Recommended expert
Markus (Dr.) Peters
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Experience
Jul 2021 - Jun 2024
3 yearsNuremberg, Germany
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
VIA optronics AG
- Investor meetings, investor relations for NYSE listing
- Expanded reporting and compliance structures, cost controlling
- Post-merger integration
- Implemented LucaNet
- Financing negotiations with banks
- Global responsibility for 25 employees in six countries
- Positive net cash position and decreasing NWC (-40%) with rising revenues
- Significant reduction in cash outflow
- Initiated profitability and restructuring projects, introduced capex guidelines
- Built hedging line, implemented ABS program, extended bank financing
Jul 2017 - Nov 2020
3 years 5 monthsGarbsen, Germany
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
LPKF Laser & Electronics AG
- Led the supervisory board cooperatively, close communication with the management board, chaired the Annual General Meeting
- Prepared and led supervisory board meetings
- Streamlined leadership structures, including reappointment of the management board
- Focused on return on capital and growth
- Capital market communication, talks with banks and turnaround advisors
- Filled supervisory board vacancies
- Increased market capitalization by €400M
- Redesigned the compensation system with a focus on value-oriented management, high approval at the AGM
- Successful restructuring and refinancing
- Capital increase through new shares
Jul 2017 - Jun 2020
3 yearsHanover, Germany
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Investment Officer
German Technology AG (Bantleon Group)
- Managed investments and analyzed targets
- Value-enhancing support and divestment of holdings (LPKF)
- Created deal flow for tech start-ups, (pre-)IPOs and small caps
- Sourced investors
- Stock picking for tech investment funds
- Successful exit at LPKF Laser & Electronics AG
- Increased market capitalization by €400M
May 2013 - Jun 2017
4 years 2 monthsWinterthur, Switzerland
CFO, Managing Director
DMG MORI ECOLINE Holding AG
- Accounting, controlling & reporting, cash and NWC management, FX management, compliance
- Built structures and processes, risk management for the holding and subsidiaries
- Managed holdings in China, Poland, DACH region and Russia (greenfield)
- Expanded control and management systems
- Introduced compliance program as compliance officer
- Implemented currency hedging
- Secured results through accurate product costing
- Led cost and efficiency programs, unified ERP systems
- Direct and indirect responsibility for 45 employees in five countries
- Successful greenfield plant setup in Russia under budget by ~10% through FX hedging and strict investment controlling
- Significant earnings contributions through cash management linked to time deposits in a high interest environment
- Set up a tax-optimized holding in Switzerland
- Company-wide fixed cost reduction of 10% at a manufacturing site in China
- Restructured financing in China
- Closed a plant in China after merging with MORI CO., LTD
Oct 2011 - Apr 2013
1 year 7 monthsDuisburg, Germany
Established Treasury/Finance Function for INOXUM Group
INOXUM GmbH (formerly thyssenkrupp Stainless) / Outokumpu Holding Germany GmbH
- Established an independent treasury function: cash pooling, in-house banking
- Implemented new treasury systems including treasury management software (ITS)
- FX hedging and currency management
- Implemented treasury policies
- Built and maintained banking relationships, implemented a borrowing base facility
- Successfully set up and structured the treasury function at the time of the carve-out
- Created a hedging book over €1B
Apr 2011 - Sep 2011
6 monthsWerdohl, Germany
Vice President Compliance & Risk Management
thyssenkrupp VDM GmbH
- Risk controlling, export control, compliance, transfer price management
- Organized data room for the equity carve-out
- Led compliance audits and compliance training
- Risk inventory
- Responsible for transfer price management
- Successful compliance audit by external auditor
- Completed the data room for the carve-out on time
Jun 2007 - Mar 2011
3 years 10 monthsFlorham Park, United States
Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Member of the Board
thyssenkrupp VDM USA, Inc.
- Accounting, controlling & reporting, taxes, treasury, supply chain, IT, HR, tax, risk & legal, compliance
- Implemented cost reduction measures and synergy projects
- Improved return on capital, expanded sales control, introduced value-oriented management
- Led critical customer negotiations
- Calculated offer prices
- Introduced rolling sales and production planning to reduce inventory
- Negotiated with raw material traders and mines
- Managed environmental legacy projects to avoid financial burdens
- Risk & Compliance Officer: defended against claims and fraudulent acts
- Managed 17 employees at two sites
- Successfully merged two operating US entities and migrated ERP system
- Profitable during the 2007–2011 financial crisis, positive EBT for the VDM Group in 2009/10
- Improved cash flow and optimized NWC through active receivables management and inventory reduction
- Introduced raw material purchasing based on rolling sales and production plans
- Reorganized scrap management, up to 20% profit contribution
- Balanced metal cost fluctuations through hedging (50% of spend)
- No defaults on receivables despite the economic crisis
Oct 2003 - May 2007
3 years 8 monthsWerdohl, Germany
Head of Central Controlling, Authorized Officer
thyssenkrupp VDM GmbH
- Operational and strategic controlling
- Corporate planning and investment evaluations, product costing
- Restructuring and cost reduction projects
- Risk and equity controlling, M&A projects
- Led five employees
- Implemented SAP-based sales controlling and value management
- Investment projects in the US within budget
- Successfully applied for grants for energy-intensive operations
Jan 2001 - Oct 2003
2 years 10 monthsDüsseldorf, Germany
Head of Strategic Controlling
thyssenkrupp Materials AG
- Group-wide corporate planning and strategic controlling
- Risk controlling
- Contact for thyssenkrupp AG
- Special tasks for the executive board
- Led five employees
- Introduced value-oriented management
- Expanded working capital and equity controlling with weaknesses analysis
Jan 1999 - Dec 2000
2 yearsEssen, Germany
Senior Manager Strategic Projects/Corporate Development
RWE AG
- M&A and development of strategic group projects
- Evaluation of market entry strategies
- Analysis, evaluation and recommendations for M&A projects to the executive board
- Sharpened multi-utility strategy, developed e-commerce projects
- Founded a corporate venture capital fund (€50 million)
- Market survey on the multi-utility strategy
Apr 1996 - Dec 1998
2 years 9 monthsEssen, Germany
Project Lead M&A for Central and Eastern Europe
RWE Energie AG
- Management of M&A projects and interdisciplinary teams
- Identification and analysis of acquisition targets, preparation of bid documents
- Preparation of decision papers for the Executive Board
- Negotiations with cooperation and contract partners
- Management of international engagements
- Selection and development of junior talent
- Successful market entry in the Czech Republic with two companies
- Multiple leadership of the full M&A process
- Expansion of cooperation and investment options in Bulgaria
Summary
Internationally experienced CFO with broad industry background and strong intercultural management skills in growth markets as well as in special situations, e.g., restructuring, carve-out or reorganization of listed companies.
- 25+ years of professional experience, including about 20 years in leadership roles as Group CFO, Senior Vice President or Chairman of the Supervisory Board during restructuring
- Group CFO responsible for triple-digit millions
- Proven direct capital market experience in listed companies
- Leadership responsibility: up to 45 employees worldwide
Key achievements
- Stopped cash bleeding and reduced NWC by up to 40% in one year
- Acquisition of a stake, restructuring and very profitable exit after only three years while keeping the stock listing (plus €400M market cap)
- Designed compensation systems with high approval from the Annual General Meeting
- Internationalization via plant construction in Eastern Europe with about 10% under budget
- Company-wide fixed cost reduction of 10% in China
- Built treasury function in a carve-out situation, established a hedging book over €1B
- Profitable even in crisis (2008-2011), ensured positive results for the whole group (€1.4B revenue) through process optimization and value and NWC management
- Structured a corporate venture capital fund for the energy sector
- International market entry via M&A
Skills
- B2b Industry Expertise: Mechanical Engineering, Automotive, High Tech, Metal And Materials Industry, Energy Sector
- Matrix Organization, Corporate Environment, Mid-sized Companies And Family Businesses
- International Management Experience: Four Years In The Usa, Three Years In Switzerland, One Year In Austria
- Special Situations/360° View, E.g., Restructuring, Carve-out, Turnaround Management
- Degree In Business Administration/finance In Germany And The Usa
- Cfo, Finance Board Member, Supervisory Board In Listed Companies (Deutsche Börse, Nyse)
- Change & Turnaround Management, Restructuring And Special Situations, As Well As M&a
- Continuous Improvement Of Cost Structures, Processes, It And Information Systems
- Growth, Internationalization, Strong Structuring And Process Skills, Value Management/shareholder Value Focus, Working Capital Management
- Additional Leadership Responsibility For Supply Chain, Hr, It, Investor Relations, M&a, Strategy, Legal & Risk
Languages
German
NativeEnglish
AdvancedFrench
IntermediateSpanish
ElementaryEducation
Oct 1992 - Jun 1997
Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel
PhD · Business Administration, Finance · Kiel, Germany
Aug 1990 - May 1992
Pennsylvania State University
Master of Science in Business Administration, Finance · Business Administration, Finance · State College, United States
Oct 1987 - Jun 1990
Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel
Business Administration · Kiel, Germany
...and 2 more
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