Senol Bircan - COO

Q: Where is Senol based?

Senol is based in Cologne, Germany .

Q: What languages does Senol speak?

Senol speaks the following languages: German (Native), Turkish (Native), English (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Senol have?

Senol has at least 35 years of experience. During this time, Senol has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 10 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 4 years and 6 months . Note that Senol may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Senol's latest experience?

Senol's most recent position is COO – Europe at ABC Technologies .

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

In recent years, Senol has worked for ABC Technologies , Yazaki EDS Ltd. , Farasis Energy , and Nordex AG .

Q: Which industries is Senol most experienced in?

Senol is most experienced in industries like Automotive , Manufacturing , and Energy . Senol also has some experience in Aerospace and Defense .

Q: Which business areas is Senol most experienced in?

Senol is most experienced in business areas like Operations , Project Management , and Product Development . Senol also has some experience in Supply Chain Management , Strategy , and Sales .

Q: Which industries has Senol worked in recently?

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

Q: Which business areas has Senol worked in recently?

Senol has recently worked in business areas like Operations , Sales , and Supply Chain Management .

Recommended expert

Cologne, Germany

Experience

Jan 2024 - Dec 2025

2 years

Germany

COO – Europe

ABC Technologies

Full P&L leadership for multi-site European operations with 600+ employees.
Delivered operational turnaround in Germany, restoring profitability and competitiveness.
Optimized European manufacturing footprint and strengthened governance to support M&A readiness.

Jan 2022 - Dec 2024

3 years

Head of Sales – Europe

Yazaki EDS Ltd.

Owned €400M OEM portfolio with full revenue and margin accountability.
Improved profitability through strategic pricing, cost structure realignment, and portfolio optimization.
Secured long-term business sustainability with Ford Europe and Ford Otosan.

Jan 2021 - Dec 2022

2 years

Germany

Director of Operations Europe

Farasis Energy

Led greenfield launch of lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility (400+ employees).
Achieved >85% local content, meeting EU quality, regulatory, and sustainability standards.
Established scalable operational and quality systems for future expansion.

Jan 2019 - Dec 2021

3 years

Germany

Plant General Manager & Global Operations Excellence Lead

Nordex AG

Led turnaround of German and Mexican plants with 2,600 employees.
Improved productivity, safety, and supply chain stability through lean operating models.
standardized global performance management and operational excellence systems.

Jan 2015 - Dec 2019

5 years

Turki, India

SVP EMEA & Plant General Manager

TPI Composites

Launched and scaled two greenfield plants, growing workforce from 400 to 5,200.
Delivered $72M EBITDA improvement, transforming loss-making operations into global benchmarks.
Positioned EMEA and India operations as reference sites within the global network.

Jan 2013 - Dec 2015

3 years

Russian Federation

Plant General Manager

Magna Seating

Led 4,300-employee multi-country operations serving major OEMs.
Improved labor relations, delivery performance, and plant profitability.

Jan 2012 - Dec 2013

2 years

General Manager

Segula Technologies

Managed 400 engineers across automotive, rail, defense, and energy sectors.
Expanded revenues through new OEM partnerships (Ford, BMW, VW, Nissan, JLR, RSA).

Jan 2011 - Dec 2012

2 years

Germany

Vice President Global Purchasing & Logistics

Grohe AG

Led €700M global sourcing and logistics organization.
Delivered significant cost reductions via supplier consolidation and design-to-cost initiatives.

Jan 1998 - Dec 2011

14 years

General Manager BU / Head of Operations / Director PM & Engineering

Lear Corporation

Managed $1.7B OEM portfolio and led global product and program launches.
Consolidated 10 plants into 5, doubling operating income.
Delivered $80M engineering cost optimization and ensured continuity during Chapter 11 restructuring.

Jan 1991 - Dec 1998

8 years

United States

Program Manager & General Manager

United Technologies Automotive

Established new operations in Turkey and Sweden.
Delivered global programs and sequencing centers, improving OEM delivery performance.

Industry Experience

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

Experienced in Automotive, Manufacturing, Energy, and Aerospace and Defense.

Automotive

Manufacturing

Energy

Aerospace and Defense

Business Area Experience

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

Experienced in Operations, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Product Development, Strategy, and Sales.

Operations

Project Management

Supply Chain Management

Product Development

Strategy

Sales

Summary

COO / Managing Director with 34 years of international leadership experience across automotive, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing sectors. Proven track record in enterprise-wide P&L ownership, strategic repositioning, and leading complex organizations through growth, turnaround, and transformation phases.

Recognized for translating board-level strategy into operational excellence, driving sustainable EBITDA growth, and building resilient leadership teams across multicultural environments. Extensive experience working directly with boards, shareholders, private equity stakeholders, OEMs, and unions.

Trusted executive leader for organizations requiring operational stabilization, scale-up, or strategic realignment, with strong capabilities in M&A readiness, post-merger integration, and SAP-driven enterprise transformation.

Skills

Coo / Managing Director Leadership & Enterprise Governance
Full P&l Accountability & Capital Allocation
Corporate Strategy, Business Transformation & Turnaround
Global Manufacturing & Operating Model Design
Board, Shareholder & Private Equity Interface
M&a Readiness, Joint Ventures & Post-merger Integration
Commercial Strategy & Oem Portfolio Ownership
Labor Relations, Workforce Transformation & Union Negotiations
Enterprise Systems Leadership (Sap / Erp)
Sustainability, Esg & Long-term Value Creation

Languages

German

Native

Turkish

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Technical University of Cologne (TH Köln)

Diplom-Ingenieur · Electrical, Electronics & Automation Engineering · Cologne, Germany

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 10

Experience in Automotive 29 y

Avg length 4 y 4 m

Longest experience 13 y 11 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 4 (Germany, India, Russian Federation, United States)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles COO – Europe, Head of Sales – Europe, Director of Operations Europe

Main industries Automotive, Manufacturing, Energy

Main business areas Operations, Project Management, Supply Chain Management

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Profile

Created

January 2026

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Frequently asked questions

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

Where is Senol based?

Senol is based in Cologne, Germany.

What languages does Senol speak?

Senol speaks the following languages: German (Native), Turkish (Native), English (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Senol have?

Senol has at least 35 years of experience. During this time, Senol has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 10 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 4 years and 6 months. Note that Senol may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Senol be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Senol would be well-suited for roles such as: COO – Europe, Head of Sales – Europe, Director of Operations Europe.

What is Senol's latest experience?

Senol's most recent position is COO – Europe at ABC Technologies.

What companies has Senol worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Senol has worked for ABC Technologies, Yazaki EDS Ltd., Farasis Energy, and Nordex AG.

Which industries is Senol most experienced in?

Senol is most experienced in industries like Automotive, Manufacturing, and Energy. Senol also has some experience in Aerospace and Defense.

Which business areas is Senol most experienced in?

Senol is most experienced in business areas like Operations, Project Management, and Product Development. Senol also has some experience in Supply Chain Management, Strategy, and Sales.

Which industries has Senol worked in recently?

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

Which business areas has Senol worked in recently?

Senol has recently worked in business areas like Operations, Sales, and Supply Chain Management.

What is Senol's education?

Senol holds a Master in Electrical, Electronics & Automation Engineering from Technical University of Cologne (TH Köln).

What is the availability of Senol?

Senol is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Senol?

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