Dirk Volkmann - Interim CEO and Restructuring Expert

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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

Project development for biomethane plants at various locations in Germany
Development of leasing and service contracts
Creation of 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 Scope 1 and 2
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

Startup of a Medium-Sized Industrial Company

Setting 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
Assumption of management tasks
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 5 months

Germany

Board Member, CEO

Publicly listed company

Project development of onshore wind (>650 MW), PV (350 MW) and biogas/biogas processing 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 mid-sized manufacturing company
Returned the company to profitability
Increased revenue and profit
Energy efficiency measures
40 employees

Dec 2018 - May 2019

6 months

Cologne, Germany

Managing Director

Forensic laboratory

Managed a site for DNA analyses within an international laboratory group
Resolved a criminal and civil law issue for the shareholder
30 employees

Oct 2018 - Dec 2018

3 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Consultant

Energieerzeuger

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

Aug 2018 - Sep 2018

2 months

Wülfrath, Germany

Consultant

Automobilzulieferer Tier1

Optimization of project management - requirements gathering, current state analysis, maturity model, and derivation of measures to optimize 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 of lower, middle, and upper management on people management
Long-term employee retention through appreciation with the aim of reducing sickness rates (inside/outside the continued pay period)
450 employees

Jan 2018 - Jul 2018

7 months

Haldensleben, Germany

Interim Buyer

Automobilzulieferer Tier1

Technical RATIO projects to achieve purchasing savings of > 3 million euros for 2018
Identification of technical design changes to reduce weight in cast and forged raw parts and to eliminate machining steps in production, reducing logistics costs
Expansion of 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

Automobilzulieferer Tier3

Management of a site within a high-performing hardening 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 supplier Tier 2, electroplating

Development, manufacturing, and finishing of innovative, highly durable functional surfaces for materials and complex technical components made of a wide range of 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 system construction

Project management and contract handling for 2 major power plant construction projects in China and France with significant schedule and cost overruns
Structuring and restructuring of project execution
Building and introducing tools for change and claims management
Negotiation and enforcement of claims against customers
Introduction of scheduling and reporting, risk management
Power of attorney pursuant to Section 54 HGB
25 employees

Apr 2013 - Nov 2013

8 months

Austria

Interim Managing Director/CRO

Medium-sized photovoltaic module manufacturer

Restructuring assignment / turnaround case, deployed through a banking consortium
Responsibility for marketing/sales (D-A-CH, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, France), engineering, finance/accounting, HR, controlling, project management incl. change management/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

Building up / expanding the O&M service business for PV power plants in Germany/Europe
Use of established contacts with investors, banks, insurers, and competitors
Takeover and integration of competitors from insolvency, 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 Head of Division (Segment Manager Utility-Scale Power Plants)

Q-Cells SE

Performance Ratio - development of 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 Latin America (Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil): generation of various leads based on existing, long-standing 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 energy and energy efficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean (GIZ project)
Collection of market data on the status of renewable energy expansion (wind, hydro, 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 employee

Jul 2010 - Feb 2011

8 months

Berlin, Germany

Interim Department Head (Head of Project Finance & Sales)

GEOSOL GmbH

New setup of the Project Finance and Sales department
Selection, hiring, and onboarding of a team of 4 employees
Building and establishing contacts with banks in Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, the UK, and Germany
Building and establishing contacts with investors worldwide
Negotiations with banks for project financing of PV plants (term sheets and contracts)
Feasibility studies and calculations
Securing bridge financing during construction
Setting up commercial/technical controlling for existing plants (22 MW)
Negotiations with investors on the sale of the company’s 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

Review and new development of 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, project lead / project control for the construction of 6 diesel power plants (EUR 1.2 billion)
Restructuring of project execution and project control
Support of procurement activities
Regular customer negotiations on project status
New setup of change management / filing and defending claims
Selection and replacement of Head of Engineering
25 employees

Feb 2008 - Jun 2009

1 year 5 months

Nafplion, Greece

Interim Board Member / CEO PV investment company

Eurovoltaic Hellas

Market development in Italy, Greece, and Spain
Founding of the subsidiary in Greece

Feb 2008 - Nov 2008

10 months

Dortmund, Germany

Interim Managing Director

EnvioMar GmbH / Envio Water GmbH

Developed the business plan for a new, patent-protected process for cleaning ballast water
Managed the company (construction and operation of a pilot plant on Heligoland, support of the registration process with the IMO)
Marketing and sales of the technology, visiting potential customers (mainly shipping companies)
Built a large-scale plant in India for cleaning 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.

Technical board member responsible for the subsidiary Institut für Energetik und Umwelt gGmbH, Leipzig - investment management
Negotiation and signing of the share purchase agreement with the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection for the takeover of the institute

May 2005 - May 2006

1 year 1 month

Leipzig, Germany

Interim Managing Director

IE-S Integrated Energy Systems

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

Led a process engineering company in the field of entrained-flow gasification for coal, biomass, chemical & refinery waste and municipal waste
Developed the business plan, reorganized and realigned the company
Acquired major order from Sokolov, CZ and handled order processing
Coordinated research & development - cooperation with KIT Karlsruhe
Sales/marketing for engineering services and test campaigns for the company-owned 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

Managing a production company for process engineering equipment used in chemicals and refineries
Restructuring case, assignment through a banking consortium
Restructuring of the equipment manufacturing division, development of a buy-and-build concept
Sales/marketing for equipment manufacturing and plant engineering (ethanol) worldwide
Responsibility for: accounting, bookkeeping, finance, controlling, administration, IT, HR, marketing/sales and equipment manufacturing production
300 employees

May 1998 - Present

28 years 4 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Consulting, Interim and Project Management

Volkmann Consult

Consulting, interim and project management in Europe and outside Europe in the fields of machinery and plant engineering, CleanTech, energy, automotive and renewable energies.

Apr 1993 - Apr 1998

5 years 1 month

Berlin, Germany

Managing Partner

ubw Unternehmensberatung für die Wirtschaft GmbH

Founding and building up the company
Consulting projects for the Treuhandanstalt in Chemnitz and Halle/Saale as well as the Federal Agency for Special Tasks Related to German Unification, Berlin
Restructuring consulting for mid-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

Head of South America, USSR/Russia Division

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

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

Feb 1990 - Sep 1990

8 months

Duisburg, Germany

Assistant to the Management

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Strategy development for the GDR/Former East German federal states

May 1989 - Jan 1990

9 months

Duisburg, Germany

Head of South America, USSR/Russia Department

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Sales of process plants and equipment for mining, ore processing, and non-ferrous metallurgy
Power of attorney from 01/07/89

Nov 1987 - Mar 1989

1 year 5 months

Moscow, Russian Federation

Deputy Head of the Group Office

Klöckner & Co AG

Leadership responsibility for 30 employees
Product responsibility for machine tools, chemicals trading, industrial plants, and food processing plants
Business development, support in negotiations
Project management / contract management for Sayansk aluminium smelter, anode plant (DM 555 million)

Sep 1985 - Sep 1987

2 years 1 month

Duisburg, Germany

Project Manager

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Tractor plant 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

Degree in Business Administration (FH) / MBA (Sustainability Management) with a strong affinity for technology
Experienced and successful Interim Manager with many years of leadership responsibility, specialist in restructuring/turnarounds, bridging short-term management vacancies, and the 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
Sound project, industry, and specialist knowledge in the automotive sector, mechanical and plant engineering, the energy industry, 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
Goal- and results-oriented responsibility, combined with analytical depth as well as entrepreneurial thinking and acting, a high level of communication skills, and an integrative, cooperative leadership style

Skills

Automotive
Large-Scale Chemical/Process Plant 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 Incl. 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 Professionals, Rendsburg

Degree in Business Administration (FH) · Business Administration, Specialization in Marketing and Foreign Trade · Rendsburg, Germany

...and 4 more

Certifications & licenses

KLIMA.PROFIT NRW – Consultant Qualification

KLIMA.PROFIT Nordrhein-Westfalen

IFUS-Institut

Continuous Improvement Process in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

RKW Sachsen-Anhalt GmbH

Methods and Techniques of Consulting

BUS-BeraterAkademie

Rhetoric and Negotiation Techniques

KPMG Deutsche Treuhand-Unternehmensberatung GmbH

Cross-Divisional Management Trainee 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 3 m

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

August 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 28 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 Manager Sustainability, 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, Startup of a 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 – Consultant Qualification, Certificate Course Restructuring and Turnaround Consultant, and Continuous Improvement Process in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

Dirk is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

Daily Rate Distribution

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<€640 €640-800 €800-960 €960-1120 €1120+

The rates shown represent the typical market range for freelancers in this position based on recent contracts on our platform.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

Average rates for similar positions

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Daily rate avg. 835 €

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1000

750

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Median rate 840 €

The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.