Thomas Meyer-Dethlefs - Operational Excellence Manager

Q: Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Wiefelstede, Germany and prefers 100% remote projects.

Q: What languages does Thomas speak?

Thomas speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary) .

Q: How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 38 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 18 different roles and for 15 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years . Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is Operational Excellence Manager at Consulting .

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

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Consulting , Interim , Self-employed , and Mutares SE Co KGaA .

Q: Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing , Professional Services , and Metals and Mining . Thomas also has some experience in Chemical , Agriculture , and Automotive .

Q: Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Operations , Strategy and Planning , and Project Management . Thomas also has some experience in Production/Manufacturing , Quality Assurance (QA) , and Sales .

Q: Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Professional Services , Banking and Finance , and Transportation and Logistics .

Q: Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Operations , Strategy and Planning , and Quality Assurance (QA) .

Recommended expert

Wiefelstede, Germany

Experience

Jan 2023 - Dec 2024

2 years

Nordenham, Germany

Operational Excellence Manager

Consulting

Planning and implementation of a management system in close coordination with the CEO as a member of the senior management core team.
Appointed Master Black Belt to train Lean Six Sigma Black Belts.

Jan 2022 - Dec 2022

1 year

Everswinkel, Germany

Technical Director

Interim

Aug 2021 - Dec 2021

5 months

Nordenham, Germany

Consultant

Interim

Apr 2021 - Present

5 years

Wiefelstede, Germany

Freelance Consultant

Self-employed

Building a freelance consulting practice focused on holistic transformation for the better.
Taking both vertical and horizontal views of my clients' businesses to identify urgent areas for focused problem-solving.

Jul 2020 - Jan 2021

7 months

Gummersbach, Germany

CTO

Mutares SE Co KGaA

Apr 2020 - Nov 2020

8 months

Vienna, Austria

Head of Logistics

Mutares SE Co KGaA

Bridged the COO vacancy after the company takeover and coordinated multiple locations in Austria.
Faced special challenges due to COVID.

Sep 2019 - Mar 2021

1 year 7 months

Germany

Director

Mutares SE Co KGaA

Operational due diligence in mergers & acquisitions
Interim COO in logistics
Interim CTO in mechanical engineering

Jan 2019 - Aug 2019

8 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Operational Excellence Leader

Kiepe Electric GmbH

Led interdisciplinary teams
Managed agile projects
Member of the management team
Post-merger integration into Knorr-Bremse AG

Sep 2015 - Apr 2019

3 years 8 months

Munich, Germany

Director Cooperate Performance Improvement

Alvarez and Marsal Deutschland GmbH

Analyzed administrative and operational business processes in manufacturing companies to clearly show resource waste
Operational due diligence for private equity firms
Interim management and project management for global strategic projects (manufacturing footprint, plant debottlenecking)
Industries: metal industry, automotive suppliers, electronics

Jan 2015 - Sep 2015

9 months

Dornum, Germany

Management Consultant

Meyer-Dethlefs Consulting

Advised companies on optimizing business processes using Lean and Six Sigma methods
Analyzed administrative and operational business processes in production companies to clearly show resource waste
Developed plans for measures to avoid waste
Organized knowledge transfer and empowered employees to implement measures
Designed, implemented, and audited a tailored management system to continuously manage improvements

Jan 2011 - Jan 2015

4 years 1 month

Düsseldorf, Germany

Global Operational Excellence Manager

Voestalpine Böhler Welding Group

Developed and implemented a global OpEx organization for 12 production plants
Established new global sales processes to improve efficiency in administrative operations and market presence
Developed an international strategy for high-alloy solid wires

Jan 2011 - Jan 2014

3 years 1 month

Hamm, Germany

Operations Manager

Voestalpine Böhler Welding Germany

Led 3 production units in Hamm and Freiburg, covering solid wire, powder and electrodes as well as special electrodes and the supporting areas of maintenance and repair, labs, welding workshop and engineering
Implemented a stable leadership structure
Planned and controlled annual budgets of €45 million
Achieved 3%–5% yearly savings on the managed budget by introducing lean management, KPIs, Hoshin Kanri and regular meetings to track goals

Jan 2001 - Jan 2011

10 years 1 month

Chicago, United States

Management Consultant, Senior Consultant

Argo Inc.

Acquired and managed international consulting projects
Independently conducted potential analyses in administration, production and sales
Created presentations and simulations to train interdisciplinary teams
Participated in due diligence projects
Planned, executed and presented analyses of the entire value chain
Prepared project plans for implementing lean management
Designed and led workshops and long-term projects to ensure sustainability

Jan 2000 - Jan 2001

1 year 1 month

Wendelstein, Germany

Plant Manager

Steifensand GmbH

Established and implemented lean production
Planned and controlled production processes
Designed and delivered company presentations at trade shows and events

Jan 1995 - Jan 2000

5 years 1 month

Strullendorf, Germany

Production Manager

Dr. Renger

Provided disciplinary leadership for 50 production employees
Led the production planning department
Took responsibility for meeting production cost budgets
Designed and implemented lean management tools
Developed and introduced recipe optimizations

Jan 1994 - Jan 1995

1 year 1 month

Bremen, Germany

Coatings Development Specialist

Suding & Soeken GmbH & Co. KG

Prepare formulations and manufacturing instructions
Plan and conduct test series to optimize quality
Provide technical application support to customers
Plan and conduct training sessions for customers and staff

Jan 1993 - Jan 1994

1 year 1 month

Pinneberg, Germany

Key Account Manager / Sales

Hempel GmbH

Acquire new clients
Maintain and expand the customer base
Provide technical advice to customers

Jan 1991 - Dec 1991

1 year

Hamburg, Germany

Coatings Development Specialist

Mankiewicz Gebr. & Co. GmbH & Co. KG

Produce paints on a lab scale
Develop formulations
Test materials according to given specifications
Create documentation

Jan 1988 - Jan 1993

5 years 1 month

Hamburg, Germany

Quality Engineer

Mankiewicz Gebr. & Co. GmbH & Co. KG

Formulate workflows according to DIN ISO 9002
Prepare and participate in audits
Process complaints
Advise customers and staff on the use of measuring and testing equipment
Onboard new employees and conduct training

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 Manufacturing (18 years), Professional Services (15.5 years), Metals and Mining (7.5 years), Chemical (7 years), Agriculture (5 years), and Automotive (3.5 years).

Manufacturing

Professional Services

Metals and Mining

Chemical

Agriculture

Automotive

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 Operations (31 years), Strategy (24 years), Project Management (14 years), Production (9 years), Quality Assurance (8.5 years), and Sales (5 years).

Operations

Strategy

Project Management

Production

Quality Assurance

Sales

Summary

Securing the company's future through solution-oriented approach
Optimizing the value chain with strong customer focus
Developing strategies to build a sustainable corporate culture
Strong stakeholder management
Project management of varying complexity
Manager, consultant, coach with appreciative leadership culture
Applying Lean Six Sigma methods for continuous improvement of company performance from the customer's perspective
Aligning all employees' culture with strategic goals

Skills

Industry Focus

Manufacturing Companies (Industry-independent)
Lighting
Food
Mechanical Engineering
Chemicals
Metal Production
Railways
Logistics

Expertise Focus

Implementing Optimization Potential After Holistic Analysis
Strategic, Structural, And Performance-related Implementations
Knowledge Transfer Through Training And Coaching
Long-term Success Assurance Through Cultural Change

Management Style / Working Method

People-oriented Thinking And Acting
Respect, Transparency, And Consistency As Personal Values
Objectivity Through Fact-based Team Synchronization

It Skills

Microsoft

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Elementary

Education

Jan 1998 - Jan 1999

Management Institut St. Gallen

Diploma in Business Economics (SGMI) · St. Gallen, Switzerland

Jan 1990 - Jan 1993

Technical College, Hamburg

State-certified Technician · Chemical Engineering · Hamburg, Germany

Jan 1984 - Jan 1987

Finalin GmbH, Hamburg - Subsidiary of the Mankiewicz Group

Apprenticeship as a Paint Laboratory Technician · Paint Laboratory Technician · Hamburg, Germany

Profile

Created

March 2025

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Frequently asked questions

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

Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Wiefelstede, Germany and prefers 100% remote projects.

What languages does Thomas speak?

Thomas speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary).

How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 38 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 18 different roles and for 15 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years. Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Thomas be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Thomas would be well-suited for roles such as: Operational Excellence Manager, Technical Director, Consultant.

What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is Operational Excellence Manager at Consulting.

What companies has Thomas worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Consulting, Interim, Self-employed, and Mutares SE Co KGaA.

Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing, Professional Services, and Metals and Mining. Thomas also has some experience in Chemical, Agriculture, and Automotive.

Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Operations, Strategy and Planning, and Project Management. Thomas also has some experience in Production/Manufacturing, Quality Assurance (QA), and Sales.

Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Professional Services, Banking and Finance, and Transportation and Logistics.

Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Operations, Strategy and Planning, and Quality Assurance (QA).

What is Thomas's education?

Thomas attended Management Institut St. Gallen.

What is the availability of Thomas?

Thomas is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Thomas?

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