+Devrient, logistics centers, cold storage facilities, etc.
Apr 2012 - Dec 2015
3 years 9 months Osnabrück, Germany
Head of Sales
Herzog Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG
- Medium-sized company; supplier in plant engineering for cement and mineral production; turnover > €40 million, approx. 220 employees.
Apr 2012 - Dec 2015
3 years 9 months Bremen, Germany
Managing Director
Inmess GmbH
- Medium-sized company; machinery and plant engineering for the automotive industry (measuring & testing machines).
- Achievements:
- Focus on profitable product segments
- PMI/restructuring and closure of locations
- Stabilization and establishment in the market
- Product rationalization and introduction of a modular design
- Introduction of optical metrology as a new product field
- Cost savings through renegotiation and centralization
- Customers include:
- ZKW, Hella (optical metrology), Bosch, Nexen, Kumho, Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Porsche, TÜV, Continental, Goodyear.
Jan 2008 - Jun 2009
1 year 6 months Mariager, Denmark
Advisory Board Member
FLSmidth Airloq
- Manufacturer of instruments for gas analysis.
- After successful integration, the advisory board was dissolved by resolution.
Apr 2005 - Jan 2012
6 years 10 months Copenhagen, Denmark
Sole Managing Director
FLSmidth
- Listed Danish corporation; plant engineering in cement and mineral production; turnover > €3 billion, approx. 13,000 employees.
- Sole Managing Director in three group companies:
- FLSmidth Wuppertal GmbH, Wuppertal
- Pfaff Maschinenbau GmbH, Harzgerode
- FLSmidth spol. s r.o., Brno/Czech Republic
- Achievements:
- Revenue increase from €7 to €25 million
- PMI/integration of Airloq & FLSmidth Wuppertal into the group
- Product development
- Restructuring and concentration of production at one site
- Optimization of inventory turnover
- Product and process standardization within the group
- Acquisition of a medium-sized company
- Establishment of integrated IT support to increase efficiency in order processing
- Introduction of document management
- Introduction of key performance indicators (KPI)
- Preparation for production relocation to Chennai, India
- Customers include:
- Lafarge, Holcim, Cemex, Vicat, HeidelbergerCement, KHD, Polysius, Aumund, Buzzi, Rohrdorfer Cement, Aurubis, various steel companies.
Jun 2002 - Mar 2005
2 years 10 months Wiesbaden, Germany
Managing Partner
Hess Unternehmensberatung
- A major mandate during this period was the role as Managing Director ad Interim for WIBERA GmbH Wiesbaden, events & catering (mandate period: 2002–2014).
Jan 2002 - Dec 2015
13 years Wiesbaden, Germany
Managing Director ad Interim
WIBERA GmbH
- Events & catering.
Mar 1996 - Jun 2002
6 years 4 months Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany
Managing Director
Legris GmbH
- Subsidiary of Legris S.A., France. Legris is a manufacturer of push-in and screw connections for fluid applications; turnover approx. €200 million, now part of the Parker Hannifin Group.
- Achievements:
- Sales increase of 80%
- Establishment of a Tier 1 structure
- Restructuring of the exclusive distributor network
- Significant expansion of the distribution network
- Development and implementation of the European price list
- Development of the sales strategy and pricing policy
- Customers include:
- Volkswagen Group (fuel line push-in connection/series), IMA, MAN Roland, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, Bosch.
Nov 1993 - Feb 1996
2 years 4 months Wermelskirchen, Germany
Head of Overall Sales
Kugelfabrik Schulte GmbH & Co.
- Manufacturer of wheels & casters as well as industrial balls; turnover approx. €28 million.
- Achievements:
- Sales increase of approx. 12%
- Reactivation of lost markets
- Internationalization of sales (Europe/Asia, especially Japan)
- Establishment of a sales company & partners in the USA and Japan
- Customers include:
- Bosch, Siemens, Lear Corporation, Faurecia, Montblanc, Rolex, ETA.
Apr 1989 - Aug 1993
4 years 5 monthsHead of Sales/Marketing/Customer Service
Ingersoll-Rand Group
- Listed American industrial company, among others a manufacturer of industrial compressors; turnover approx. $13 billion, 60,000 employees.
- Role from 1989–1991 at Ingersoll Rand Company Ltd., USA, Mayfield KY and Charlotte NC.
- Achievements:
- Development and sales of maintenance contracts
- Market analysis to assess compatibility of competitors’ spare parts as a strategic measure
- Lead trainer for TQM measures at Ingersoll Rand Germany
- Customers include:
- RAG, Bayer, DuPont, BASF, Ford, OMV, Böhler, ThyssenKrupp, Salzgitter, Saarstahl.
Oct 1987 - Dec 1988
1 year 3 months Faßberg, Germany
Training Non-Commissioned Officer
Technical School of the Air Force
- Responsibilities for mathematics, jet engines and physics.
Jan 1979 - Jul 1979
7 months Neuss, Germany
Machinist
International Harvester Company mbH
Summary
Since 1996, I have been accustomed to carrying entrepreneurial responsibility as a Managing Director. I am driven by my curiosity and my firm conviction that every company should actively shape technological progress in its industry with full commitment. I prefer to operate in a medium-sized, family-oriented environment. In my career, I have gone through all company phases: from start-up and company building to the development and implementation of global internationalization strategies, to crisis management or the launch of important digitization initiatives.
Languages
German
Native
English
Advanced
Chinese
Elementary
French
Elementary
Education
Oct 2004 - Jun 2004
WWZ of the University of Basel
Master of Advanced Studies in Marketing · Marketing · Basel, Switzerland
Oct 1981 - Jun 1987
Aachen University of Applied Sciences
Diploma Engineer (FH) · Aerospace Engineering · Aachen, Germany
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