Thierry Hittinger

Turnaround Manager

Schwabhausen, Germany

Experience

Aug 2023 - Jan 2024
6 months
Germany

Integration Advisor

Support for integrating the first acquisitions as part of a buy-and-build strategy, including optimization of control systems

Jul 2022 - Present
3 years 1 month
Germany

Managing Director

Operational setup after a very fast launch of the growing business in a new country

Jun 2022 - Jan 2023
8 months
Germany

Plant & Brand Manager

Restoring business processes after a failed integration of an acquisition in France following a takeover by an American group and the subsequent orderly shutdown

Nov 2019 - Jun 2020
8 months
Germany

Managing Director

Transformation and efficiency improvement processes to prepare and optimize disposal options by the private equity shareholder

Feb 2019 - Apr 2019
3 months
Germany

Interim CRO

Development and launch of a restructuring plan on market positioning, production costs and organization, including integration of the main parts of the group in France and Germany

Apr 2017 - Jan 2019
1 year 10 months
Germany

Interim Managing Director

Taking over management after a failed succession of the injured owner and the resulting crisis situation

Apr 2011 - Dec 2016
5 years 9 months
Germany

Interim CRO, CEO

Taking over management as part of a restructuring report requested by the banking syndicate, restoring the banks' trust, revitalizing sales, integrating into the group, reducing inventories. Restored positive results (EBIT from -1.5 to +1.5 million €), eased liquidity situation and balanced balance sheet structure in the challenging market segment of welded steel pipes within a crisis-hit group

Nov 2008 - Apr 2009
6 months
Germany

Interim CFO

Short-term takeover after loss of confidence in the outgoing position holder, negotiation of salary adjustment as of January 1, 2009 with the works council, coaching the new head of the service division (50% of sales), introduction of sales-promoting financing options, initiation of cost reduction programs and group communication

Apr 2008 - Oct 2008
7 months
France

Interim CEO, CRO

Integration and turnaround of the acquired company, reversal of the negative variance to budget, reduction of inventories, renegotiation of framework agreements with automakers, productivity improvement and logistics reorganization, introduction and coaching of a leadership team

May 2007 - Jun 2008
1 year 2 months
France

Interim Business Development Manager

Defining the organization for sales floor and workshop, overseeing construction work and business furnishings, creating business plans, negotiating financing

Jul 2006 - Present
19 years 1 month
Schwabhausen, Germany

M&A Advisor

Performgate

Supporting companies in special situations such as sale, purchase, integration, crisis, restructuring, startup or growth. M&A and financing projects in various industries

Jun 2002 - Jun 2006
4 years 1 month
Munich, Germany

Vice President Finance

Beissbarth Automotive Group GmbH

Restructuring and turnaround of the group, plant shutdowns, spin-offs, production relocations, refocusing R&D, ERP implementations, marketing rollout and other measures that improved operating result from -€10M in 2002 to €4.5M in 2004 and reduced current assets from €87M in 2002 (€105M at start of 2002) to €52M in 2004. This allowed the group to be sold from a publicly listed company to a fund in 2005

Jun 2001 - May 2002
1 year
Paris, France

Controller

USINOR TUBES SA

Strategic controlling of the precision tubes division with plants in France, Germany and Spain that had to be integrated into a common organization after the mergers of Usinor, Cockerill and Arbed

Mar 1997 - May 2002
5 years 3 months
Homburg, Germany

Managing Director

Homburger Röhrenwerk GmbH

Reviewing options to continue operations and determining the need for a shutdown and carrying it out, including communication and negotiations with the works council and unions, overseeing personnel measures and support for new employment, relocating customer base and equipment to other plants, selling the property, securing tax loss carryforwards within the group

Mar 1997 - May 2002
5 years 3 months
Paris, France

CFO

TUBEUROP FRANCE SA

Adjusting the approach of the 5 plants that were previously separate entities, organizing corporate management, implementing a culture of continuous improvement, leading the Euro, millennium change and industrial benchmarking projects across all European plants and companies

Oct 1995 - Feb 1997
1 year 5 months
Stuttgart, Germany

Sales Manager

SaarluxStahl GmbH

Coordinating sales activities in Germany, direct customer support, as well as managing on-site sales and building a sales team with expertise in the welded steel pipes business

Jun 1994 - Sep 1995
1 year 4 months
Paris, France

Sales Manager

TUBEUROP FRANCE SA

Coordinating sales activities in Germany, setting sales policy, negotiating major deals, managing the sales team for the SaarluxStahl representative

Feb 1993 - Dec 1994
1 year 11 months
Homburg, Germany

Managing Director

Homburger Röhrenwerk GmbH

Reorganizing the company after a partial shutdown, optimizing steel purchasing and implementing new supply sources from the East, as well as organizing group reservation and use of excess rolling capacities, identifying coordination failures in sales activities at the group head office

Sep 1990 - Jan 1993
2 years 5 months
Homburg, Germany

Commercial Director

Homburger Röhrenwerk GmbH

Setting up corporate management from introducing accounting and building order processing to implementing controlling in the newly founded spin-off. Negotiating with the Ministry of Economic Affairs on obtaining investment grants, after the approval criteria could not be met

Nov 1982 - Sep 1990
7 years 11 months
Morhange, France

Controller

Rehau SA

Cost planning, production costs, intercompany allocations to cost centers, cost units and other companies of the group

Jan 1979 - Nov 1982
3 years 11 months
Morhange, France

Machine Operator

Rehau SA

Responsible for 1 to 3 extruders and allocating the assigned personnel

Summary

Experienced German-French manager with a track record in different industries and types of companies, be it corporations, mid-sized businesses, private equity firms or family businesses.

Wide range of tasks and responsibilities in various business situations, based on initial business administration training.

Proven expertise in carrying out turnarounds and restructurings, with successful negotiations with works councils, unions, banks, shareholders and suppliers. Significant performance improvement with appreciative leadership to ensure sustainability.

Languages

French
Native
German
Native
English
Elementary

Education

Unknown

D.E.S.E. (Diplôme d’Etudes Supérieures Economiques) · Business Administration

Certifications & licenses

D.E.S.E. Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Economiques