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 and Groupe SEB / WMF .

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 Professional Services and Manufacturing .

Q: Which business areas has Jörg worked in recently?

Jörg has recently worked in business areas like Strategy , Information Technology , and Operations .

Recommended expert

Ulm, Germany

Check rate

Experience

Jul 2023 - Present

3 years

Ulm, Germany

Freelance Consultant and Interim Manager

Consulting & Interim Management

Development and implementation of growth strategies based on the company's strengths
Enabling self-help
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 CEO of WMF
Developed a new customer and product segmentation
Conducted a segmented analysis of the product portfolio and revenues of the three brands WMF, Schaerer, and Curtis, including a competitor benchmark
Derived a differentiated brand positioning for the business unit
Defined and prioritized adjustments to the product portfolio
Analyzed local and regional distribution channels and after-sales service models, including sales and profit analysis and benchmarking against competitors
Developed a model for the evolution of go-to-market approaches based on local and regional revenue performance, considering the Groupe SEB corporate structures, comparing actual against target, and deriving recommendations for action
Developed a target organization for the business unit

May 2017 - May 2021

4 years 1 month

Zuchwil, Switzerland

CEO

Schaerer AG

Led the company across development, product management, production, marketing, finance, HR, and sales of professional coffee machines
Full legal and financial responsibility; approx. €300 million in revenue; 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 customers and acquired new ones, especially in the USA and China
Increased revenue from just over CHF 100 million to approx. CHF 300 million and multiplied the revenue margin within 3 years
Successfully managed the typical sharp revenue decline 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 planning, purchasing, production, logistics, and quality): Operational Excellence system, production network, product launches and allocation, performance management
Responsible for facility and energy management
Responsible for engineering / investment projects
Responsible for consumer goods production (5 plants, approx. €100 million in costs, approx. 900 employees)
Participated in due diligence and led the integration project for the operations division 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. €300 million in production costs, 650 employees, 850 million finished units, 14 direct reports)
Managed two production sites including all support functions
Initiated a cultural change towards continuous improvement / lean with very positive results in terms of safety, delivery performance, 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 supply chain strategy, production and distribution network strategy, operational excellence strategy, and delivery reliability management
Governance of supply chain performance measurement (order to delivery including planning, procurement, production, warehousing, transportation, and quality)
Established the department and defined responsibilities with 5 direct reports
Regional network projects in Americas & Europe
Extended strategic concepts to the distribution network
Expanded the delivery reliability management concept to OTIF including returns
Revised supply chain performance metrics 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 implementation of methods and tools)
Translated long-term demand into network requirements
Production network cost model including 3 site roles and transportation to 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 Executive Board of BASF Group
Developed, implemented, and prepared annually a standardized strategic controlling of strategic business units, aligned with 14 business segments (approx. 70 SBUs)
Revised and conducted industry revenue analyses
Designed and developed energy efficiency measures (basic CO2 footprint)
Revised production network/site strategy and implemented processes with projects in Europe, North America, Asia, and Russia
Contributed to the "Raw Material Transformation" 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, procurement, and S&OP) with 6 products from 2 sites, sales > EUR 200 million, > 20 contract customers and suppliers
Restructured customer and supplier portfolios by switching from net seller to net buyer
Negotiated sales, delivery, and cooperation agreements, including complex pricing formulas
Developed and negotiated swap transactions, including assessment of 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 inventory 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 action portfolios for savings potentials and investment evaluation
Optimized production processes, networks, and value chains
Introduced and established a material and cost flow analysis tool
Designed bulk storage, transfer, and dosing equipment for chemical plants
Planned and supervised lab and pilot trials, scale-up
Led research project on 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 professional roles in various operational and strategic corporate functions at BASF, Beiersdorf, and WMF, I gained the tools for holistic corporate 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 strategic alignment of functions and the offering portfolio toward realizing flexible, customer-specific solutions; developing strategic key accounts; and expanding and maintaining the international major-account business in the long term.

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

Values-based collaboration on an equal footing

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

Leadership and collaboration: Appreciative leadership and support of employees on an equal footing; strengthening employees' personal accountability and providing pragmatic support where needed; intensifying cross-functional and cross-departmental collaboration with a consistent focus on the customer; networking within and beyond the entire organization

International experience and intercultural competence

Skills

Industry Focus Areas

Chemistry
Consumer Goods
Cosmetics
Mechanical Engineering
Pharmaceuticals

Functional Focus Areas

General Management (Ceo, Coo, Business Unit Head)
Corporate Strategies
Continuous Improvement Culture, Lean Management
Change Management And Communication
Operations & Supply Chain
Marketing & Sales (B2b)
Program And Project Management

Management Style / Working Approach

Customer-Focused
Structured And Analytical
Solution- And Result-Oriented
Cross-Functional, Collaborative
Self-Responsible (For Myself And Employees)
Clear Communication
Appreciative Leadership (Challenging And Supporting)

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Advanced

French

Advanced

Education

Oct 1995 - Feb 1999

RWTH Aachen

PhD, Process Engineering · Mechanical Engineering · Aachen, Germany

Oct 1990 - Jun 1995

Technische Universität Braunschweig

Diploma, 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 2026

Need a freelancer? Find your match in seconds.

Try FRATCH GPT

Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

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 and Groupe SEB / WMF.

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 Professional Services and Manufacturing.

Which business areas has Jörg worked in recently?

Jörg has recently worked in business areas like Strategy, Information Technology, and Operations.

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.