Toralf Sonntag - Interim Manager and Consultant for start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses

Q: Where is Toralf based?

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

Q: What languages does Toralf speak?

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

Q: How many years of experience does Toralf have?

Toralf has at least 31 years of experience. During this time, Toralf has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 3 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 2 months . Note that Toralf may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Toralf's latest experience?

Toralf's most recent position is Interim Manager and Consultant for start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses at Independent .

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

In recent years, Toralf has worked for Independent and Swissport International Ltd. .

Q: Which industries is Toralf most experienced in?

Toralf is most experienced in industries like Aerospace and Defense , Transportation and Logistics , and Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas is Toralf most experienced in?

Toralf is most experienced in business areas like Operations , Strategy and Planning , and Sales . Toralf also has some experience in Project Management , Supply Chain Management , and Quality Assurance (QA) .

Q: Which industries has Toralf worked in recently?

Toralf has recently worked in industries like Aerospace and Defense and Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas has Toralf worked in recently?

Toralf has recently worked in business areas like Strategy and Planning , Operations , and Project Management .

Recommended expert

Berlin, Germany

Experience

Aug 2023 - Present

2 years 7 months

Berlin, Germany

Interim Manager and Consultant for start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses

Independent

Setting visions
Reengineering organizations and management structures
Talent coaching
Management support
Marketing and sales planning
Building customer relationships (CRM)
Assessing operations and optimizing processes
Internal culture coaching

Jun 2016 - Jul 2023

7 years 2 months

Izumi, Japan

Senior Vice President Asia

Swissport International Ltd.

Transformed all loss-making operations into highly profitable ones with 20%–40%+ EBIT through efficiency improvements and successful yield management
Reorganized the main offices in Seoul and Osaka to secure nearly 90% revenue growth without significant management headcount increase
Introduced various software tools to optimize the entire operation
Expanded Swissport’s geographic presence in the region by opening new stations (Fukuoka/FUK, Okinawa/OKA, and Cheongju/CJJ)
Established a joint venture with a Korean low-cost airline on a cost-plus basis to gain profitable access to the low-cost handling segment
Opened an in-house training center in Osaka to support rapid growth
Acquired and integrated an aircraft maintenance company at Haneda Airport/HND to obtain our own handling license at Japan’s largest airport
Provided consulting and project management for business development and M&A projects in India, China, Thailand, and Malaysia
Led the effort to secure a handling license at Macau Airport/MFM

May 2014 - May 2016

2 years 1 month

Izumi, Japan

SVP & COO Japan, Korea & Greater China

Swissport International Ltd.

Achieved annual revenue growth of over 20%
Developed a market entry strategy for China (partnership with Shenzhen Airport/SZX, Zhengzhou Airport Group (CGO), and Hainan Airlines Group (HNA))
Expanded geographically by opening a station at Japan’s busiest airport, Haneda/HND

Sep 2006 - Apr 2014

7 years 8 months

Korea, Republic of

VP & COO Korea

Swissport International Ltd.

Implemented the Swissport branding after the successful majority acquisition (51%) of the former Globeground Korea Ltd. alongside four local shareholders (49%)
Rolled out all Swissport corporate policies
Successfully attracted market-leading airlines like Emirates, Etihad Airways, Delta Air Lines, and FedEx to strengthen Swissport Korea’s position as the largest independent ground handler in Korea
Increased revenue from EUR 20 million to EUR 40 million
Effectively managed the 2008 financial crisis, the impact of the Fukushima tsunami on Northeast Asian aviation, and the H1N1/SARS crisis

Mar 2006 - Aug 2006

6 months

Singapore

Project Manager Swissport Singapore Ltd.

Swissport International Ltd.

Responsible for cargo in opening Swissport’s first branch in Asia

Apr 2005 - Feb 2006

11 months

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

General Manager Germany & Eastern Europe

Swissport Cargo Services Dtl. GmbH

Operational and budget responsibility for all ten Swissport Cargo stations in Germany and Hungary
Managing Director of Swissport Cargo Services Munich GmbH

Oct 2003 - Mar 2005

1 year 6 months

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Operations & Product Manager Germany

Swissport Cargo Services Dtl. GmbH

Optimization of processes, quality management (QM) and business development
Managing Director of Swissport Cargo Services Munich GmbH
Responsible for market entry in Budapest, Hungary by opening the first Swissport logistics center
Implementation of quality management for SCS's subcontracting partners in Bremen/BRE, Dortmund/DTM, Cologne/CGN and Münster-Osnabrück/FMO

Mar 2002 - Sep 2003

1 year 7 months

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Station Manager Frankfurt

Swissport Cargo Services Dtl. GmbH

Responsible for P&L, cargo operations and sales
Reorganized entire operations to improve efficiency and adjust staffing after losing a major client
Established quality management (QM) and customer relationship management (CRM) to regain customers' and business partners' trust

Jul 1995 - Feb 2002

6 years 8 months

Hanover, Germany

Station Manager Hannover

Swissport Cargo Services Dtl. GmbH

Responsible for P&L and cargo operations
Successfully integrated senior local employees from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines into the team at Cargo Service Center Deutschland GmbH, Hanover branch (business transfer)
Opened a second off-airport warehouse to support rapid growth
Achieved sustainable profitability in the high single-digit percentage range

Oct 1994 - Jun 1995

9 months

Hanover, Germany

Student Assistant at Hannover Branch

Swissport Cargo Services Dtl. GmbH

Provided support in operations and customer relations

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 Aerospace and Defense (14.5 years), Transportation (14 years), and Professional Services (2.5 years).

Aerospace and Defense

Transportation

Professional Services

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 (28 years), Strategy (21 years), Project Management (7.5 years), Sales (7.5 years), Supply Chain Management (6.5 years), and Quality Assurance (3 years).

Operations

Strategy

Project Management

Sales

Supply Chain Management

Quality Assurance

Summary

I am an internationally experienced executive with over 30 years of experience at home and abroad.
Special focus areas include: strategic business planning, securing profitable growth, talent management, creating lean management and flexibility in organizations, market analysis, marketing and sales planning, customer relationships (CRM), business field analysis and process optimization.
Experienced in leading smaller business units (around 50 employees), as managing director at country level (around 300 employees) and in regional responsibility for all of Asia with over 2,000 employees.
Working in small teams up to leading multicultural executive teams with international regional responsibility helps me adapt quickly to new challenges.
Solid knowledge and experience in managing international joint ventures (JVs) and integrating acquired business units.
Thanks to my training as a teacher, I know how to use social skills and emotional intelligence to develop a high sense of responsibility in my employees, both within the team and towards the company. The focus is always on finding solutions together.
I focus on the principles: analyzing the “AS-IS” situation, understanding the company culture and developing a project plan with regular monitoring and fine-tuning.

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Oct 1994 - Jun 1995

University of Leipzig

Hispanic Studies · Leipzig, Germany

Oct 1989 - Jun 1994

University of Leipzig

Secondary Education Teaching, First State Exam · Secondary Education Teaching · Leipzig, Germany · Good

Oct 1985 - Jun 1987

Philanthropinum High School

Dessau-Roßlau, Germany

...and 1 more

Profile

Created

March 2024

Last Update

March 2025

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Frequently asked questions

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

Where is Toralf based?

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

What languages does Toralf speak?

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

How many years of experience does Toralf have?

Toralf has at least 31 years of experience. During this time, Toralf has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 3 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 2 months. Note that Toralf may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Toralf be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Toralf would be well-suited for roles such as: Interim Manager and Consultant for start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses, Senior Vice President Asia, SVP & COO Japan, Korea & Greater China.

What is Toralf's latest experience?

Toralf's most recent position is Interim Manager and Consultant for start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses at Independent.

What companies has Toralf worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Toralf has worked for Independent and Swissport International Ltd..

Which industries is Toralf most experienced in?

Toralf is most experienced in industries like Aerospace and Defense, Transportation and Logistics, and Professional Services.

Which business areas is Toralf most experienced in?

Toralf is most experienced in business areas like Operations, Strategy and Planning, and Sales. Toralf also has some experience in Project Management, Supply Chain Management, and Quality Assurance (QA).

Which industries has Toralf worked in recently?

Toralf has recently worked in industries like Aerospace and Defense and Professional Services.

Which business areas has Toralf worked in recently?

Toralf has recently worked in business areas like Strategy and Planning, Operations, and Project Management.

What is Toralf's education?

Toralf attended University of Leipzig for Hispanic Studies.

What is the availability of Toralf?

Toralf is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Toralf?

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