Lukasz Urban
Leadership & Business Coach / Management Consultant
Experience
Fractional CFO
URBAN CFO Services
I help growing mid-sized companies (from 3M EUR revenue) gain financial transparency and control – without hiring a full-time CFO.
My clients come from three areas: Fast-growing SMEs needing professional finance structures, German companies with Polish subsidiaries (or vice versa) requiring transparent cross-border financial management, and succession candidates preparing their company for sale.
What I do: I implement professional finance systems tailored to the business model – no massive IT projects, no bureaucracy. I build CFO cockpits (13-week cashflow forecasts, KPI dashboards, profitability analyses), run monthly reviews, develop business cases, and support bank communication.
For cross-border projects between Germany and Poland, I serve as bilingual finance partner: headquarters gain transparency and control, subsidiaries get professional processes and clear communication. I speak both languages and understand both cultures.
For succession projects, I prepare companies for sale or transition – transparent financials typically increase sale price by 15-30%.
Typical results after 90 days: Cashflow transparency instead of "hope and pray", 10-15 hours/week saved, higher profitability through cost optimization, fact-based decisions instead of gut feeling.
20 years finance experience from VW, PwC, Bosch, PowerCo – but pragmatic and at eye level with SMEs, not corporate overhead.
Head of Product Controlling
PowerCo SE
Responsible for building and leading the product controlling function for battery cells, with full accountability for cost management and financial steering in a rapidly growing strategic business area.
Key responsibilities:
- Leading and developing the product controlling team, including recruitment and capability building.
- Managing product cost structures for battery cells, including target costing and variance analysis.
- Preparing and analyzing product cost calculations and KPIs to ensure transparency and profitability.
- Evaluating and steering product-related changes with direct financial impact.
- Representing Finance in decision-making processes and providing financial assessments to the PowerCo Executive Board.
This role combines strategic cost management, team leadership, and executive-level decision support in one of Volkswagen Group’s most important future-oriented business units.
Leadership & Business Coach / Management Consultant
Self-employed
- Leadership & Business Coaching
- Management Consulting (Bosch GmbH)
Head of R&D Controlling Department
VW Nutzfahrzeuge
Commercial Managing Director
VW Motorsport GmbH
Finance Manager
VW Motorsport GmbH
Controller
VW Motorsport GmbH
Team Coordinator Production Controlling
VW PKW
Management Consultant
PricewaterhouseCoopers WP AG
Material Cost Controlling (International Assignment)
VW Nutzfahrzeuge
Controller, Financial Analysis
Volkswagen Poznan GmbH
Summary
FREELANCE CFO & FINANCE CONTROLLER | 20+ Years Corporate Finance & AI Expertise
Who I Am
Senior Finance & Controlling professional with 20+ years of experience across VW, Bosch, PowerCo, and PwC. I bring the rare combination of C-level strategic finance leadership (4 years as Managing Director with full P&L responsibility for 200 employees) and hands-on controlling expertise in complex corporate environments.
My unique positioning: Corporate Finance excellence meets AI & automation expertise (MIT-certified). I help mid-sized companies and corporates professionalize their finance function, build scalable controlling systems, and leverage modern tools for efficiency gains – without corporate overhead.
Core Expertise
Strategic Finance & Controlling (20 years)
- Full P&L responsibility as Managing Director (VW Motorsport GmbH, 2016-2020): Finance, IT, HR, Supply Chain, Compliance
- Product Controlling in R&D and Production environments (PowerCo SE, Bosch, VW)
- Management Consulting for process optimization and financial excellence (Bosch: €1,400/day rate, PwC Advisory)
- CAPEX/OPEX management, variance analysis, forecasting, KPI frameworks
- Budget planning, financial modeling, business case development, ROI calculations
Finance Operations & Systems
- Cashflow management and 13-week rolling forecasts
- Internal cost allocation and transfer pricing logic
- KPI dashboard design and reporting architecture
- Month-end/year-end close processes
- Financial transformation projects (from chaos to structure)
AI & Automation (MIT-certified)
- AI Multi-Agent Systems for finance process automation
- Financial modeling with AI-enhanced tools
- Excel automation, Power BI dashboards, data analysis
- Practical AI implementation (not theoretical – deployed in real finance workflows)
Leadership & Project Management
- 4 years as Managing Director (200 employees, 45 direct/indirect reports)
- End-to-end project ownership in transformation and consolidation projects
- Stakeholder management at C-level (CEO, CFO, Board)
- Team mentoring and coaching (15 business coaching clients, 2021-2023)
Key Skills
Finance & Controlling:
- P&L, Balance Sheet, Cashflow Analysis & Planning
- Budgeting, Forecasting, Variance Analysis
- Product Costing, Material Cost Controlling, Project Controlling
- Financial Modeling, Business Cases, Sensitivity Analysis
- Internal Cost Allocation & Transfer Pricing
- KPI Framework Development
- Management Reporting & Dashboards
- Financial Due Diligence Support (preparation for M&A/succession)
Project Management:
- End-to-end project leadership (finance transformation, system consolidation)
- Stakeholder management across Finance, IT, Operations, C-level
- Milestone planning, risk management, delivery tracking
- Agile and structured approach (pragmatic, not bureaucratic)
Technologies & Tools:
- Finance Tools: Excel (advanced), SAP (corporate environment), Power BI
- AI & Automation: Claude Code, GPT-based workflows, AI Multi-Agent Systems, KNIME, RapidMiner (MIT course)
- Project Management: MS Project, structured documentation, process mapping
- Languages: German (near-native, 20 years in Germany), Polish (native), English (C1 full professional)
Industries & Contexts
Automotive & Energy Storage:
- VW Group (2016-2020, 2023-2025): Motorsport, Battery Cell/PowerCo
- Deep understanding of R&D cost structures, material cost controlling, production finance
Consulting & Professional Services:
- PwC Advisory (2008-2011): Energy sector, process optimization
- Bosch Management Consulting (2022): High-end daily rate projects (€1,400/day)
SME & Mid-Market:
- Business coaching for 15 clients (2021-2023)
- Specialized in professionalizing finance for companies €1-100M revenue, 10-150 employees
- "Corporate standards for SME budgets" – pragmatic excellence without overhead
What Makes Me Different
C-Level Perspective + Hands-On Execution Most controllers have never sat on the other side of the table. I have. As Managing Director with full commercial responsibility (Finance, IT, HR, Supply Chain, Compliance), I know what keeps business leaders awake at night. I don't just deliver reports – I deliver solutions that actually help run the business.
Finance + AI Expertise (Rare Combination) MIT-certified in AI & Machine Learning with practical implementation experience. I don't just talk about AI – I use it daily to automate finance workflows, build dynamic models, and save 10-15 hours/week on repetitive tasks. This makes me faster, more efficient, and able to deliver more value in less time.
Cross-Border & Trilingual German/Polish/English fluency with deep understanding of both DACH and Polish markets. Ideal for cross-border finance projects, German companies with Polish subsidiaries, or international reporting requirements.
Pragmatic Over Perfect 20 years in big corporates taught me what actually works vs. what's just PowerPoint theatre. I bring corporate best practices but strip away the bureaucracy. Done > Perfect. Excel + AI > SAP (for most SMEs). 2-4 days/month > full-time hire.
Fast Learner, Comfortable with Complexity My career has been defined by jumping into cold water: From PwC Energy Consulting to VW Motorsport (rallye team!), to PowerCo Battery Cell (completely new industry), to Bosch Management Consulting. Every time: new sector, new logic, new stakeholders – and every time successful because I learn extremely fast and finance principles are universal.
Typical Engagement Types
Interim CFO / Fractional CFO
- Strategic sparring partner for CEOs/Managing Directors
- Financial architecture design and optimization
- Board-level reporting and investor communication
- 2-5 days/week, typically 3-12 months
Finance Transformation Projects
- Build controlling systems from scratch (chaos → structure)
- Consolidate complex cost structures (e.g., IT service catalog, 60-70 products → streamlined logic)
- Implement KPI dashboards, forecasting tools, financial processes
- Typically 3-6 months, high autonomy
Financial Controller (Project-Based)
- CAPEX/OPEX management for IT or R&D projects
- Budget tracking, variance analysis, financial reporting
- PMO support with financial governance
- Flexible duration (3-12 months), often remote
Management Consulting
- Business case development for major investments
- Process optimization in finance/controlling
- Financial due diligence preparation (succession, M&A readiness)
- Project-based, high daily rate
Why Clients Hire Me
SMEs (€1-100M revenue): "We need CFO-level expertise but can't afford (or don't need) a full-time CFO. Lukasz gives us corporate finance standards without corporate prices."
Corporates (project-based): "We need someone who can hit the ground running, needs minimal onboarding, and delivers end-to-end. Lukasz has seen it all – VW, Bosch, PowerCo – and brings that experience to our project."
Cross-border companies (DACH + Poland): "We need someone who understands both German and Polish business culture, speaks both languages fluently, and can navigate between headquarters and subsidiaries. Lukasz is perfectly positioned."
AI-forward companies: "We want to be pioneers in using AI for finance. Lukasz doesn't just talk about it – he's MIT-certified and actually implements AI workflows in real finance environments."
Availability & Working Model
- Start: Typically 1-2 weeks (for urgent projects: 3-5 days possible)
- Workload: Flexible – from 2 days/week (fractional) to full-time (interim/project)
- Location: Remote-first (based in Germany), occasional on-site possible for kickoffs/workshops
- Contract types: Freelance project, interim management, fractional CFO retainer
Track Record Highlights
- VW Motorsport GmbH (2016-2020): Managing Director, 200 employees, full commercial responsibility, complete finance transformation from rallye team structure to modern mid-sized company
- PowerCo SE (2023-2025): Head of Product Controlling Battery Cell, CAPEX/OPEX management, material cost forecasting, KPI frameworks for new industry
- Bosch (2022): Management Consultant at €1,400/day rate, process optimization and business case development
- PwC Advisory (2008-2011): Energy sector consulting, process optimization projects
Education & Certifications
- Master's Degree in International Management / Controlling (Poznań University of Economics, 2000-2005)
- MIT No Code AI & Machine Learning Program (Feb-Jun 2025)
- AI Business Lab Program – Multi-Agent Systems (2025)
- Certified Systemic Coach (ECA, 2019)
My Approach
Bias for Action: I don't wait for perfect data or perfect timing. 70% certainty is enough to make decisions and move forward. Speed matters.
Data Over Opinions: Every recommendation I make is backed by numbers. If I don't have data, I say "I don't know" rather than guessing.
Simple Over Complex: The best solution is often the simplest one. I've seen too many overcomplicated corporate systems fail. Pragmatic excellence wins.
Ownership Mindset: When I take on a project, I own it end-to-end. You get results, not excuses.
Honest Communication: If something is outside my expertise (e.g., Real Estate Finance, Tax Compliance), I say so upfront. No BS, no overselling. I deliver what I promise.
What I Don't Do
- Pure bookkeeping or tax preparation (that's for accountants/tax advisors)
- IT implementation (I design finance systems, but don't code SAP modules)
- Real Estate Finance or M&A transaction advisory (not my sector expertise)
- Long bureaucratic processes – I'm built for execution, not endless meetings
Languages
Education
Master's in Business Administration and International Management · Business Administration, International Management
Certifications & licenses
Excel AI
Excel AI I Michal Kowalczyk
No Code AI and Machine Learning: Building Data Science Solutions
MIT Professional Education · United States
Leadership License
Profile
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