Thomas Zarth - Principal – Self-employed / Strategy & Corporate Finance

Q: Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Zürich, Switzerland and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Thomas speak?

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

Q: How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 35 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 17 different roles and for 6 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 Principal – Self-employed / Strategy & Corporate Finance at Leverage Experts AG .

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

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Leverage Experts AG and Freelancer .

Q: Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Metals and Mining , Energy , and Professional Services . Thomas also has some experience in Education .

Q: Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Finance , Project Management , and Strategy and Planning . Thomas also has some experience in Accounting , Sales , Investments, and M&A & Venture Capital .

Q: Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Professional Services and Education .

Q: Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Strategy and Planning , Finance , and Sustainability Management .

Recommended expert

Zürich, Switzerland

Experience

Dec 2024 - Present

1 year 3 months

Principal – Self-employed / Strategy & Corporate Finance

Leverage Experts AG

Acquisition, closing, and execution of consulting projects
Treasury, business controlling, corporate finance, accounting, M&A, corporate sustainability, ESG, turnaround management

Jan 2022 - Present

4 years 2 months

Management consulting

Freelancer

Setup of the "Frage-einen-Manager.com" platform
Interim management, ESG topics, financial issues, and business controlling for project companies, corporate transactions, and treasury activities; crisis prevention / crisis management

Feb 2020 - Dec 2021

1 year 11 months

Career break / further education / application phase

Participation in the SECO program for highly qualified specialists and executives (coaching, training, project work)
Restructuring and turnaround of companies (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts)

Feb 2015 - Jan 2020

5 years

Baar, Switzerland

Senior Controller

Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG

Planning, monitoring, and control of all financial resources for multiple business areas (approx. EUR 300 million)
Land acquisition and usage rights (approx. 23,000 parcels)
Permits for the construction phase
Stakeholder management and SEI projects (approx. 200 projects)
Compliance with environmental and social standards
Communication, responsible for commercial management, establishing and maintaining political relationships
Handling all commercial matters to support the division director
Establishing management structures and budget control
Tracking and processing planned investment and procurement requests

Apr 2013 - Jan 2015

1 year 10 months

Baar, Switzerland

Advisor to the Managing Director

Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG

Commercial support for the managing director and a new business unit
Strategic advice on corporate governance
Ensuring financing and shareholder transition during the critical project phase
Secretary for the funding committee (management / funding partners)
Preparation of strategic key projects for project implementation

Apr 2012 - Mar 2013

1 year

Baar, Switzerland

Head of Finance / Risk and Finance Manager

Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG

Leadership of 5 direct reports
Financing / Treasury / Risk management / Controlling
Due diligence process for new shareholders

May 2010 - Mar 2012

1 year 11 months

Baar, Switzerland

Commercial / Finance Director

Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG

Leadership of 7 direct and 5 indirect reports
Finance (Controlling, Accounting, Treasury, Taxes)
Commercial (Tariff determination and gas transportation contract)
Procurement (service providers, strategy, and internal processing)
Preparatory activities for project financing
Budget forecasting up to project sanctioning
Revision of international tax model
Project pre-selected by the Shaz Deniz II consortium for the southern transport route in February 2012
Audited financial statements 2010–2011
Budget compliance within defined tolerances

Nov 2008 - Apr 2010

1 year 6 months

Baar, Switzerland

Finance Manager

Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG

Leadership of 3 direct reports
Further development of the finance department during the startup phase
Accounting according to IFRS and Swiss Code of Obligations
Financing with shareholder loans and equity
Active cash management in 4 currencies
Implementation of financial compliance processes (ICS)
Preparatory activities for project financing
Establishment of a new reporting system (scorecard)
Ensuring accounting services in country branches
Integration of services from sister companies
Audited financial statements 2008–2009
Participation in the due diligence process for admitting a new shareholder from the energy sector

Jan 2007 - Oct 2008

1 year 10 months

Zürich, Switzerland

Financial Manager European Projects

Alcan Group of Companies

Support for the downstream sales business in Europe
Due diligence process (treasury data room, Q&A session)
Calculation of the impact of the sale on European holding companies

Sep 2006 - Jul 2007

11 months

Vlissingen, Netherlands

Financial Director

Alcan Group of Companies

Leadership of 11 employees (direct and indirect)
Accounting, Controlling, Treasury, IT, Taxes
Procurement of aluminum raw materials worth EUR 100 million p.a.
Support for the sale of an aluminum smelter plant in the Netherlands

Jun 2004 - Dec 2006

2 years 7 months

Zürich, Switzerland

Manager Corporate Finance Europe

Alcan Group of Companies

External and internal financing (volume EUR 3 billion)
Introduced a commercial paper program (EUR 1 billion)
Novelis spin-off in Europe (revenue EUR 6 billion)
Pechiney merger integration (recapitalizations)
Financing for greenfield projects in Russia / Eastern Europe

Nov 2000 - May 2004

3 years 7 months

Zürich, Switzerland

Manager European Treasury Projects

Alcan Group of Companies

Restructured European treasury activities
Project management of FAS 133 in Europe
Selected and implemented a global cash/treasury system (Quantum)
Developed and implemented a global cash/forecast system for about 100 business units

Jun 1999 - Dec 2004

5 years 7 months

Eschborn, Germany

Assistant Treasurer & Treasury Service Manager

Alcan Group of Companies

Led a team of 3
Selected and implemented a cash/treasury system (Globe$)
Responsible for cash and FX trading
Managed liquidity and FX exposure planning and credit control

Apr 1997 - May 1999

2 years 2 months

Lüdenscheid, Germany

Head of Inside Sales

Alcan Deutschland GmbH, Werk Lüdenscheid

Sales order processing for domestic and export
Led a team of 14
Developed a key account management system

Jan 1995 - Mar 1997

2 years 3 months

Lüdenscheid, Germany

Head of Export Internal Sales

Alcan Deutschland GmbH, Werk Lüdenscheid

Jul 1993 - Dec 1994

1 year 6 months

Lüdenscheid, Germany

Regional Export Sales Manager

Alcan Germany GmbH, Lüdenscheid Plant

Jun 1991 - Jun 1993

2 years 1 month

Lüdenscheid, Germany

Controlling/Finance Trainee

Alcan Germany GmbH, Lüdenscheid Plant

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 Metals and Mining (17.5 years), Energy (11 years), Professional Services (6 years), and Education (2 years).

Metals and Mining

Energy

Professional Services

Education

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 (26.5 years), Project Management (12 years), Strategy (8 years), Accounting (6.5 years), Sales (6 years), and Investments and M&A (5 years).

Finance

Project Management

Strategy

Accounting

Sales

Investments and M&A

Summary

Your senior finance business sparring partner for your further business development

Finance / controlling yes, but holistic and business-oriented

More than 25 years of international finance and controlling experience (energy, plant engineering, metal processing, packaging, corporate); member of the European Economic Senate

Skills

Broad Expertise And Many Years Of Experience In International Finance
Building, Leading, And Developing Employees
Successful Communication At Various Levels Including The Board Of Directors
Commercial Support Function For Top Management
Operational And Pragmatic Management, "Can-do" Mentality
Business Controlling, Corporate / Project Finance In The Industrial/energy Sector
Industrial Treasury Setup, Joint-venture Treasury/project Software
Accounting (Or, Ifrs), M&a / Due Diligence, Ms Office; Erp-sap (Fi/co)
Procurement / Commercial, Investment Project Leadership Experience
Strong Analytical Skills, Pragmatic / Willing To Travel, Independent / Structured
Reliability / Loyalty, Entrepreneurial Mindset, Optimism / Flexibility
Sap/fico And Pims (Omega) In Daily Use
Installation Of A Cash/treasury Management System Regionally / Globally (Globe$ / Quantum)
Steering Committee For Sap Fi/co Implementation
Ms Office: Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, Ms Teams

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

French

Elementary

Education

Apr 1983 - Jan 1991

Technical University of Berlin

Diplom-Ingenieur (TU), specialization in Technical Chemistry · Industrial Engineering · Berlin, Germany

Certifications & licenses

Principles Of Sustainable Finance

Coursera / Erasmus University Rotterdam

Certificate in Corporate Turnaround Management

University of Lucerne

Financial Markets

Coursera / Yale University

Profile

Created

January 2025

Last Update

May 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 Zürich, Switzerland and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Thomas speak?

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

How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 35 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 17 different roles and for 6 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: Principal – Self-employed / Strategy & Corporate Finance, Management consulting, Career break / further education / application phase.

What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is Principal – Self-employed / Strategy & Corporate Finance at Leverage Experts AG.

What companies has Thomas worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Thomas has worked for Leverage Experts AG and Freelancer.

Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Metals and Mining, Energy, and Professional Services. Thomas also has some experience in Education.

Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Finance, Project Management, and Strategy and Planning. Thomas also has some experience in Accounting, Sales, Investments, and M&A & Venture Capital.

Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Professional Services and Education.

Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Strategy and Planning, Finance, and Sustainability Management.

What is Thomas's education?

Thomas holds a Bachelor in Industrial Engineering from Technical University of Berlin.

Does Thomas have any certificates?

Thomas has 3 certificates. These include: Principles Of Sustainable Finance, Certificate in Corporate Turnaround Management, and Financial Markets.

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.