Massimo Garau
Finance Director
Experience
Chief Financial Officer
Veganz Group AG
Financial restructuring of the company: extension of the bond after negotiating with creditors, crowdfunding financing, factoring, sale and leaseback, goods purchase financing, a convertible bond, two capital increases and an equity line, sale of a subsidiary
Achieved: increased the equity ratio by 12 percentage points and reached the first positive EBITDA
Prepared financial plans, presented them to investors, negotiated terms and handled the technical implementation
Reduced fixed costs by about 35% to lower the break-even point by identifying cost-saving opportunities, optimizing processes and implementing with the team
Chief Financial Officer – Authorized Signatory
August Storck KG
Founded the finance department from scratch and built the team
Took over and established finance processes from the parent company
Collaborated with the Managing Director to introduce a decision-making framework based on financial KPIs
Took over customer communication to reduce overdue receivables
Documented and improved internal processes
Adjusted the revenue deductions structure to reduce discounts
Implemented several price increases and cost reduction measures
Achieved: tripled profits and the highest revenue growth in the German confectionery market over ten years
Business Manager Baltics and Iceland
August Storck KG
Full profit and loss responsibility for about €10 million in revenue
Nearly quadrupled revenue and profit through a new pricing system, product launches, replacing distributors, and TV advertising for Toffifee and merci
Developed and implemented a plan to recover outstanding receivables during the financial crisis in Iceland
Chief Financial Officer
August Storck KG
Led a team of up to 10 employees in finance, customer service, IT and HR
Turnaround of Europe North through restructuring the finance department, introducing monthly closings, accruals, provisions and cash pooling
Changed the business model in Denmark from an in-house sales organization to an external distributor
Reduced headquarters staff by around 35%
Introduced a new pricing structure
Achieved profitability and sustainable growth within 18 months
Led a project team to restructure the subsidiary Bendick’s UK (March–August 2008): closed the factory and relocated production to Germany
Head of Corporate Planning and Development – Authorized Signatory
August Storck KG
Led a team of up to 4 employees and managed several group-wide projects after a crisis to cut costs and develop the business
Identified and evaluated investment priorities for company succession
Established foreign subsidiaries: dissolved a joint venture and set up a new one in Poland, took over distributors in Finland and Slovenia, and formed a joint venture in Sweden
Designed and implemented a model for international transfer prices with list prices and performance-based discounts
Supply Chain Coordinator – Member of the Executive Board
EVC Rigid Film GmbH
Integration of production sites in Germany and Italy as integration manager to specialize product lines and leverage economies of scale
Responsible for the logistics function with up to 27 employees across three sites
Transfer of machines, recipes, customers, materials and technology know-how between sites
Achieved: 8% capacity growth, 20% inventory reduction, 20-day shorter lead time
Supervisory Board Member
Caprihans India Limited
Assistant to Executive Director – Downstream Business
EVC International Co-ordination Centre
Sale of two businesses in the UK and Sweden and acquisition of two companies in Germany and India to strengthen the core business
Financial valuation, search and assessment of potential targets, coordination of legal and financial advisors, and due diligence
Supported the closure of an Austrian subsidiary (August–October 1995): financial planning, timeline and action plan for confidential execution
Identified and evaluated cost improvement options for subsidiaries in Italy and Germany, leading to the merger of both companies
Achieved: a 150% increase in pre-tax profit in the downstream business since 1995
Strategic Planning and Business Development Manager
Ansaldo Finmeccanica
Strategic planning as a sparring partner to unit management to identify and implement growth directions
Sale of two companies in Italy and acquisition of a Dutch company to strengthen switchgear production capacity
Led the project to select a technology partner for hydraulic turbines in Brazil, resulting in a joint venture with a technology license
Financial valuation, search and assessment of potential targets, coordination of legal and financial service providers, and due diligence
Industries Experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.
Experienced in Food and Beverage (25.5 years), Manufacturing (3.5 years), Aerospace and Defense (3.5 years), and Professional Services (2.5 years).
Business Areas Experience
The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.
Experienced in Finance (22.5 years), Project Management (16.5 years), Strategy (14 years), Accounting (9.5 years), Customer Service (8 years), and Human Resources (8 years).
Languages
Education
SDA Bocconi
Master in International Economics and Management · International Economics and Management · Milan, Italy
Università di Cagliari
Diplom-Ingenieur in Mechanical Engineering · Mechanical Engineering · Cagliari, Italy · 110/110 cum laude
Certifications & licenses
Power of Attorney
Profile
Frequently asked questions
Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.
Where is Massimo based?
What languages does Massimo speak?
How many years of experience does Massimo have?
What roles would Massimo be best suited for?
What is Massimo's latest experience?
What companies has Massimo worked for in recent years?
Which industries is Massimo most experienced in?
Which business areas is Massimo most experienced in?
Which industries has Massimo worked in recently?
Which business areas has Massimo worked in recently?
What is Massimo's education?
Does Massimo have any certificates?
What is the availability of Massimo?
What is the rate of Massimo?
How to hire Massimo?
Average rates for similar positions
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
Similar Freelancers
Discover other experts with similar qualifications and experience
Experts recently working on similar projects
Freelancers with hands-on experience in comparable project as a Chief Financial Officer
Nearby freelancers
Professionals working in or nearby Berlin, Germany
