Jörg Schwartze - Freelance Consultant and Interim Manager

Q: Where is Jörg based?

Jörg is based in Ulm, Germany .

Q: What languages does Jörg speak?

Jörg speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Advanced), French (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Jörg have?

Jörg has at least 27 years of experience. During this time, Jörg has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 7 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 9 months . Note that Jörg may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Jörg's latest experience?

Jörg's most recent position is Freelance Consultant and Interim Manager at Consulting & Interim Management .

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

In recent years, Jörg has worked for Consulting & Interim Management , Groupe SEB / WMF , and Schaerer AG .

Q: Which industries is Jörg most experienced in?

Jörg is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing , Chemical , and Cosmetics . Jörg also has some experience in Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas is Jörg most experienced in?

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

Q: Which industries has Jörg worked in recently?

Jörg has recently worked in industries like Manufacturing and Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas has Jörg worked in recently?

Jörg has recently worked in business areas like Strategy , Marketing , and Product Development .

Recommended expert

Ulm, Germany

Experience

Jul 2023 - Present

2 years 9 months

Ulm, Germany

Freelance Consultant and Interim Manager

Consulting & Interim Management

Developing and implementing growth strategies based on the company's strengths
Helping clients help themselves
Using know-how to create #growhow
Cross-functional problem solving
Change management
Process and IT harmonization

Jun 2021 - Jun 2023

2 years 1 month

Geislingen, Germany

Vice President Strategic Projects SEB Professional

Groupe SEB / WMF

Led a project to revise the strategy of the Professional Coffee Machines business unit, reporting to the WMF CEO
Developed a new customer and product segmentation
Performed segmented analysis of the product portfolio and revenues of the three brands WMF, Schaerer and Curtis, including competitor benchmarking
Derived a differentiated brand positioning for the business unit
Defined and prioritized adjustments to the product portfolio
Analyzed local and regional sales channels and after-sales service models, including revenue and margin analysis and benchmarking against competitors
Created a model for evolving go-to-market approaches based on local/regional revenue development, considering Groupe SEB's corporate structures, conducting an actual vs. target comparison and deriving actionable recommendations
Designed a target organization for the business unit

May 2017 - May 2021

4 years 1 month

Zuchwil, Switzerland

CEO

Schaerer AG

Led the company: development, product management, production, marketing, finance, HR and sales of professional coffee machines
Full legal and financial responsibility; approx. EUR 300 million in sales; approx. 400 employees
Member of the Board of Directors of Schaerer AG
Global responsibility for the Schaerer brand and member of the management team of WMF's Professional Coffee Machines business unit
Developed and implemented a customer-focused brand and corporate strategy
Expanded business with existing clients and acquired new customers, especially in the USA and China
Increased sales from just over 100 to approx. 300 million CHF and multiplied the profit margin within 3 years
Successfully managed the industry-wide sharp sales downturn during the pandemic

Jul 2015 - Apr 2017

1 year 10 months

Geislingen, Germany

Vice President Operations Strategy & Projects, Production Consumer

WMF

Responsible for the operations strategy (order to delivery, including procurement planning, production, logistics and quality): Operational Excellence system, production network, product launch and allocation, performance management
Responsible for real estate and energy management
Responsible for engineering and investment projects
Responsible for consumer goods production (5 plants, approx. EUR 100 million in costs, approx. 900 employees)
Supported due diligence and led the integration project for operations after WMF's acquisition by Groupe SEB

Sep 2011 - Jun 2015

3 years 10 months

Hamburg, Germany

Managing Director

Beiersdorf Manufacturing Hamburg GmbH

Solely responsible for the subsidiary (approx. EUR 300 million in manufacturing costs, 650 employees, 850 million units of finished goods, 14 direct reports)
Led two production sites, including all support functions
Initiated a cultural shift to continuous improvement/lean with very positive results in terms of safety, delivery reliability, costs and employee satisfaction

Nov 2010 - Aug 2011

10 months

Hamburg, Germany

Head of Corporate Supply Chain Development

Beiersdorf

Responsible for the global Supply Chain Development process, communication of the Supply Chain strategy, production and distribution network strategy, Operational Excellence strategy, and delivery capability management
Governance of Supply Chain performance measurement (order to delivery including planning, purchasing, production, warehousing, transportation, and quality)
Set up the department and defined tasks with 5 direct reports
Regional network projects in the Americas & Europe
Extended strategic concepts to the distribution network
Expanded the delivery capability management concept to OTIF including returns
Revised Supply Chain KPIs and Supply Chain strategy

Oct 2008 - Oct 2010

2 years 1 month

Hamburg, Germany

Head of Corporate Production Center Network Strategy

Beiersdorf

Established the new department with 4 direct reports
Developed the global production network strategy (design, validation, and establishment of methods and tools)
Translated long-term demand into network requirements
Production network cost model including 3 site roles and transportation to the central warehouse, considering cost efficiency and delivery agility
Implemented processes (network control and controlling)
Revised performance metrics for production sites and contract manufacturers, including definition, calculation, reporting, and data requirements in SAP BI

Mar 2006 - Sep 2008

2 years 7 months

Ludwigshafen, Germany

Senior Manager Strategic Planning and Controlling

BASF

Prepared the annual strategic controlling report for the BASF Group's Executive Board
Developed, implemented, and produced an annual standardized strategic controlling for the strategic business units, aligned with 14 divisions (approx. 70 SBUs)
Revised and conducted industry revenue analyses
Designed and developed energy efficiency (CO₂ balance baseline)
Revised the production network/site strategy and implemented processes with projects in Europe, North America, Asia, and Russia
Participated in the "Rohstoffwandel" project

Dec 2002 - Feb 2006

3 years 3 months

Ludwigshafen, Germany

Product Manager C4 Olefins

BASF

Responsible for the C4 olefins business in Europe (strategy, marketing, sales, purchasing, and S&OP) with 6 products from 2 sites, revenue > EUR 200 million, > 20 contract customers and suppliers
Restructured customer and supplier portfolios by switching from net seller to net buyer
Negotiated sales, supply, and cooperation contracts including complex pricing formulas
Developed and negotiated product swap deals, including assessing legal and financial regulatory impacts (SOX compliance)
Developed and implemented the global strategy and future supply scenarios for the Cracker Products strategic business unit
Managed and optimized inventories and logistics
Improved the business to 100% capacity utilization (365 days / 24 h) with less than 2 days of inventory and increased margin relative to market price

Jan 1999 - Nov 2002

3 years 11 months

Ludwigshafen, Germany

Development Engineer

BASF

Led cross-functional projects with production, maintenance, and marketing
Developed portfolios of measures for savings potential and investment evaluation
Optimized production processes, networks, and value chains
Introduced and established a material and cost flow analysis tool
Designed and planned bulk material storage, handling, and dosing equipment for chemical plants
Designed and supervised lab and pilot plant tests, scale-up
Managed research projects for combined silo storage and drying

Industry Experience

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

Experienced in Manufacturing, Chemical, Cosmetics, and Professional Services.

Manufacturing

Chemical

Cosmetics

Professional Services

Business Area Experience

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

Experienced in Operations, Production, Supply Chain Management, Strategy, Project Management, and Marketing.

Operations

Production

Supply Chain Management

Strategy

Project Management

Marketing

Summary

Holistic sustainable business development

Through my professional stages in various operational and strategic corporate roles at BASF, Beiersdorf and WMF, I gained the tools for holistic company management and successfully applied them when leading Schaerer AG.

Under my leadership, Schaerer AG achieved disproportionately profitable sustainable growth. The success factors were appreciative, consistent change management; the strict strategic alignment of functions and the product portfolio to deliver flexible customer-specific solutions; the development of strategic key accounts; and the expansion and long-term maintenance of the international major account business.

This was followed by the strategic realignment of the parent company's overarching business unit to achieve the profitable growth targeted across the entire group.

Values-driven collaboration at eye level

Values: Committed, responsible, entrepreneurial, authentic, down-to-earth, approachable

Leadership and collaboration: Appreciative leadership and development of employees at eye level; strengthening employees' personal responsibility and providing pragmatic support where needed; intensifying cross-functional and cross-departmental collaboration with a consistent customer focus; networking inside and outside the entire company

International experience and intercultural competence

Skills

Industry Focus

Chemicals
Consumer Goods
Cosmetics
Mechanical Engineering
Pharmaceuticals

Professional Focus

Executive Management (Ceo, Coo, Division Head)
Corporate Strategy
Continuous Improvement Culture, Lean Management
Change Management And Communication
Operations & Supply Chain
Marketing & Sales (B2b)
Program And Project Management

Management Style / Approach

Customer-focused
Structured And Analytical
Solution- And Results-oriented
Cross-functional, Collaborative
Responsible (For Myself And Employees)
Clear Communication
Appreciative Leadership (Challenge And Support)

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Advanced

French

Advanced

Education

Oct 1995 - Feb 1999

RWTH Aachen

Doctorate, specialization in Process Engineering · Mechanical Engineering · Aachen, Germany

Oct 1990 - Jun 1995

Technische Universität Braunschweig

Diploma, specialization in Process Engineering · Mechanical Engineering · Braunschweig, Germany

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 10

Experience in Manufacturing 12 y

Avg length 2 y 8 m

Longest experience 4 y

Global Experience

Countries worked in 2 (Germany, Switzerland)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Freelance Consultant and Interim Manager, Vice President Strategic Projects SEB Professional, CEO

Main industries Manufacturing, Chemical, Cosmetics

Main business areas Operations, Production, Supply Chain Management

Qualifications

Highest degree Doctorate

Profile

Created

November 2023

Last Update

May 2025

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Frequently asked questions

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

Where is Jörg based?

Jörg is based in Ulm, Germany.

What languages does Jörg speak?

Jörg speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Advanced), French (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Jörg have?

Jörg has at least 27 years of experience. During this time, Jörg has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 7 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 9 months. Note that Jörg may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Jörg be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Jörg would be well-suited for roles such as: Freelance Consultant and Interim Manager, Vice President Strategic Projects SEB Professional, CEO.

What is Jörg's latest experience?

Jörg's most recent position is Freelance Consultant and Interim Manager at Consulting & Interim Management.

What companies has Jörg worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Jörg has worked for Consulting & Interim Management, Groupe SEB / WMF, and Schaerer AG.

Which industries is Jörg most experienced in?

Jörg is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing, Chemical, and Cosmetics. Jörg also has some experience in Professional Services.

Which business areas is Jörg most experienced in?

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

Which industries has Jörg worked in recently?

Jörg has recently worked in industries like Manufacturing and Professional Services.

Which business areas has Jörg worked in recently?

Jörg has recently worked in business areas like Strategy, Marketing, and Product Development.

What is Jörg's education?

Jörg holds a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from RWTH Aachen.

What is the availability of Jörg?

Jörg is immediately available for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Jörg?

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