Simon K.-M&A | Transformation | Applied AI
Check rate
Experience
M&A Director - Transformation Office Lead
ERIKS N.V. (sponsor-owned)
M&A and transformation lead at ERIKS (industrial distribution, owned by SHV), reporting to CFO.
- Established transformation office; identified EUR 50m EBITDA uplift potential, with EUR 15m realised in 12 months across three countries
- Built M&A pipeline and turnaround plan, which proved crucial for driving competition dynamic during the exit
- Coordinated turnaround across three geographies during leadership handover without value disruption
Head of M&A - Buy-and-Build & PMI Lead
CeramTec GmbH (PE-backed)
M&A and PMI lead at CeramTec (technical ceramics / MedTech, PE-owned), reporting to CFO.
- Led all inorganic growth initiatives (15+ proprietary targets), repositioning the group from industrial to MedTech, with multiple arbitrage impact of ca. 3x EBITDA
- Acquired and integrated Dentalpoint AG, establishing a new EUR 50m dental segment
- Negotiated polymer partnership, expanding the materials platform beyond ceramics
- Supported the EUR 1bn+ sale of the group
Director Group M&A - Carve-out Lead ARLANXEO
LANXESS AG
Group M&A role at LANXESS (listed specialty chemicals), reporting to Head of M&A.
- Led the carve-out of ARLANXEO (>EUR 3bn) across 8 countries with 150 people, incl. S/4HANA separation dependencies; delivered well within the EUR 10m budget and negotiated highly favourable TSA terms
- Renegotiated service contracts with Currenta, enabling its divestment to Macquarie (EBITA impact >EUR 2m)
- Delivered portfolio restructuring incl. IDI (US) divestment and Canadian site turnaround (>EUR 3m losses avoided)
Senior Manager M&A / PMI
Bilfinger SE
Senior M&A and PMI role at Bilfinger (listed engineering and services group), reporting to Head of Corporate Development.
- Directed the EUR 1bn+ sale of Building & Facility to EQT under liquidity constraints, three months from start of DD preparation to final SPA negotiations
- Executed buy-and-build (4 acquisitions, 2 integrations), creating Europe's #2 automation service provider
- Led global construction carve-out, reducing legacy risks by >EUR 100m
- Acquisition of Westcon (US)
Senior Manager M&A / PMI
Bilfinger SE
Senior M&A and PMI role at Bilfinger (listed engineering and services group), reporting to Head of Corporate Development.
- Directed the EUR 1bn+ sale of Building & Facility to EQT under liquidity constraints, three months from start of DD preparation to final SPA negotiations
- Executed buy-and-build (4 acquisitions, 2 integrations), creating Europe's #2 automation service provider
- Led global construction carve-out, reducing legacy risks by >EUR 100m
- Acquisition of Westcon (US)
Industry experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.
Experienced in Construction, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Chemical.
Business area experience
See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.
Experienced in Investments and M&A, Strategy, Project Management, and Finance.
Summary
Senior M&A leader with 16 years of experience driving buy-and-build, divestments, carve-outs and post-merger integrations – thereof 7 years in PE- and sponsor-owned platforms and 5 years applying AI and automation tooling, with €6.5bn in aggregate transaction value (€2.6bn in lead M&A roles).
Skills
Key Skills
- Deal Origination: Nine Large Scale Pipeline Generation Initiatives Focused On Privately Held Mid-Cap Targets
- M&A Deal Execution: Closed Sixteen M&A Deals In Lead Roles And Two Dozen In Varying Support Roles
- Carve-Out: Three Carve-Outs Completed Including Large Scale Organizational And It System Separation
- Integration: Ran Two Major Post-M&A Consolidations And Integrated Five Bolt-On Deals
- Turnaround Management: Executed Cost Reduction Programs And Operational Contract Negotiations
- Financial Analysis: Extensive Model Experience In Lbo, Business Planning, Financing, Ppp, Ppa
Sector Experience
- Manufacturing: Mechanical & Electrical Components; Automation; Engineering; Maintenance
- Medtech: Ultrasonic Devices; Dental; Ceramic And Polymer-Based Implant Systems; Pharmaceuticals Plants
- Technology: Semi-Con; Electronic & Hermetic Seals; Ceramic & Polymer Materials; Cnc And 3d Printing
- Process Industry: Chemical Industrial Parks; Special Chemicals; Midstream Oil & Gas; Food & Beverages
- Pe Sponsors: Eqt, Bc Partners, Macquarie, Lonestar, Shv, Aurelius
Languages
Education
University of Mannheim
Dipl.-Kfm., specialized in Finance, M&A, Accounting and Databases · Business Administration · Mannheim, Germany
Distance University of Hagen
Vordiplom · Business Administration · Hagen, Germany
Certifications & licenses
Deploying AI for Strategic Impact and Driving Innovation with Generative AI programs
MIT xPRO
Digital Transformation and AI Certificate of Specialization
HBS
CM&AI certified M&A integration training
Statistics
Experience
Global experience
Expertise
Qualifications
Frequently asked questions
Have questions? Find more information here.
Simon is based in Arnstein, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.
Simon speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced).
Simon has at least 14 years of experience. During this time, Simon has worked in at least 4 different roles and for 4 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 10 months. Note that Simon may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.
Based on recent experience, Simon would be well-suited for roles such as: M&A Director - Transformation Office Lead, Head of M&A - Buy-and-Build & PMI Lead, Director Group M&A - Carve-out Lead ARLANXEO.
Simon's most recent position is M&A Director - Transformation Office Lead at ERIKS N.V. (sponsor-owned).
In recent years, Simon has worked for ERIKS N.V. (sponsor-owned) and CeramTec GmbH (PE-backed).
Simon is most experienced in industries like Construction, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. Simon also has some experience in Chemical.
Simon is most experienced in business areas like Investments and M&A, Strategy, and Project Management. Simon also has some experience in Finance.
Simon has recently worked in industries like Healthcare and Manufacturing.
Simon has recently worked in business areas like Investments and M&A, Strategy, and Project Management.
Simon holds a Master in Business Administration from University of Mannheim.
Simon has 4 certificates. Among them, these include: Deploying AI for Strategic Impact and Driving Innovation with Generative AI programs, Digital Transformation and AI Certificate of Specialization, and CM&AI certified M&A integration training.
Simon is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.
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Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 24 Oct 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
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