Managing Directors in Germany
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Meet FRATCH Managing Directors in Germany
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 development areas in the assigned region to ensure completion on time
Responsibility for network planning, budget calculation, and budget approval for optimal resource planning during the construction process
Cross-project management of service providers for the efficient implementation of joint installation or connection of new development areas
Preparation, tendering, and awarding of contracts within budget limits
Ensuring the supply of materials for smooth joint installation
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 land lease agreements for the development of required properties or lines
Professional collaboration with construction managers and service providers within construction projects to ensure the timely completion of new development areas
Definition of requirements, categorization, and prioritization, including monitoring and follow-up according to 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
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
Kossi A.
Last position:
Project Manager at Deutsche Bank
Migration of an existing application to a new IT infrastructure.
- Managed all project activities (infrastructure, applications, data, security, architecture)
- Planned complex network architectures with security requirements
- Designed and coordinated firewall configurations
- Planned and managed interfaces between ERP, cloud, and third-party systems
- Coordinated middleware solutions (e.g. SAP Integration Suite, MuleSoft, Boomi)
- Defined data flows, mapping rules, and integration architectures
- Managed data migrations and master data harmonization
- Coordinated with business departments, IT teams, service providers, and external partners
- Team size: International team of 35 employees – Germany | Poland | India | USA
- Languages: English
Tools: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project), Brainloop, Jira, Confluence, MS SharePoint
Serkant T.
Last position:
Interim Manager, License Controlling at Tonies GmbH
- Prepared and reviewed quarterly royalty settlements for licensors across music, publishing and media brands, including minimum guarantees, recoupment, returns reconciliation and process optimisation.
- Reconstructed historical licensing data for an external audit by a major US studio, covering music publishing and recorded music across ROW and AUS, and coordinated the resulting statements with the licensor.
- Supported the reconciliation of music royalties with the German collecting society and its international hub for 2018 to 2024.
- Assessed licensing data for accruals and provisions, and structured metadata for contract negotiations.
- Designed target processes and SOPs for a royalty automation tool and accompanied testing during rollout.
Ralph S.
Last position:
Interim Head of Business Excellence at DEHN SE
Process architect and transformation driver for company-wide excellence initiatives (covering a vacancy) Establishment and management of a company-wide process and governance framework to strengthen structure, leadership and effectiveness in an internationally growing family-owned company. Responsibility for the global process house, end-to-end governance, process role architecture and further development of the integrated management system – including international implementation (Romania, USA).
Scope:
- Management of the Business Excellence department with 6 employees and functional leadership of 20+ Process Owners
- Establishment of a global process operating system (architecture, roles, governance, global-local logic)
- Development of a group-wide control and KPI system for processes (transparency, KPIs, maturity)
- Introduction of mechanisms to ensure effectiveness in day-to-day operations (role enablement, communities, feedback)
- Governance and role framework for new production sites in Romania and USA (mandates, roles, decision logic)
- Stabilization and further development of the integrated management system (IMS)
Sustainable Results:
- Global process operating system established - Structure, roles, governance and global-local rules defined as a binding framework and anchored in the management system — the basis for consistent management and scalability.
- End-to-end process ownership strengthened - Process Owner roles globally defined, qualified and anchored in Communities of Practice — clear ownership structures across all sites for the first time.
- KPI and process management logic established - Uniform KPI system, maturity model and reporting principles developed — the basis for fact-based decisions, prioritization and transparency throughout the company.
- Effectiveness in day-to-day operations increased - Enablement architecture, onboarding mechanisms, regular meeting formats and feedback loops introduced — the process system is applied in daily work and continuously improved.
- Governance framework for new site implemented - Mandates, roles, decision paths and escalation logic for the new production site in Romania developed — clear structure for setup, management and integration.
Norbert F.
Last position:
Principal Partner at Consileon Business Consultancy GmbH
Philipp H.
Last position:
Managing Director at Vishnu Artists GmbH
- Managing Director of Vishnu Artists GmbH in Berlin (since 01/2025, together with Benedikt Irsch).
- Responsible for the company's finance, planning and reporting; working with DATEV.
- Reporting with Power BI as well as planning and analysis models in Excel as a basis for management decisions.
- Selection, development and implementation of AI-supported tools in the company, including Flow Compass.
- Co-host of the Vishnu AI Freelancer Meetup, which takes place every four weeks on Miro; exchange about the practical use of AI applications in coaching and facilitation.
Onur K.
Last position:
Project Manager & Outsourcing Manager at SENEC GmbH (EnBW Group)
- Built a scalable nearshore IT developer hub (Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland) as an independent company through a BOT model (Build – Operate – Transfer)
- Identified, selected, and managed full-service agencies; introduced management and control mechanisms, including KPIs, SLAs, and regular service reviews
- Prepared and reviewed data processing agreements and framework contracts in coordination with Legal & Compliance; integrated regulatory requirements (including KRITIS) into process design
- Advised on cloud vs. on-premise strategies, data storage, and authorization concepts; supported Procurement with tendering and service provider evaluations
- Managed change and process harmonization between internal teams and nearshore partners; reported to executive management, CFO, and CIO
Result: Scalable IT developer hub with an audit-ready governance model, reduced operating costs, and accelerated product development.
Thomas P.
Last position:
Product Owner & AI Automation Architect (B2B) at Ihre-Hygieneberatung
Development of a digital audit application for inspections in medical facilities. The goal is to connect on-site data collection, voice recording, documentation and downstream processes in one end-to-end, AI-supported workflow.
Design and development of a Flutter audit app with Claude Code for the structured execution and documentation of inspections.
Processing of voice recordings captured in the app through automatic transcription and AI-supported creation of structured inspection reports, followed by an approval process
Connecting various data sources such as email, Odoo 19, attendance records and Google Drive via n8n to automate billing and follow-up processes
Automatic provision of required documents and email delivery through n8n-controlled workflows, including the use of LLMs for text creation
Skills: Flutter, Claude Code, LLM Integration, n8n, Odoo 19, Google Drive, Process Automation
Marco S.
Last position:
IT Consulting & Project Management at acardo
- Project management for customer projects
- Requirements analysis
- Product Owner
Stefan V.
Last position:
Managing Director and Technical Lead at Building a Trading Company
- Developed business strategy, positioning, and market approach for a new B2B and B2C trading company.
- Designed and implemented the corporate website and online shop end to end, and coordinated suppliers and digital sales capabilities.
Denis D.
Last position:
Sole Shareholder-Managing Director at Dlouhy Interim Executive GmbH
- Own company for Interim Executive Manager mandates; sole shareholder-managing director Denis Dlouhy.
- Positioning: Transformation, Post-Merger Integration, portfolio steering, HR for international corporations and hidden champions.
Yashar S.
Last position:
Compliance Consultant at RAS Reinhardt Maschinenbau GmbH
- Designed and moderated a NIS2 preparation workshop for RAS Reinhardt Maschinenbau GmbH and its IT service provider Catuno GmbH. Together with executive management and IT leadership, the current status was assessed, an initial GAP analysis was conducted and areas for action were prioritized based on ISO 27001.
- Developed an ISO-27001-based regulatory framework (ISMS) for NIS2 compliance, including a structured current/target GAP analysis, targeted improvement of the security maturity level and preparation of the organization for NIS2 audit readiness.
Thomas L.
Last position:
Interim Finance Director - CFO Office, Liquidity & Performance Steering at PE-Owned Portfolio Company
Selected Mandate - PE-Owned Portfolio Company
CFO Office execution mandate with Transformation CFO scope after CFO transition. Reporting directly to the combined CEO/CFO role, with one individual holding both CEO and statutory CFO responsibility.
- Managing liquidity forecasting, cash management and short-term cash visibility; preparing investor and lender reporting.
- Stabilizing finance operations, reporting cadence and finance interfaces across HQ and subsidiaries.
- Providing extended finance leadership, people leadership and hiring support for the finance function.
- Supporting budgeting, forecasting, FP&A cadence and management reporting.
- Restoring finance cadence across liquidity, reporting, stakeholder communication and management decision support.
- Leading performance recovery support for a US subsidiary.
Ümit D.
Last position:
Managing Director at SELF Consulting und Trading Germany
- Successful integration of new business areas
- Support for change management projects
- Introduction of lean management and digitalization initiatives
- Management of external partners, interim managers, and consultants
- Successful implementation of growth and transformation strategies
- Plant expansion
- Plant relocation
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Managing Directors statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
24 years
Position duration
4.1 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
87%
Master's degree or higher
55%
Doctorate
11%
Certifications per freelancer
3
Most common languages
German, English, French
Speak two or more languages
95%
Based on our profile pool as of 6 Oct 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of experts in this role in Germany 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.
Discover detailed Managing Directors rate benchmarks:
Explore rate insightsAverage rates for Managing Directors in Germany
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 6 Oct 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Managing Directors 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 (70%)
- Information Technology (66%)
- Manufacturing (46%)
- Automotive (34%)
- Banking and Finance (31%)
- Retail (30%)
- Education (27%)
- Media and Entertainment (25%)
Please note that freelancers can work across multiple industries, so percentages overlap.
About the role
Leadership scope
A Managing Director takes ownership of the business, not just one function. The role covers strategy, execution, and results across teams, budget, and key stakeholder relationships. In some companies the title overlaps with general manager, country manager, or MD, but the work is the same: steady leadership and clear decisions.
Typical work
- Define priorities and turn strategy into a working plan
- Lead commercial, operations, finance, and people topics together
- Review performance, remove blockers, and keep accountability clear
- Guide senior managers through change, growth, or turnaround phases
- Represent the business with owners, investors, partners, and key clients
Core skills
Strong Managing Directors combine business judgment with calm leadership. They read a P&L, manage cross-functional teams, and communicate clearly with boards and founders. They also know when to step into detail and when to delegate.
- Commercial thinking and financial control
- Leadership in complex or changing environments
- Strong communication with senior stakeholders
- Decision-making under pressure
- Experience with scaling, restructuring, or integration work
When to hire one
Companies bring in freelance Managing Directors when they need leadership quickly, but do not want a long permanent hiring cycle. This is common during transitions, rapid growth, founder handovers, international expansion, or crisis periods. In Germany, this is especially useful for companies that need local leadership for a market unit while keeping the structure lean.
What strong professionals deliver
A strong Managing Director creates direction people can follow. They set priorities, align leaders, and keep the business focused on measurable goals. Look for someone who can work with founders, executives, or investors without losing the trust of the team.
- Clear decision-making and ownership
- Stable leadership in demanding situations
- Practical plans, not abstract advice
- Credibility with teams and senior stakeholders
- Reliable follow-through from strategy to execution
Common project setups
Freelance Managing Directors often join for interim leadership, turnaround support, market launch, post-merger integration, or a temporary gap in senior management. Some work on-site in Germany for close leadership and stakeholder access, while others combine remote work with planned visits. The right setup depends on the company stage, the team structure, and how much face-to-face alignment is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Not sure where to start with Managing Directors? These answers cover the essentials.
A Managing Director takes responsibility for the overall business direction and day-to-day leadership. That usually means setting priorities, aligning senior managers, monitoring results, and making decisions that keep the company moving. In many cases the role also covers investor communication, client relationships, and internal change management.
A freelance Managing Director makes sense when leadership is needed quickly or only for a defined phase. Common cases include transitions, founder succession, restructuring, market entry, or temporary gaps in the executive team. It is a practical choice when the company needs experienced leadership without committing to a long-term hire right away.
A strong Managing Director needs business judgment, leadership strength, and solid financial understanding. The person should be able to work with a P&L, guide managers, and communicate clearly with owners, boards, and teams. Equally important is the ability to turn strategy into execution and keep people aligned.
The titles often overlap, but the scope can differ by company. A Managing Director usually carries broader responsibility for strategy, performance, and leadership across the whole business or a major unit, while a country manager or general manager may have a narrower remit. The exact title matters less than the real decision rights and accountability.
Be clear about the mandate, decision rights, and expected outcomes. The best engagements start with a short brief on the business situation, the team structure, the main risks, and which stakeholders the person must manage. That helps the MD move fast and avoid confusion in the first weeks.
Both models are possible, but leadership roles usually need some on-site presence. A Managing Director in Germany is often expected to meet the team, clients, and local stakeholders in person, especially during change or sensitive phases. Remote work can still work for planning, reporting, and follow-up if the company has a stable structure.
Look for proof of ownership in similar situations, not just a senior title. A strong Managing Director can explain what they changed, how they led people through it, and what business result followed. References, examples of tough decisions, and clarity in first conversations are often the best quality signals.
They want a clear picture of the mandate, reporting line, and level of authority. A serious Managing Director will also ask about team stability, board expectations, key risks, and how success will be measured. That helps them judge whether the role is a good fit and whether they can add value quickly.
The average hourly rate for Managing Directors in Germany is 125 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 1,003 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Managing Directors in Germany, 87% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 55% hold at least a Master's degree, and 11% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers working as Managing Directors in Germany have 24 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 4.1 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Managing Directors in Germany are German (99%), English (94%), and French (25%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Managing Directors in Germany are Professional Services (70%), Information Technology (66%), and Manufacturing (46%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Managing Directors in Germany are Project Management (75%), Strategy (69%), and Information Technology (66%).
FRATCH Managing Directors main locations
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
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Stuttgart 
Dusseldorf 
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Dortmund 
Essen 
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Hanover 
Nuremberg Request a free demo
Get in touch with the FRATCH team and we will get back to you within 4 hours.
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We always have the time for a call or email!
Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
