Michael Behling - Interim Manager: Head of Category, Commerce Platform & Data Management, Member of the Executive Management

Q: Where is Michael based?

Michael is based in Düsseldorf, Germany and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Michael speak?

Michael speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Michael have?

Michael has at least 29 years of experience. During this time, Michael has worked in at least 8 different roles and for 6 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 2 months . Note that Michael may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Michael's latest experience?

Michael's most recent position is Interim Manager: Head of Category, Commerce Platform & Data Management, Member of the Executive Management at VIKING Raja Group .

Q: What companies has Michael worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Michael has worked for VIKING Raja Group .

Q: Which industries is Michael most experienced in?

Michael is most experienced in industries like Automotive , Retail , and Manufacturing . Michael also has some experience in Metals and Mining and Transportation and Logistics .

Q: Which business areas is Michael most experienced in?

Michael is most experienced in business areas like Sales , Procurement and Purchasing , and Supply Chain Management . Michael also has some experience in Marketing , Strategy and Planning , and Finance .

Q: Which industries has Michael worked in recently?

Michael has recently worked in industries like Retail .

Q: Which business areas has Michael worked in recently?

Michael has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology (IT) , Procurement and Purchasing , and Supply Chain Management .

Recommended expert

Düsseldorf, Germany

Experience

Feb 2021 - Dec 2023

2 years 11 months

Interim Manager: Head of Category, Commerce Platform & Data Management, Member of the Executive Management

VIKING Raja Group

Acquired customers in e-commerce and large accounts by expanding and optimizing core and long-tail assortments (+€25M revenue, +100k SKUs)
Re-launched the VIKING brand and introduced customer-specific assortments (€160M revenue, +2% gross margin)
Restructured category and data management, cutting headcount from 236 to 160 FTE and achieving successful procurement negotiations in 2022 (+€3.8M in incremental earnings)
End-to-end responsibility for product availability and backorders, improving delivery availability from about 96% in 2021 to 99.3% in 2023

May 2020 - Jan 2021

9 months

Interim Manager: Sparring Partner to the Shareholders

VIKING Raja Group

Designed the new VIKING organization and restructuring plan
Developed an innovative sales concept for a mid-sized tool distributor
Digitalized and optimized sales by integrating ERP systems (SAP and Oracle) with Simple System, Onventis, and CRM

Feb 2016 - Apr 2020

4 years 3 months

Wuppertal, Germany

Head of Division (Authorized Officer) and Member of the Management Board

E/D/E

P&L responsibility for the Tools and Industrial Services / C-Parts Management division with €600M revenue and over €20M profit
Led the Premium and Union sales groups with external revenue over €1B; expanded sales programs and optimized assortments (increasing inventory turnover by 8% to over €200M in tools alone)
Designed and implemented a new sales organization (key account management by customer segmentation) based on a broad stakeholder analysis with customers and suppliers
Reorganized product management and procurement, professionalizing purchasing negotiations (+€2.5M additional earnings)
Implemented e-business-driven business models as supply systems for industry and trades (>€100M revenue)

Jul 2012 - Jan 2016

3 years 7 months

Managing Director

PROJAHN Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH

Directed international sales through subsidiaries and importers, managing the two key customers
Restructured sales with a customer focus by introducing international key account management and enhancing customer handling (strategy workshops, development plans, training and qualification measures, and digitalizing order processing and invoicing; 40% of business)
Planned and financed the acquisition of a new warehouse and production site using equity to secure long-term growth
Further developed reporting (KPI dashboard) and organized advisory board meetings

May 2010 - Jun 2012

2 years 2 months

Global Sales Director and Head of Strategy Development Project

PROJAHN Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH

Global responsibility for sales, revenue, and results, achieving about 10% annual revenue growth (2009–2012) and increasing profit margin by nearly 2%
Responsible for product availability and customer delivery with an average delivery rate of 99.5%
Led domestic and international sales, marketing, product management, application engineering, and complaints handling
Defined the brand presence and enforced its consistent implementation in the product range
Introduced a digital order and invoicing process (via ERP with Nexmart or EDI)

Aug 2007 - Apr 2012

4 years 9 months

Bremen, Germany

Managing Director

Rich. Herbig Bayerischer Metallhandel

P&L responsibility with improvement of profit margin from 0.2% in 2007 to almost 2% in 2008
Realignment of sales: increase of key accounts per salesperson from 33 in 2007 to 45 in 2009
Purchasing responsibility for factory and direct deliveries

Apr 2003 - Jul 2007

4 years 4 months

Sales Director DACH & Eastern Europe and Deputy Business Unit Manager

MICHELIN Reifenwerke AG & Co. KGaA

Sales, revenue and results responsibility as well as professional and disciplinary leadership of 7 Account Managers
Analysis and overhaul of the European two-wheel strategy and its implementation
Designing and running a customer partnership program with approx. 1% market share gain and increase of gross margin by almost 3%
Improvement of delivery availability through joint forecasts with major customers and process improvements

Jan 1999 - Mar 2003

4 years 3 months

Key Account Manager Tyre Trade

MICHELIN Reifenwerke AG & Co. KGaA

Sales responsibility for 4 purchasing and marketing cooperations in the DACH region with €120M in revenue
Professional leadership of 8 regional and 51 territory sales managers
Implementation of customer programs, gaining 2.5% market share or +€10M over 2 years
Development and implementation of a company-wide bonus system

Feb 1995 - Dec 1998

3 years 11 months

Area Sales Manager / Product Manager for Roof Racks and Roof Boxes

Thule GmbH

Sales responsibility for DACH as well as Central and Eastern Europe and building a successful distribution structure (increase from €0.5M to over €8M in 3 years)
Founding and building a sales subsidiary in Poland and leading the team
Responsibility for marketing and cost budget
Adapting the product range and sales materials for Central and Eastern Europe

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 Automotive (12.5 years), Retail (8 years), Manufacturing (5.5 years), Metals and Mining (4.5 years), and Transportation (4 years).

Automotive

Retail

Manufacturing

Metals and Mining

Transportation

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 Sales (26 years), Procurement (11.5 years), Supply Chain Management (11.5 years), Marketing (10 years), Strategy (8.5 years), and Finance (4.5 years).

Sales

Procurement

Supply Chain Management

Marketing

Strategy

Finance

Skills

Key General Strengths:

Strong Negotiation Skills With Diverse Stakeholders And Strong Execution Skills Gained In Smes, Large Corporations, And In Industry And Trade
Change Management (Culture + Strategy) Of Organizations And Processes In Rapidly Changing Markets (Digitalization Through E-commerce, E-procurement, C-parts Management) To Drive Growth And Cost Savings
Leadership And Development Of Staff With The Goal Of Securing Long-term Company Success

Key Specific Strengths:

Design And Successful Implementation Of Market Conquest, Sales, And Marketing Concepts With Significant And Measurable Impact For The Company
Profitable Expansion And Adaptation Of The Product And Service Portfolio Based On Sustainability
Key Account Management And Successful Crisis Management To Ensure Sales Success
Organizing And Implementing Efficient Data Management To Deliver Market-relevant, Compliance-ready Customer Data

Special Expertise:

Project Management And Agile Methods: Deep Experience And Success With Scrum And Waterfall As Both Project Leader And Team Member
Conferences And Events: Presentations At Industry Conferences And Chamber Of Commerce Events; Preparation And Moderation Of Sales Events And Forums (100 To 2000 Attendees), E.g., New Work Environments And Future Trends

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Ruhr University Bochum

Diploma in Economics · Economics · Bochum, Germany

Profile

Created

April 2024

Last Update

May 2025

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Michael based?

Michael is based in Düsseldorf, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Michael speak?

Michael speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Michael have?

Michael has at least 29 years of experience. During this time, Michael has worked in at least 8 different roles and for 6 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 2 months. Note that Michael may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Michael be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Michael would be well-suited for roles such as: Interim Manager: Head of Category, Commerce Platform & Data Management, Member of the Executive Management, Interim Manager: Sparring Partner to the Shareholders, Head of Division (Authorized Officer) and Member of the Management Board.

What is Michael's latest experience?

Michael's most recent position is Interim Manager: Head of Category, Commerce Platform & Data Management, Member of the Executive Management at VIKING Raja Group.

What companies has Michael worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Michael has worked for VIKING Raja Group.

Which industries is Michael most experienced in?

Michael is most experienced in industries like Automotive, Retail, and Manufacturing. Michael also has some experience in Metals and Mining and Transportation and Logistics.

Which business areas is Michael most experienced in?

Michael is most experienced in business areas like Sales, Procurement and Purchasing, and Supply Chain Management. Michael also has some experience in Marketing, Strategy and Planning, and Finance.

Which industries has Michael worked in recently?

Michael has recently worked in industries like Retail.

Which business areas has Michael worked in recently?

Michael has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology (IT), Procurement and Purchasing, and Supply Chain Management.

What is Michael's education?

Michael attended Ruhr University Bochum for Economics.

What is the availability of Michael?

Michael is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Michael?

Michael's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.

How to hire Michael?

To hire Michael, click the Meet button on the profile to request a meeting and discuss your project needs.

Average rates for similar positions

Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.

1200

900

600

300

Market avg: 900-1060 €

The rates shown represent the typical market range for freelancers in this position based on recent contracts on our platform.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

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