Dirk Volkmann - Interim Manager

Q: Where is Dirk based?

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

Q: What languages does Dirk speak?

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

Q: How many years of experience does Dirk have?

Dirk has at least 40 years of experience. During this time, Dirk has worked in at least 28 different roles and for 34 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.

Q: What is Dirk's latest experience?

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

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

In recent years, Dirk has worked for Energy Producer , Japanese conglomerate , Startup of a medium-sized industrial company , Laboratory equipment / medical technology manufacturer , and Surface Coating/Electroplating .

Q: Which industries is Dirk most experienced in?

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

Q: Which business areas is Dirk most experienced in?

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

Q: Which industries has Dirk worked in recently?

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

Q: Which business areas has Dirk worked in recently?

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

Recommended expert

Düsseldorf, Germany

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Experience

Jun 2024 - Dec 2025

1 year 7 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Interim Project Manager

Energy Producer

Innovation department: project development for a brownfield biofuel production partnership

Dec 2023 - Jan 2024

2 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Interim Project Manager

Energy Producer

Project development for biomethane plants at various sites in Germany
Development of lease and service agreements
Setting up an internal toolbox for project management tools

Feb 2023 - Dec 2023

11 months

Interim Manager Sustainability

Japanese conglomerate

Project for CO2 neutrality by 2030
Concept development for Scope 1 and 2
Procurement of EACs (Energy Attribute Certificates) and vPPAs (Virtual PPAs) for 145 European subsidiaries

Dec 2022 - Dec 2025

3 years 1 month

Germany

Interim Managing Director

Startup of a medium-sized industrial company

Setting up a component manufacturing operation
21 (planned) employees

Dec 2022 - May 2024

1 year 6 months

Castrop-Rauxel, Germany

Consultant

Laboratory equipment / medical technology manufacturer

The company was sold
Took on 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 extruder systems

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

Apr 2021 - Present

5 years 2 months

Germany

Board Member, CEO

Publicly traded company

Project development of 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 sales 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 for an international laboratory group
Resolution of a criminal and civil legal issue for the shareholder
30 employees

Oct 2018 - Dec 2018

3 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Consultant

Energy Producer

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

Aug 2018 - Sep 2018

2 months

Wülfrath, Germany

Consultant

Automotive Supplier Tier 1

Optimization of project management – basic analysis, current state, maturity model and defining actions to improve processes, especially 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 lower, middle and upper management on employee leadership
Long-term employee retention through appreciation with the goal of reducing sick leave (during and outside of working hours)
450 employees

Jan 2018 - Jul 2018

7 months

Haldensleben, Germany

Interim Buyer

Automotive Supplier Tier 1

Technical RATIO projects to achieve purchasing successes > 3 million euros in 2018
Identifying technical change options to save weight in cast and forged blank parts and reduce manufacturing steps, cutting logistics costs
Expanding supplier base by finding new suppliers internationally
Supplier development in Turkey
1,800 employees

Jan 2017 - Oct 2017

10 months

Remscheid, Germany

Interim Plant Manager

Automotive Supplier Tier 3

Managing a site within a high-performance hardening group with seven plants in Germany
Various process technologies and state-of-the-art equipment
In-house testing procedures for quality assurance
Energy efficiency measures
125 employees

Sep 2015 - Nov 2016

1 year 3 months

Weiterstadt, Germany

Interim Plant Manager

Automotive Supplier Tier 2, Plating

Development, production and finishing of innovative, highly durable functional surfaces for materials and complex technical components made of various materials
Negotiations with Tier 1 and OEMs (VW, Mercedes)
Energy efficiency measures
140 employees

Mar 2014 - Aug 2015

1 year 6 months

Lindau, Germany

Interim-Project Manager

Refrigeration Plant Construction

Project management and contract handling of two major power plant construction projects in China and France with significant time and cost overruns
Structuring and restructuring project execution
Development and implementation of tools for change and claims management
Negotiation and enforcement of claims against customers
Implementation of scheduling and reporting, risk management
Power of attorney according to §54 HGB
25 employees

Apr 2013 - Nov 2013

8 months

Austria

Interim CEO/CRO

Mid-Sized Photovoltaic Module Manufacturer

Restructuring task / turnaround case, assignment via a banking consortium
Responsible for marketing and sales (D-A-CH, Italy, Greece, Netherlands, France), engineering, finance/accounting, HR, controlling, project management including change management and claims
Negotiations with investors on the sale of the company’s own portfolio in Italy and Greece
Development of tenant electricity and neighborhood energy models
50 employees

May 2012 - Mar 2013

11 months

Berlin, Germany

Interim Head of O&M Business

PHOTON Energy Operations GmbH

Establishment and expansion of O&M service business for PV power plants in Germany and Europe
Utilization of established contacts with investors, banks, insurance companies and competitors
Acquisition and integration of insolvent competitors, negotiations with insolvency administrators
Structuring internal processes / creation of a service manual / technical documentation of existing plants
5 employees

Mar 2011 - Dec 2011

10 months

Berlin, Germany

Interim Division Manager (Large Power Plants Segment Manager)

Q-Cells SE

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

Jan 2011 - May 2011

5 months

Braunschweig, Germany

Consultant

Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt

Regional project on renewable energies and energy efficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean (GIZ project)
Collection of market data on the status of renewable energy expansion (wind, water, biomass, biogas, hydro) by country in Latin America and the Caribbean
Preparation of workshop in Rio de Janeiro / Xérem, Brazil, inviting network partners from Latin America as speakers
1 team member

Jul 2010 - Feb 2011

8 months

Berlin, Germany

Interim Department Head (Project Finance & Sales)

GEOSOL GmbH

Set up the Project Finance and Sales department
Selected, hired, and trained a team of 4 employees
Built and established banking contacts in Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, the UK, and Germany
Built and established investor contacts worldwide
Negotiated with banks for project financing of PV plants (term sheets and contracts)
Conducted profitability studies and calculations
Secured bridge financing
Established financial and technical controlling for existing assets (22 MW)
Negotiated with investors on the sale of own 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

Reviewed and newly developed a market concept for biomass gasification plants
Created the 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 and project control for the construction of 6 diesel power plants (€1.2 billion)
Restructured project execution and project control
Oversaw procurement activities
Held regular negotiations with customers on project status
Set up change management / raised and defended claims
Selected and appointed the Head of Engineering
25 team members

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
Founded the subsidiary in Greece

Feb 2008 - Nov 2008

10 months

Dortmund, Germany

Interim Managing Director

EnvioMar GmbH / Envio Water GmbH

Developing business plan for a new, patent-protected process for ballast water treatment
Leading the company (construction and operation of a pilot plant on Helgoland, support of the registration procedure at the IMO)
Marketing and sales of the technology, visiting 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 Executive Board Member / COO of 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.

Technical board member responsible for the subsidiary Institut für Energetik und Umwelt gGmbH in Leipzig - leading shareholdings
Negotiation and conclusion of the share purchase agreement with the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection to take over the institute

May 2005 - May 2006

1 year 1 month

Leipzig, Germany

Interim Managing Director

IE-S Integrated Energy Systems

Founding and building the company
Sales / marketing of engineering services for 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

Managing a process engineering company in the field of entrained flow gasification for coal, biomass, chemical and refinery waste and municipal waste
Development of the business plan, reorganization and repositioning of the company
Acquisition of a major contract in Sokolov, Czech Republic and contract execution
Coordination of R&D - collaboration with KIT Karlsruhe
Sales/marketing for engineering services and test campaigns of 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

Led a manufacturing company for process engineering equipment used in the chemical and refinery industries
Turnaround assignment through a banking consortium
Restructured the equipment manufacturing division and developed a buy-and-build concept
Managed global sales and marketing for equipment and plant engineering (ethanol)
Oversaw accounting, financial reporting, finance, controlling, administration, IT, HR, marketing/sales, and equipment manufacturing
300 employees

May 1998 - Present

28 years 1 month

Düsseldorf, Germany

Consulting, Interim and Project Management

Volkmann Consult

Consulting, interim and project management in Europe and abroad in the fields of machinery and plant engineering, clean tech, energy, automotive, and renewable energies.

Apr 1993 - Apr 1998

5 years 1 month

Berlin, Germany

Managing Partner

ubw Unternehmensberatung für die Wirtschaft GmbH

Founded and built up the company
Consulting projects for the Treuhandanstalt Chemnitz and Halle/Saale and the Federal Agency for Reunification-Related Special Tasks in Berlin
Restructuring consulting for medium-sized companies

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 engineering 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 firm for pulp and paper plant systems

Feb 1990 - Sep 1990

8 months

Duisburg, Germany

Executive Assistant

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Strategy development for GDR/NBL

May 1989 - Jan 1990

9 months

Duisburg, Germany

Department Head South America, USSR/Russia

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Sales of process-engineering plants and equipment for mining, ore processing and non-ferrous metallurgy
Authorized signatory from 01.07.89

Nov 1987 - Mar 1989

1 year 5 months

Moscow, Russian Federation

Deputy Head of the Corporate Office

Klöckner & Co AG

Management responsibility for 30 employees
Product responsibility for machine tools, chemical trading, industrial plants and food processing equipment
Business development, negotiation support
Project management / contract management for Sayansk aluminum smelter, anode baking plant (555 million 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 Peru 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

Diploma in Business Administration (FH) / MBA Sustainability Management with a strong technical affinity
Experienced and successful interim manager with many years of leadership responsibility, specialist in restructuring, short-term leadership vacancy coverage, and strategic realignment of companies or business units
Various roles as plant manager, division manager, department head, 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 sector as well as CleanTech and renewable energies (biogas, biofuels, SAF, PV, wind, circular economy) combined with extensive M&A experience (>100 transactions), project management / claims management in plant construction, change management, sustainability management
Responsible for targets and results, combined with analytical depth as well as entrepreneurial thinking and acting, high communication skills, and an inclusive, cooperative leadership style

Skills

Automotive
Large-Scale Process Engineering
Mining
Non-Ferrous Metallurgy
Pulp And Paper
Food Processing
Textile Machinery
Wood Processing
Toys
Musical Instrument Manufacturing
Mechanical Engineering
Apparatus Engineering
Oil & Gas
Recycling
Power 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 Delegation Office

Industrial Plant Specialist (IHK) · Industrial Plant Specialist · Lima, Peru

Sep 1982 - Jun 1989

University of Applied Sciences for Working Professionals, state-recognized, Rendsburg

Diploma in Business Administration (FH) · Business Administration, focus on Sales and Foreign Trade · Rendsburg, Germany

...and 4 more

Certifications & licenses

KLIMA.PROFIT NRW – Qualification for Consultant

KLIMA.PROFIT North Rhine-Westphalia

Certificate Course in Restructuring and Rehabilitation Consulting

IFUS Institute

Continuous Improvement Process in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

RKW Sachsen-Anhalt GmbH

Methods and Techniques of Consulting

BUS Consultant Academy

Rhetoric and Negotiation Techniques

KPMG Deutsche Treuhand-Unternehmensberatung GmbH

Cross-Functional Management Trainee Development Program

Klöckner & Co AG

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 40

Experience in Manufacturing 31 y

Avg length 1 y 10 m

Longest experience 28 y

Global Experience

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

Primary country Germany

Expertise

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

Main industries Manufacturing, Energy, Automotive

Main business areas Project Management, Operations, Strategy

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Certifications earned 6

Profile

Created

September 2025

Last Update

May 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Where is Dirk based?

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

What languages does Dirk speak?

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

How many years of experience does Dirk have?

Dirk has at least 40 years of experience. During this time, Dirk has worked in at least 28 different roles and for 34 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.

What roles would Dirk be best suited for?

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

What is Dirk's latest experience?

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

What companies has Dirk worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Dirk has worked for Energy Producer, Japanese conglomerate, Startup of a medium-sized industrial company, Laboratory equipment / medical technology manufacturer, and Surface Coating/Electroplating.

Which industries is Dirk most experienced in?

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

Which business areas is Dirk most experienced in?

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

Which industries has Dirk worked in recently?

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

Which business areas has Dirk worked in recently?

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

What is Dirk's education?

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

Does Dirk have any certificates?

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

What is the availability of Dirk?

Dirk is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Dirk?

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