Project-Examples:
General Manager handling M&As
Problem
How to handle mergers of companies with radically different customer segments, histories, personnel profiles, IT-systems and structures.
Solution
In parallel with the process of unifying routines, optimizing resources, making equipment compatible, harmonizing remuneration, getting rid of obstructing managers and recruiting outside talent, one must attack the most crucial challenge: to create a unified company identity and vision. The success of this “mental M&A” is the prerequisite for a successful organizational restructuring. A good corporate story should be a unifying symbol. Emotions and rational arguments must be used jointly.
Intercultural coaching
Problem
A successful international company was based upon very strong moral corporate values, deeply anchored in the enterprise’s geographical home base and symbolized by the founder’s personal down-to-earth advice to all employees. The company had great difficulties getting a foreign subsidiary to understand and to fully live according to these principles.
Solution
A seminar with the HR managers of the foreign subsidiary gave occasion to use the basic methods of intercultural management – to see one’s own culture from the outside, to see other cultures from the inside, to be curious, explicit and non-judgmental. These principles make it possible to understand other cultures’ points of view. A synthesis between the best practices of a variety of national working methods can build an exceptionally performing organization.
General Manager of a sales subsidiary
Problem
The General Manager of a foreign sales subsidiary had left the company. Already before that, the parent company had complained about a lack of transparency, too few and too late reports, and especially quite disappointing results in all areas.
Solution
Careful on-site analysis of the situation, development of an action plan focusing on the sales force and sales administration as well as the financial department, agreement to proceed accordingly, take-over of responsibility as interim general manager, implementation of the action plan, advice in selecting the future permanent General Manager and support for him in the handover phase.
General Manager of a consulting company
Problem
A large corporation had created, some years before this project, a consulting unit to advise other companies in the same industry around the globe. However, the sales volume and growth of this new unit was disappointing and it appeared that there were significant untapped possibilities.
Solution
Analysis of the situation with the eyes of a newcomer, research and presentation of the market potential and the best strategy to tap it, take-over of responsibility as interim general manager, implementation of the new strategy with regard to the entire team and to the acquisition and monitoring of new projects in the key markets of the world.
CFO of an automotive supplier
Problem
A US corporation had bought a medium-sized German company in need of restructuring, in order to either integrate it into its own structures or sell it with a good profit. The task now was to improve the results of the company in Germany, to create the necessary transparency and to build up the finance and administration function in the new factory in Hungary.
Solution
Take-over of responsibility as interim CFO for Germany and Hungary, reorganization / build-up of the finance and IT departments in both countries, implementation of a much improved reporting system, selection of new permanent CFO´s in both sites, support in hand-over phase, ongoing support for the General Manager (in charge of production and sales).
CFO of a young machine manufacturing company
Problem
An investment funds was basically positive with regard to a next round financing of a promising young company but insisted on having a professional financial management system implemented before proceeding any further.
Solution
Creation of a small but complete and well organized finance department and all the necessary systems in the area of accounting and controlling, including well defined structures and procedures, all necessary IT solutions and a comprehensive business plan, based on an Excel model. Along with this, there was an ongoing analysis and commenting of the situation for the investors.
Project Manager for SOX-Compliance in a pharmaceutical company
Problem
According to the new law, a US corporation had to pass SOX audits in all its major international subsidiaries. The positive outcome of these audits was one of the preconditions for the planned sale of a fairly large US company. Some of the subsidiaries which had been audited the previous year had shown some significant weaknesses, and some other subsidiaries had to be prepared for the very first SOX audit.
Solution
The project started in the German production plant where all key business processes were described and the strict observation of this description was documented. As the preliminary SOX audits were positive, the same approach was then made in the French sales subsidiary where there had been some serious problems had been identified in the previous SOX audit. When it became apparent that the outcome of next audit would be positive, we were given the SOX compliance responsibility for all of Europe. Particular challenges were in the subsidiaries in Poland and Switzerland but there too the audit result was OK. As a consequence, the entire group was sold at the price originally planned.
Project Manager for the creation of planning and reporting systems
Problem
A large European consumer goods group had created a shared services unit of several hundred people to centralize all its IT systems and services. This meant a need for new tailor-made solutions for the financial planning and reporting, to match the specific profile of this unit so that an efficient financial management became possible.
Solution
We conceived a coherent and consistent hierarchical system, created, implemented and tested it and helped in using it in the early routine phase. The core element was a planning system with a corresponding reporting system, based on a human resources sub-system (headcount and personnel cost) plus a system for all other operating expenses. To manage all activities required in this context, a special action planning and monitoring system was created. The entire project was completed as planned, to the full satisfaction of the client.