Your F&P PartnerKarl von Bodelschwingh
Karl von Bodelschwingh is an internationally experienced operations executive for companies in the manufacturing industry. In his mandates, the industrial engineer has always successfully played a key role in leading companies out of crisis, creating growth, reducing costs and conquering new markets with new products. The interim manager focuses on optimizing production and supply chain management – both strategically and operationally. He is usually mandated as COO, plant manager or crisis manager, but also as interim CEO or managing director.
In one of his most recent mandates, the interim manager improved the delivery performance of an SME for heating systems to 96% within twelve months (2023/2024) as Sales and Operations Manager. Important sub-projects in this mandate were the optimization of supply chain management and the revision of the product portfolio. The interim manager was also responsible for the development and introduction of a product innovation, including the associated changes in sales and marketing.
Prior to this, the interim manager spent four years – in a temporary permanent position – as CEO and Managing Director of a German company operating throughout Europe in the field of domestic appliances (ventilation technology). By realigning the strategy and industrializing the business processes as well as developing new markets, the company increased its turnover by 65 percent within three years under his leadership. One of the particularly sustainable results of his work is the establishment of an innovation and technology center, which was able to register a total of 36 patents in 2022 and 2023 alone.
Internationally experienced operations executive and plant manager for SMEs
As an independent interim manager, the executive successfully completed eight mandates as managing director, operations and restructuring manager between 2012 and 2019 and since 2023. Prior to this, he was an executive at Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (BSH) for many years, most recently as CEO and General Manager of a large BSH production company in China. Other positions included Head of Purchasing for the Refrigeration Division with eight factories worldwide, Head of the BSH Supply Chain Think Tank and other management roles in China and France.
He places his mandates under the motto “Know-how and concentrated energy bring speed and results.” As a manager, he therefore relies on the principle of positive leadership. He sees himself as an “energizer” who enables people in the company to continue developing changed structures independently even after the mandate has ended. Clients and team alike attest to the interim manager’s motivating and appreciative style as well as his pronounced pragmatism.
During his many international assignments and several years abroad in China and France, the interim manager has been able to continuously expand his intercultural skills. His multilingualism has also contributed to this: he is fluent in English and French and has a basic knowledge of Chinese.
As an executive with many years of experience, the interim manager is at home in corporate groups and business units as well as medium-sized companies. He is equally adept in the transformation of family businesses and as a contractor in the private equity environment.
- Education: Graduate industrial engineer (TU-Berlin), lieutenant in the reserves
- Foreign languages: English (business fluent), French (business fluent), Chinese (basic knowledge)
- Private hobbies: Sailing and endurance sports (cycling and swimming)