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 31 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 , Newly founded medium-sized industrial company , Manufacturer of laboratory equipment / medical technology , 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

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 locations in Germany
Creation of lease and service contracts
Setting up an internal toolkit of project management tools

Feb 2023 - Dec 2023

11 months

Interim Sustainability Manager

Japanese conglomerate

Project for carbon 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

Newly founded 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
Took over 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

Lead Project Manager

Manufacturer of Extruder Equipment

Project management / plant construction project leadership in the USA for plastic recycling

Apr 2021 - Present

5 years

Germany

Board Member, CEO

Publicly Traded Corporation

Onshore wind project development (>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

Site management for DNA analysis of an international lab group
Resolution of a criminal and civil legal problem for the shareholder
30 employees

Oct 2018 - Dec 2018

3 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Consultant

Energy producer

Innovation, CO2 recycling strategies, photocatalytic and thermochemical methods to produce fuels, chemicals and solids

Aug 2018 - Sep 2018

2 months

Wülfrath, Germany

Consultant

Automotive supplier Tier 1

Optimizing project management: defining fundamentals, current state analysis, maturity model and deriving 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 lower, middle and senior managers on people management
Long-term employee retention through appreciation with the goal of reducing sickness rates (during and outside working hours)
450 employees

Jan 2018 - Jul 2018

7 months

Haldensleben, Germany

Interim Buyer

Automotive supplier Tier 1

Technical RATIO projects achieving purchasing successes of over 3 million euros in 2018
Identifying technical modification options to save weight in cast and forged semi-finished parts and eliminate machining steps in production, reducing logistics costs
Broadening 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

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 ensuring quality
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 refinement of innovative, high-strength functional surfaces for materials and complex technical components made from various 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 Plant Construction

Project management and contract handling of 2 major power plant construction projects in China and France with significant delays and cost overruns
Structuring and restructuring of project execution
Development and implementation of tools for change and claims management
Negotiation and enforcement of claims with customers
Introduction of scheduling and reporting, risk management
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 case, appointed by a banking consortium
Responsible for marketing/sales (D-A-CH, Italy, Greece, Netherlands, France), engineering, finance/accounting, HR, controlling, project management including change management/claims
Negotiations with investors for the sale of the company's own portfolio in Italy and Greece
Development of 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, insurance companies and competitors
Acquisition 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 (Utility-Scale Segment)

Q-Cells SE

Performance Ratio - development of a consistent business strategy
O&M - new business strategy for third-party O&M, especially in Spain
Insurance solutions for utility projects and customers
Commercial and industrial business development - larger real estate portfolios
Initiating strategic collaboration with OBI in roof systems and DIY
Investor relationship management - development of a strategic approach
Market development in Latin America (Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil): initiating 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 renewable energy and energy efficiency project in Latin America and the Caribbean (GIZ project)
Collecting market data on the status of renewable energy deployment (wind, water, biomass, biogas, hydro) by country in Latin America and the Caribbean
Preparing workshop in Rio de Janeiro / Xérem, Brazil, inviting network partners from Latin America as speakers
1 staff member

Jul 2010 - Feb 2011

8 months

Berlin, Germany

Interim Department Head (Project Finance & Sales)

GEOSOL GmbH

Rebuilding the Project Finance and Sales department
Selecting, hiring, and training a team of 4 employees
Establishing and developing banking contacts in Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, and Germany
Building and establishing investor contacts worldwide
Negotiating with banks for project financing of PV plants (term sheets and contracts)
Profitability analyses and calculations
Securing construction period financing (bridge finance)
Setting up financial and technical controlling for existing plants (22 MW)
Negotiating with investors for the sale of own portfolio in Italy, Germany, and 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 and project control for building 6 diesel power plants (€1.2 billion)
Restructuring project execution and project control
Supporting procurement activities
Regular client negotiations on project status
Establishing change management / registering and defending claims
Selecting and appointing Head of Engineering
25 staff 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
Establishment of the subsidiary in Greece

Feb 2008 - Nov 2008

10 months

Dortmund, Germany

Interim Managing Director

EnvioMar GmbH / Envio Water GmbH

Development of a business plan for a new, patent-protected method for cleaning ballast water
Managing the company (building and running a pilot plant on Helgoland, overseeing the IMO registration process)
Marketing and sales of the technology, visiting potential customers (mainly shipping companies)
Construction of a large-scale facility 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.

Special board member with responsibility for the subsidiary Institut für Energetik und Umwelt gGmbH, Leipzig - managing shareholding
Negotiation and signing 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 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

Managing a process engineering company specializing in entrained flow gasification of coal, biomass, chemical and refinery waste, and municipal waste
Developing the business plan, reorganizing and restructuring the company
Securing a large contract in Sokolov, CZ and handling project execution
Coordinating research and development - collaboration with KIT Karlsruhe
Sales/marketing of engineering services and trial 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

Management of a manufacturing company for process engineering equipment used in chemical and refinery industries
Restructuring case, engagement through a banking consortium
Restructuring of equipment manufacturing, development of a buy-and-build concept
Sales/marketing for equipment and plant engineering (ethanol) worldwide
Responsibilities: accounting and financial reporting, finance, controlling, administration, IT, HR, marketing/sales and equipment manufacturing
300 employees

May 1998 - Present

27 years 11 months

Düsseldorf, Germany

Consulting, interim and project management

Volkmann Consult

Consulting, interim and project management in Europe and overseas in the fields of mechanical and plant engineering, clean technology, 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 up the company
Consulting projects for the Treuhandanstalt in Chemnitz and Halle/Saale as well as the Federal Institute for Special Tasks related to German reunification in 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 Department 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

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

Feb 1990 - Sep 1990

8 months

Duisburg, Germany

Assistant to Management

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Strategy development for East Germany and the new federal states

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
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, chemical trading, industrial plants, food processing plants
Business development, negotiation support
Project management / contract management for Sayansk aluminum smelter and anode baking plant (DM 555 million)

Sep 1985 - Sep 1987

2 years 1 month

Duisburg, Germany

Project Manager

Klöckner Industrieanlagen GmbH

Tractor factory 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

Graduate in Business Administration (FH) / MBA in Sustainability Management with strong technical skills
Experienced and successful interim manager with many years of leadership experience, specialist in turnaround/restructuring, bridging leadership gaps and strategic realignments of companies or divisions
Held various roles as plant manager, division manager, department manager, project manager, managing director and board member in industrial, engineering and plant construction companies
Solid project, industry and technical knowledge 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/claims management in plant engineering, change management and sustainability management
Responsible for targets and results, with solid analytical skills and an entrepreneurial mindset, strong communication skills and an inclusive, cooperative leadership style

Skills

Automotive
Process Plant Engineering
Mining
Non-ferrous Metallurgy
Pulp And Paper
Food Processing
Textile Machinery
Wood Processing
Toys
Musical Instrument Manufacturing
Mechanical Engineering
Equipment Manufacturing
Oil & Gas
Recycling
Power Generation Including Renewables
Cleantech
Water / Water Treatment
Private Equity
M&a (Sell Side, ~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

Industrial plant specialist (IHK) · Industrial plant specialist · Lima, Peru

Sep 1982 - Jun 1989

University of Applied Sciences for Working Professionals, Rendsburg

Graduate in Business Administration (FH) · Business Administration, focus on sales and international trade · Rendsburg, Germany

...and 4 more

Certifications & licenses

KLIMA.PROFIT NRW – Consultant Qualification

KLIMA.PROFIT North Rhine-Westphalia

Restructuring and turnaround consultant certificate course

IFUS Institute

Continuous improvement process in small and medium-sized enterprises

RKW Saxony-Anhalt GmbH

Methods and techniques of consulting

BUS Consultant Academy

Rhetoric and negotiation techniques

KPMG Deutsche Treuhand Unternehmensberatung GmbH

Cross-functional management junior development program

Klöckner & Co AG

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 40

Experience in Manufacturing 31 y

Avg length 1 y 10 m

Longest experience 27 y 10 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

Profile

Created

September 2025

Last Update

March 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

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 31 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 Sustainability Manager, 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, Newly founded medium-sized industrial company, Manufacturer of laboratory equipment / medical technology, 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 – Consultant Qualification, Restructuring and turnaround consultant certificate course, 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.