Managing Director
matched in minutes from 15,000 CVs with the power of AI.Steer strategy, profit and loss, team leadership, and operational execution with a freelance Managing Director who can step in for growth, turnaround, or interim coverage. Fast, precise matching with vetted, available freelancers.
Meet FRATCH Managing Director
Carl-Friedrich L.
Last position:
Rollout Project Manager / Multi-project Management / Project Lead / Program Manager at GlasfaserPlus
Project content / Description of services:
Management and coordination of all new-build areas in the assigned region to ensure completion on time
Responsibility for network planning, budget calculation, and budget approval for optimal resource planning in the construction process
Cross-project management of service providers for the efficient implementation of joint construction or connection of new-build areas
Preparation, tendering, and awarding of contracts within budget limits
Ensuring material supply for smooth joint construction
Management of fiber-optic expansion and provision of data lines; densification
Stakeholder management
Introduction and setup of Kanban board, including maintenance
End-to-end rollout management
Escalation management
Service provider management
Construction monitoring and management of construction schedules
Preparation and tracking of project plans and Gantt charts
Risk management
Claim management and project recalculations
Problem and incident management
Change management
Capex and Opex control and monitoring
Contract management and change order management
Conclusion of lease, purchase, or rental agreements for the development of required properties or lines
Technical collaboration with construction managers and service providers within the construction projects to ensure the timely completion of new-build areas
Definition of requirements, categorization, and prioritization, including monitoring and follow-up in accordance with the project plan
Preparation and delivery of presentations for various management levels
Preparation and creation of decision papers
Forecast
Establishment of project “back to green” post-installation and densification
Environment: MS Office, MS Teams, SAP; SharePoint, Jira, Confluence, Bizagi. GBGS, PowerBI, TKI, Flash Kanban
Karl F.
Last position:
Managing Director at ONECEPT GmbH
Damir M.
Last position:
Head of Research & Chairman of the Research Advisory Board at SBS Swiss Business School
Swiss University of Applied Sciences institute (HEdA/AAQ accredited); ranked #5 globally for Executive MBA (CEO Magazine 2025)
- Led the research function and chaired the Research Advisory Board.
- Editor of the Journal of Applied Business Research.
- Member of the Thesis and Dissertation Committee.
- Contributed to the AAQ and ACBSP accreditation processes.
Vladimir E.
Last position:
Technical Project Manager / Freelancer at Deutsche Bank
- Engaged within the Information and Security Management division for a Proof of Concept (PoC) project focused on developing a Client Security Portal.
- Managed project resources across the UK, India, and Germany.
- Architected and deployed the PoC solution leveraging a modern Java stack, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) with Kubernetes, and Active Directory (Entra ID) for authentication.
- Implemented OAuth 2.0 for authorization.
- Ensured DORA alignment according to Deutsche Bank security rules and regulatory preparation.
Andreas Z.
Last position:
Founder & Owner at AZentron Solutions
- Interim management: Temporary leadership in supply chain, logistics, and operations - including budget, investment, and personnel responsibility.
- Project management: Steering infrastructure, construction, and automation projects as well as transformation and digitalization programs.
- Supply chain consulting: End-to-end strategies, network and site planning, intralogistics, and automation - from international corporations to regional SMEs.
- Process and organizational development: Optimization of workflows, systems, and control logic; building KPIs and reporting structures.
- Executive mentoring: Supporting leaders in growth, change, and crisis situations.
Jürgen S.
Last position:
Interim CFO - Member of the Management Board at Transport catering company (NDA), group company, D; listed corporate group, CH
- Stopped the chaos: restructured the team, filled vacant IT roles, eliminated isolated solutions and consistently cut unnecessary elements
- Established consistent reporting and created security
- Managed recruitment
- Established IT alignment
- Implemented process standards
Christian P.
Last position:
Power BI Developer & Consultant in an Agile Team (SAFe) at DB InfraGO AG
Further Development of the Integrated Capacity Management Platform InKa
Rail Infrastructure
- Power BI shared datasets and reports via DirectQuery on Amazon Redshift (timetable, construction and capacity data)
- Automated report testing with Playwright in Docker containers, version control with GitLab
- Concept and implementation of user communication (information page, changelog, known bugs)
Initial Situation:
The integrated capacity management platform (InKa) is a monitoring and analysis platform for data from timetable and capacity management: customer orders, infrastructure, timetable operations, construction, as well as route capacity and width. The data is stored and linked in a structured data warehouse. This makes it possible to create complex KPIs across different source systems and display current and future route utilization as well as construction activity across the network. The goal is to improve strategic, medium-term and intra-year planning and provide users with easy access to capacity management analyses.
Measures:
- Enablement: Introduction of Power BI with training and workshops for development teams.
- Consulting & Design: Problem analysis, concepts and solution consulting for reporting requirements; implementation of reporting solution plans.
- Data Model: Development of shared datasets with DirectQuery on Amazon Redshift and import tables; DAX measures for utilization and capacity KPIs.
- Development: Data analysis, data transformation and visualization in Power BI; extension and migration of business applications to Power BI; AI-supported development in VS Code with GitHub Copilot.
- Test Automation: Automated testing of Power BI reports with Playwright; setup of the test environment in Docker containers.
- User Communication: Concept and implementation of a central information page with hot news, changelog and known bugs, access from reports with report filters, updates via Power Automate.
- Deployment: Management of Power BI Deployment Pipelines across the DEV, TEST and PROD environments.
- Agile Working: Work in an agile team according to SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework); refinement of user stories and features including effort estimates in Jira; version control with Git and GitLab.
- Quality & Documentation: Reviews for quality assurance, error analysis and resolution, technical documentation in AsciiDoc and Confluence.
Technologies: Power BI, DAX, Power Query, DirectQuery, Amazon Redshift, Git / GitLab, Deployment Pipelines, Playwright, Docker, AsciiDoc, Power Automate, Jira, Confluence, VS Code with GitHub Copilot, SAFe
Results:
- Capacity management KPIs from multiple source systems combined on one platform
- Transparency regarding current and future route utilization and construction activity across the network
- Easy access to analyses for users
- Automated regression testing of Power BI reports
- User communication implemented: central information page with hot news, changelog and known bugs, directly accessible from the reports
Robert K.
Last position:
Enterprise Architecture and Overall Transition Lead — UK National Lottery, 4th Licence at Scientific Games International GmbH
Owned the end-to-end architecture and the transition for the fourth licence period of the UK National Lottery: a complete technology stack replacement delivered against a hard regulatory deadline. Produced the end-to-end high-level architecture that served as the delivery baseline for the replacement of all major IT service components including infrastructure
Target architecture across two geo-redundant UK data centres: multiple VMware ESX clusters, OpenShift, MS SQL Server clusters, Oracle Exadata, integrated with AWS-hosted components and a retailer WAN over VSAT, DSL and LTE
Business continuity concept and geo-redundant high availability design
Review and approval authority over all low-level designs, application and infrastructure: network security, Oracle RAC, VMware, OpenShift, SQL clustering, geo-redundancy
Designed and implemented full hardware and network separation between test environments and staging/production
SME for third-party security audits against CIS benchmarks and NIST standards: preparation, execution, findings analysis, remediation prioritisation
Delivered software deployment to 45,000 retail terminals with minimal downtime, plus data migration from the incumbent end-to-end landscape to the new architecture
Transitioned 45,000 POS terminals and 19 million online players on time with no critical incidents
Owned the integrated transition plan for the full replacement of the lottery technology stack: work packages, milestones, dependencies and critical path across parallel technical sub-projects
Central organisational interface between internal IT leads, technical workstream leads, multiple external vendors and client executive stakeholders
Planned and led migration and cutover of live, regulated national infrastructure, including 80+ bare metal servers running VMware ESX, Microsoft VMs across several Active Directory domains, Linux VMs, OpenShift on Linux, 2 SANs, 2 Oracle Exadata systems, AWS components and a retailer WAN
Ran 4 full cutover dress rehearsals ahead of the 2 major go-live releases
Governed all changes through the ITIL change process and CAB; ran risk, issue and escalation management with regular status reporting to the Program Director and client's CTO
Onboarded the internal cyber security team and acted as architecture SME in pre-deployment security audits for client and internal security teams, including prioritisation and remediation of findings
Joined the programme as Enterprise Architecture Lead from May to September 2022, gaining detailed knowledge of the target infrastructure before taking overall delivery responsibility; after go-live, supported the delivery teams through the warranty phase
Mike B.
Last position:
Freelance UX-Researcher, Designer at Bodensee Schiffsbetriebe; Labhard-Medien
- UX research, UX concept development, and UX design for an AI dialogue system with information on events, locations, public transport timetables, and special trips. Observations, remote user tests, session recordings, analytics evaluations, RapidUserTests, prototyping, etc., using Figma/Figma Make, Claude Design, and OpenAI Codex (Design)
Gregor P.
Last position:
Engineering Data Management Project Manager
Technical and commercial risk assessment for an investment project in the hardware sector (scaling potential, liability risks, operational processes) Process consulting for two SMEs in the engineering environment, with a focus on workflow digitization and PLM
Christian T.
Last position:
Project Management / Program Management at Energy company, AT
- NIS2/IT-OT infrastructure project for network and firewall: PoC, roll-out, and blueprint
- Coordination of IT, OT/operations, information security, business units, and external suppliers
- Risk and escalation management
- Direct evidence of security, multi-vendor delivery, and operational context.
Christoph P.
Last position:
ICT DevSecOps Engineer & Security Coordinator at Abraxas Informatik AG
- Interface role with the SOC team; improved incident response time by 45% through structured escalation processes and proactive security monitoring.
- Defined technical standards for a multi-tenant enterprise platform (10+ services), resulting in a 30% shorter onboarding time for new clients in the public sector.
- Active knowledge transfer and mentoring of a 6-person team; increased team autonomy and established a sustainable engineering culture.
- Reduced time to market by 50% by optimizing CI/CD pipelines and establishing self-service deployments.
- Stack: GitLab CI/CD, Kubernetes, Nexus, Harbor, ArgoCD, HashiCorp Vault, Grafana, Python, PostgreSQL, Java, Spring Boot, Flyway, Quarkus, JBoss, Loki, Go, Kafka, Kustomize, MongoDB
Martin L.
Last position:
Senior Consultant at Aucoteam GmbH
- Development of a system for capturing, storing, and using knowledge
- Assessment of the current status and requirements for capturing employees’ tacit knowledge
- Creation of the appropriate taxonomy for the individual specialist areas
- Establishment of a suitable technical architecture
- Conducting expert interviews with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Concept for data backup
- Analysis and evaluation of the approach and results
- Incorporation of organizational changes
Gabriele B.
Last position:
Founder and Managing Director at PaiperOne GmbH
- Main tasks and responsibilities: development, acquisition, sales, consulting, and controlling
- Area of work or industry: Software as a Service in AI compliance and consulting
Selection of client projects:
- Creation and operation of an AI governance platform, including training content on the use of AI in companies
- Design, setup, and operation of the ISO 42001 management system at PaiperOne with certification by TÜV
- Auditor according to ISO 17024 at Austrian Standards for the "AI Manager"
- AI training for staff of two Austrian publishing groups
- AI training for the management level at the State of Lower Austria
- AI strategy workshop for a municipality in Styria and a municipality in Salzburg
- AI workshops for the House of Digitalization in Tulln
- AI training for municipalities at KDZ
- Delivery of training on "Certified AI Compliance Officer" at the Academy for Internal Audit
- Organizational consulting on AI governance at ÖGK
- Project support for the "homepage chatbot" at öbv
- Certification exams at Austrian Standards
Constantinos S.
Last position:
Managing Director at PrimeLogic Advisory Sàrl
- Partnering with organisations to manage complex IT programmes, architect and implement ERP solutions, and embed AI where it drives measurable performance gains.
- ERP solution architecture and hands-on delivery across the full lifecycle (Oracle Cloud, Infor LN, Cegid, iValua)
- Programme and delivery leadership in both Waterfall and Agile environments (SAFe / Scrum / Kanban) - governance, stakeholder management, and execution at scale
- Comprehensive assessment of business processes, organizational maturity, and technology landscape to ensure successful ERP adoption and digital transformation initiatives
- Current mandate: Oracle Cloud SCM implementation for a Big Four consultancy
- Geneva-based; operating across Switzerland and the EU
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Managing Director statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
24 years
Position duration
4 years
Positions per freelancer
11
Top business areas
Project Management, Strategy, Information Technology
Top industries
Professional Services, Information Technology, Manufacturing
Certification focus areas
Information Technology, Project Management, Human Resources
Bachelor's degree or higher
86%
Master's degree or higher
56%
Doctorate
12%
Certifications per freelancer
3
Most common languages
German, English, French
Speak two or more languages
95%
Based on our profile pool as of 21 Oct 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of experts in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows the share of experts charging within that range.
Average rates for Managing Director
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 21 Oct 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Managing Director experts industry focus
See which industries our matched freelancers work in most often — every figure is calculated live from the freelancers on FRATCH.
- Professional Services (69%)
- Information Technology (67%)
- Manufacturing (47%)
- Automotive (33%)
- Banking and Finance (32%)
- Retail (29%)
- Education (27%)
- Media and Entertainment (25%)
Please note that freelancers can work across multiple industries, so percentages overlap.
About the role
What they lead
A Managing Director sets direction and makes the business work day to day. The role connects strategy, finance, people, sales, and operations. Companies bring in a freelance Managing Director when they need clear leadership for a transition, a growth phase, or a gap in the senior team.
Typical deliverables
- Define priorities and convert them into an executable plan
- Lead the management team and align department goals
- Review performance, margin, cash flow, and major risks
- Improve operating routines, reporting, and decision making
- Support restructuring, market entry, or post-merger integration
- Represent the business with key clients, owners, and partners
Core skills
A strong Managing Director combines commercial judgment with calm leadership. They need to read the numbers, understand the market, and keep people moving in the same direction. Common tools include financial dashboards, KPI reporting, CRM systems, ERP data, and structured management reviews.
- Strategic planning and execution
- P&L ownership and budget control
- Stakeholder management
- Team leadership and hiring
- Change management and turnaround work
When companies hire one
Freelance Managing Directors are often the right choice when a company needs an experienced leader now, but not permanently. This is common during interim cover, a founder handover, rapid scaling, or a difficult phase that needs focus and discipline. In smaller firms, the role may sit close to the owner; in larger companies, it often supports a division, subsidiary, or business unit.
What strong professionals do differently
The best Managing Directors do not stay at slide level. They set priorities, make hard calls, and follow through until the plan sticks. They know when to delegate, when to intervene, and how to keep both senior stakeholders and operational teams aligned. Strong candidates explain how they have improved performance, not just how they have managed meetings.
Fit for your setup
For companies, the right person can work on-site, hybrid, or remotely depending on the mandate. If the work affects culture, leadership, or a local leadership team, regular on-site presence usually helps. If the task is a focused interim assignment, remote coordination with clear reporting can work well. For freelancers, the role often suits people with broad general management experience, not only a single functional specialty.
Frequently asked questions
The facts hiring teams ask for most often when it comes to Managing Director.
A Managing Director leads the business on behalf of the owner, board, or group leadership. The work can include strategy, financial control, people leadership, sales focus, and operational follow-through. In many assignments, the person is expected to bring order quickly and keep the management team aligned.
A freelance Managing Director makes sense when you need senior leadership for a defined period, a transition, or an urgent gap. This is common for interim cover, turnaround work, or a founder-led company that needs experienced support without a long hiring process. It is also useful when the scope is broad but not yet stable enough for a permanent appointment.
The strongest Managing Director profile combines business judgment, leadership, and financial control. You should look for clear P&L ownership, good communication with owners and teams, and the ability to turn goals into action. Experience with change management is often a strong sign, especially in complex or fast-moving environments.
The titles overlap, but the remit can differ by company size and structure. A CEO usually sits at the top of the whole organization, while a Managing Director may lead a company, region, or business unit. A General Manager often has a narrower operational scope and less direct ownership of long-term strategy or external stakeholder management.
A good brief should explain the mandate, decision rights, current problems, and expected outcome. The freelancer also needs to know who they report to, which teams they lead, and whether the focus is growth, stabilization, or transformation. The clearer the scope, the faster a Managing Director can take ownership.
Yes, but the fit depends on the assignment. Strategy work, reporting, and board preparation can often be handled remotely, while culture change, team resets, and difficult stakeholder situations usually benefit from on-site presence. Many companies choose a hybrid setup for a freelance Managing Director.
Ask for concrete examples of leadership decisions, business results, and difficult situations they have handled. Strong candidates talk in specifics about priorities, trade-offs, and how they measured progress. A good Managing Director should also show how they build trust quickly with owners, managers, and key clients.
They usually need broad leadership experience across several business functions, not just one specialty. Useful backgrounds include company leadership, business unit management, interim management, turnaround, or growth leadership. The key is proof that they can step in fast, take control, and improve the situation without long onboarding.
The average hourly rate for Managing Director is 126 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 1,009 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Managing Director, 86% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 56% hold at least a Master's degree, and 12% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers working as Managing Director have 24 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 4 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Managing Director are German (99%), English (94%), and French (27%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Managing Director are Professional Services (69%), Information Technology (67%), and Manufacturing (47%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Managing Director are Project Management (75%), Strategy (67%), and Information Technology (66%).
FRATCH Managing Director main locations
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home all over Germany — available on-site in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and every major business hub, or fully remote. Choose a city to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
Berlin 
Hamburg 
Munich 
Cologne 
Frankfurt 
Stuttgart 
Dusseldorf 
Leipzig 
Dortmund 
Essen 
Bremen 
Hanover 
Nuremberg 
Vienna 
Zurich Countries:
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
