Dirk Volkmann - Interim Manager for Industrial Restructuring

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Düsseldorf, Germany

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Experience

Jun 2024 - Dec 2025

1 year 7 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Interim Project Manager

Energy producer

Innovation division: project development for a Brownfield Biofuel Production Partnership

Dec 2023 - Jan 2024

2 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Interim Project Manager

Energy producer

Development of biomethane plants at various locations in Germany
Development of lease and service contracts
Creation of an internal toolkit of project management tools

Feb 2023 - Dec 2023

11 months

Interim Sustainability Manager

Japanese conglomerate

Project to achieve CO2 neutrality by 2030
Development of a Scope 1 and 2 concept
Procurement of EACs (Energy Attribute Certificates) and vPPAs (Virtual PPA) for 145 European subsidiaries

Dec 2022 - Dec 2025

3 years 1 month

Germany

Interim Managing Director

Newly established medium-sized industrial company

Set up component manufacturing
21 (planned) employees

Dec 2022 - May 2024

1 year 6 months

Castrop-Rauxel, Germany

Consultant

Manufacturer of laboratory equipment/medical technology

The company was sold
Assumed management responsibilities
40 employees

Jul 2022 - Nov 2022

5 months

Germany

Interim Plant Manager

Surface Coating/Electroplating

130 employees

Mar 2022 - Jul 2022

5 months

Hanover, Germany

Overall Project Manager

Manufacturer of Extrusion Systems

Project management / management of plant construction projects in the USA for plastics recycling

Apr 2021 - Present

5 years 8 months

Germany

Executive Board Member, CEO

Publicly Listed Stock Corporation

Project development for onshore wind (>650 MW), PV (350 MW), and biogas/biogas upgrading in Germany

Jun 2019 - Dec 2021

2 years 7 months

Castrop-Rauxel, Germany

CEO, CRO

Manufacturer of Laboratory Equipment/Medical Technology

Turnaround/restructuring of a medium-sized manufacturing company
Return to profitability
Increase in revenue and profit
Energy efficiency measures
40 employees

Dec 2018 - May 2019

6 months

Cologne, Germany

Managing Director

Forensic Laboratory

Management of a site for DNA analysis within an international laboratory group
Resolution of a criminal and civil law issue for the shareholder
30 employees

Oct 2018 - Dec 2018

3 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Consultant

Energy Producer

Innovation department, CO2 recycling strategies, photocatalytic and thermochemical processes for producing fuels, chemicals and solids

Aug 2018 - Sep 2018

2 months

Wülfrath, Germany

Consultant

Tier 1 Automotive Supplier

Project management optimization – initial assessment, current state, maturity model and development of measures to optimize processes, particularly in product development
350 employees

May 2018 - Jun 2019

1 year 2 months

Gütersloh, Germany

Coach

Subsidiary of a Printing and Media Group

Coaching/training for junior, middle and senior managers on employee management
Long-term employee retention through appreciation, with the goal of reducing the sick leave rate (during/outside the continued pay period)
450 employees

Jan 2018 - Jul 2018

7 months

Haldensleben, Germany

Interim Buyer

Tier 1 Automotive Supplier

Technical RATIO projects to achieve procurement savings of > 3 Mio. Euro for 2018
Identifying technical changes to reduce the weight of cast and forged raw parts, reduce manufacturing steps and lower logistics costs
Expanding the supplier base by searching for new suppliers internationally
Supplier development in Turkey
1.800 employees

Jan 2017 - Oct 2017

10 months

Remscheid, Germany

Interim Plant Manager

Tier 3 Automotive Supplier

Management of a site within a high-performing heat treatment group with seven plants in Germany
Various process technologies and state-of-the-art equipment
In-house quality assurance testing procedures
Energy efficiency measures
125 employees

Sep 2015 - Nov 2016

1 year 3 months

Weiterstadt, Germany

Interim Plant Manager

Automotive Tier 2 supplier, electroplating

Development, production and finishing of innovative, high-performance functional surfaces for materials and complex technical components made from a wide range of materials
Negotiations with Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs (VW, Mercedes)
Energy efficiency measures
140 employees

Mar 2014 - Aug 2015

1 year 6 months

Lindau, Germany

Interim-Project Manager

Refrigeration systems engineering

Project management and contract administration for 2 major power plant construction projects in China and France with significant schedule and cost overruns
Structuring and restructuring project delivery
Developing and introducing tools for change and claims management
Negotiating and pursuing claims against customers
Introducing scheduling and reporting, risk management
Commercial power of attorney under §54 HGB
25 employees

Apr 2013 - Nov 2013

8 months

Austria

Interim Managing Director/CRO

Medium-sized photovoltaic module manufacturer

Restructuring assignment / turnaround situation, appointed by a bank consortium
Responsibility for marketing/sales (D-A-CH, Italy, Greece, Netherlands, France), engineering, finance/accounting, HR, controlling, project management, including change management/claims
Negotiations with investors on the sale of the company's portfolio in Italy and Greece
Developing tenant electricity and district energy models
50 employees

May 2012 - Mar 2013

11 months

Berlin, Germany

Interim Head of O&M Business

PHOTON Energy Operations GmbH

Building and expanding the O&M service business for PV power plants in Germany/Europe
Leveraging established contacts with investors, banks, insurers and competitors
Acquiring and integrating competitors from insolvency, negotiating with insolvency administrators
Structuring internal processes / preparing a service manual / technical documentation for existing plants
5 employees

Mar 2011 - Dec 2011

10 months

Berlin, Germany

Interim Segment Manager (Utility-Scale Power Plants)

Q-Cells SE

Performance Ratio - developing a unified business strategy
O&M - new business strategy for third-party O&M, particularly in Spain
Insurance solutions for utility-scale projects and customers
Business development in C&I - larger real estate portfolios
Initiating strategic cooperation with OBI in rooftop systems and DIY
Investor relationship management - developing a strategic approach
Market development in Latin America (Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil): generating various leads through existing, long-standing contacts
New markets in Central and Southern Europe - developing strategic approaches to market entry and expansion

Jan 2011 - May 2011

5 months

Braunschweig, Germany

Consultant

Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt

Regional project on renewable energy and energy efficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean (GIZ project)
Researching market data on the status of renewable energy development (wind, water, biomass, biogas, hydro) by country in Latin America and the Caribbean
Preparing a workshop in Rio de Janeiro / Xérem, Brazil, and inviting network partners from Latin America as speakers
1 employee

Jul 2010 - Feb 2011

8 months

Berlin, Germany

Interim Head of Department (Head of Project Finance & Sales)

GEOSOL GmbH

Rebuilding the Project Finance and Sales department
Selecting, hiring and onboarding a team of 4 employees
Building and establishing banking contacts in Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Great Britain and Germany
Building and establishing investor contacts worldwide
Negotiating with banks on project financing for PV systems (term sheets and contracts)
Financial feasibility reviews and calculations
Securing construction-period financing (bridge finance)
Setting up commercial/technical controlling for existing installations (22 MW)
Negotiating with investors on the sale of the company’s portfolio in Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic (22 MW)

Jul 2010 - Sep 2010

3 months

Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Germany

Consultant

Agnion Technologies GmbH

Reviewing and creating a new market concept for biomass gasification plants
Business plan for the second equity financing round

Jan 2010 - Jun 2010

6 months

Augsburg, Germany

Interim Director (Project Management)

MAN Diesel AG

Project management, leadership and control for the construction of 6 diesel power plants (1.2 billion euros)
Restructuring project delivery and project control
Supporting procurement activities
Regular customer negotiations on project progress
Setting up change management / filing and defending claims
Selecting and appointing a new Head of Engineering
25 employees

Feb 2008 - Jun 2009

1 year 5 months

Nafplion, Greece

Interim Board Member / CEO of PV Investment Company

Eurovoltaic Hellas

Market development in Italy, Greece and Spain
Establishing the subsidiary in Greece

Feb 2008 - Nov 2008

10 months

Dortmund, Germany

Interim Managing Director

EnvioMar GmbH / Envio Water GmbH

Developed a business plan for a new, patent-protected process for cleaning ballast water
Managed the company (construction and operation of a pilot plant on Helgoland, support with the IMO registration process)
Marketing and sales of the technology, visits to potential customers (mainly shipping companies)
Construction of a large-scale plant in India for treating industrial wastewater
10 employees

Oct 2007 - Dec 2008

1 year 3 months

London, United Kingdom

Interim Board Member / COO, PV investment company

Eurovoltaic PLC

Market development in Italy, Greece and Spain

Jun 2006 - Jun 2008

2 years 1 month

Leipzig, Germany

Volunteer Board Member

FV Leipziger Institut für Energetik e.V.

Board member responsible for the subsidiary Institut für Energetik und Umwelt gGmbH, Leipzig - management of the shareholding
Negotiated and concluded the share purchase agreement with the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection for the acquisition of the institute

May 2005 - May 2006

1 year 1 month

Leipzig, Germany

Interim Managing Director

IE-S Integrated Energy Systems

Founded and developed the company
Sales / marketing of engineering services in bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas in Asia and Latin America

Nov 2002 - Jan 2005

2 years 3 months

Freiberg, Germany

Interim Managing Director

FUTURE ENERGY GmbH

Managed a process engineering company specializing in entrained-flow gasification for coal, biomass, chemical and refinery waste, and municipal waste
Developed the business plan, reorganized and restructured the company
Won a major contract in Sokolov, CZ and managed its delivery
Coordinated research & development - collaboration with KIT Karlsruhe
Sales/marketing of engineering services and test campaigns for the company's own pilot gasification plant worldwide
35 employees

May 2000 - May 2002

2 years 1 month

Grimma, Germany

Interim Managing Director

MAG Maschinen- und Anlagenbau Grimma GmbH

Managed a manufacturing company producing process equipment for use in the chemical and refinery industries
Turnaround case, engaged by a consortium of banks
Restructured equipment manufacturing and developed a buy-and-build concept
Worldwide sales and marketing for equipment and plant engineering (ethanol)
Areas of responsibility: accounting, financial accounting, finance, controlling, administration, IT, HR, marketing/sales, and equipment manufacturing
300 employees

May 1998 - Present

28 years 7 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Consulting, Interim and Project Management

Volkmann Consult

Consulting, interim and project management in Europe and non-European countries in the fields of mechanical and plant engineering, CleanTech, energy, automotive, and renewable energy.

Apr 1993 - Apr 1998

5 years 1 month

Berlin, Germany

Managing Partner

ubw Unternehmensberatung für die Wirtschaft GmbH

Founded and built the company
Consulting projects for the Treuhandanstalt Chemnitz and Halle/Saale and the Bundesanstalt für vereinigungsbedingte Sonderaufgaben, Berlin
Turnaround consulting for medium-sized businesses

Oct 1991 - Mar 1993

1 year 6 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Manager

KPMG Unternehmensberatung GmbH

Privatization of companies in the New Federal States on behalf of the Treuhandanstalt, Chemnitz branch

Apr 1991 - Sep 1991

6 months

Duisburg, Germany

Department Head, South America, USSR/Russia

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Sales of process plants and equipment for mining, ore processing, and non-ferrous metallurgy

Oct 1990 - Mar 1991

6 months

Dresden, Germany

Office Manager

Klöckner Stadtler Hurter GmbH

Management responsibility for 15 employees
Engineering company for pulp and paper plants

Feb 1990 - Sep 1990

8 months

Duisburg, Germany

Assistant to the Managing Director

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Strategy development for the GDR/NBL

May 1989 - Jan 1990

9 months

Duisburg, Germany

Head of Department, South America, USSR/Russia

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Sales of process engineering plants and equipment for mining, ore processing and non-ferrous metallurgy
Power of attorney effective 01.07.89

Nov 1987 - Mar 1989

1 year 5 months

Moscow, Russian Federation

Deputy Head of the Group Office

Klöckner & Co AG

Management responsibility for 30 employees
Product responsibility for machine tools, chemical trading, industrial plants and food processing plants
Business development and support during negotiations
Project management / contract management for the Sayansk aluminum smelter and anode rodding shop (555 Mio. DM)

Sep 1985 - Sep 1987

2 years 1 month

Duisburg, Germany

Project Manager

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Tractor plant in the USSR; mining and mine projects in Perú and Chile

Industry experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Manufacturing, Energy, Automotive, Professional Services, Metals and Mining, and Healthcare.

Manufacturing

Energy

Automotive

Professional Services

Metals and Mining

Healthcare

Business area experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Project Management, Operations, Strategy, Production, Sales, and Marketing.

Project Management

Operations

Strategy

Production

Sales

Marketing

Summary

Diplom-Betriebswirt (FH) / MBA (Sustainability Management) with a strong technical affinity
experienced and successful Interim Manager with many years of leadership responsibility, specializing in turnaround/restructuring, short-term coverage of management vacancies, and the strategic realignment of companies or business units
held various roles as plant manager, division manager, department manager, project manager, managing director, and board member in industrial, engineering, and plant construction companies
Strong project, industry, and technical expertise in automotive, mechanical and plant engineering, energy, and CleanTech and renewable energy (biogas, biofuels, SAF, PV, wind, Circular Economy), combined with extensive M&A experience (>100 transactions), project management / claims management in plant construction, change management, and sustainability management
Accountable for targets and results, with a sound analytical approach and an entrepreneurial mindset, strong communication skills, and an inclusive, collaborative leadership style

Skills

Automotive
Process Engineering Plant Construction
Mining
Non-Ferrous Metallurgy
Pulp And Paper
Food Processing
Textile Machinery
Woodworking
Toys
Musical Instrument Manufacturing
Mechanical Engineering
Apparatus Engineering
Oil & Gas
Recycling
Energy Generation, Including Renewables
Cleantech
Water / Water Treatment
Private Equity
M&A (Sell Side, Approx. 100 Mandates)
Forensics
Laboratory Construction/Medical Technology

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Advanced

French

Intermediate

Russian

Elementary

Education

Feb 2009 - Dec 2013

University of Lüneburg

MBA Sustainability Management · Sustainability Management · Lüneburg, Germany

Sep 1983 - Aug 1985

Klöckner Delegationsbüro

Industrieanlagen-Fachwirt (IHK) · Industrial Plant Management Specialist · Lima, Peru

Sep 1982 - Jun 1989

Hochschule für Berufstätige, state-recognized university of applied sciences, Rendsburg

Diplom-Betriebswirt (FH) · Business Administration, specializing in sales and foreign trade · Rendsburg, Germany

...and 4 more

Certifications & licenses

KLIMA.PROFIT NRW – Qualification as a Consultant

KLIMA.PROFIT North Rhine-Westphalia

Certificate Course in Restructuring and Turnaround Consulting

IFUS-Institut

Continuous Improvement Process in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

RKW Sachsen-Anhalt GmbH

Consulting Methods and Techniques

BUS-BeraterAkademie

Rhetoric and Negotiation Techniques

KPMG Deutsche Treuhand-Unternehmensberatung GmbH

Cross-functional Management Development Program

Klöckner & Co AG

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 40

Experience in Manufacturing 31.5 y

Avg length 1 y 11 m

Longest experience 28 y 6 m

Global experience

Countries worked in 5 (Germany, Austria, Greece, United Kingdom, Russian Federation)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Interim Project Manager, Interim Sustainability Manager, Interim Managing Director

Main industries Manufacturing, Energy, Automotive

Main business areas Project Management, Operations, Strategy

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Certifications earned 6

Member since

September 2025

Last update

November 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

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

Dirk speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Advanced), French (Intermediate), Russian (Elementary).

Dirk has at least 41 years of experience. During this time, Dirk has worked in at least 29 different roles and for 35 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 1 year. Note that Dirk may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Based on recent experience, Dirk would be well-suited for roles such as: Interim Project Manager, Interim Sustainability Manager, Interim Managing Director.

Dirk's most recent position is Interim Project Manager at Energy producer.

In recent years, Dirk has worked for Energy producer, Japanese conglomerate, Newly established medium-sized industrial company, Manufacturer of laboratory equipment/medical technology, and Surface Coating/Electroplating.

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

Dirk is most experienced in business areas like Project Management, Operations, and Strategy. Dirk also has some experience in Production, Sales, and Marketing.

Dirk has recently worked in industries like Energy, Manufacturing, and Automotive.

Dirk has recently worked in business areas like Project Management, Operations, and Production.

Dirk holds a Master in Sustainability Management from University of Lüneburg.

Dirk has 6 certificates. Among them, these include: KLIMA.PROFIT NRW – Qualification as a Consultant, Certificate Course in Restructuring and Turnaround Consulting, and Continuous Improvement Process in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

Dirk will be available full-time from April 2027.

Daily rate distribution

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Daily rate avg. 825 €

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Median rate 800 €

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Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 12 Nov 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.