Managing Directors in Zurich
from over 15,000 CVs with the power of AIBring in proven leaders for interim management, growth steering, and turnarounds. Useful if you need P&L ownership, stakeholder management, or a strong hand between board and operations. Get fast, precise matching with vetted, available freelancers.
Meet FRATCH Managing Directors in Zurich
Christoph Pardon
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
Daniel Niederberger
Last position:
Strategy Advisor · Interim & Fractional Executive · Board Member DSIM at DriveDelta GmbH
Strategy needs rhythm. Continuous strategic guidance for industrial & technology leaders — turning strategic priorities into real progress.
Selected Impact:
- EV infrastructure rollout strategy — hypothesis-driven business & monetization model launched, > €80M cost savings, 30+ stakeholders engaged. Wolfsburg, DE
- Interim project lead, 200 HC — site alignment & new working model; +15% efficiency via faster decisions and reduced R&D spend. Frankfurt / Switzerland / Turin / USA / UK
- Automotive Updateability Framework — strategic, use-case-driven concept aligned across 10 brands and ~50 management stakeholders in 30+ workshops. Berlin / Munich, DE
- AI-readiness for R&D & SME transformation — benchmarked AI solutions, RACI & agile sales process, target operating model with top-management alignment. Berlin / Stuttgart, DE
Cathrin Harrison
Last position:
Coach & Trainer at Self-employed
- Conducting one-on-one coaching sessions to support personal and professional goal achievement
- Developing customized coaching and training concepts for different target groups
- Facilitating training workshops on communication, leadership and personal development
- Analyzing development needs and deriving suitable learning and coaching measures
- Using various coaching methods and tools tailored to the client's individual situation
Arne Hodel
Last position:
Director at Deloitte Consulting AG
- Overall management of the international program to implement the KYX solution for the regulatory traceability of global financial and goods flows
- Steering the end-to-end integration of finance, logistics and compliance systems in a global network
- Responsible for planning, budgeting, quality assurance and reporting to the global program committee
- Leading interdisciplinary project teams and coordinating multinational stakeholders
- Designing and negotiating strategic partnerships with technology and vendor partners
- Ensuring smooth execution of all project phases from development to rollout in cross-regional markets
- Building a global KYX ecosystem with high regulatory impact
- Managing an international program with direct relevance for Deloitte Global
- Establishing standardized interfaces between finance and logistics systems
David Barreto Schmidt
Last position:
External Project Manager in the Supply Chain Network at DEUTZ AG
- Project management (SAP BN (Ariba) onboarding, support for SAP ECC and SAP TM for supplier topics)
- Standardization of global value creation processes
- Basic training as well as central contact person for suppliers and support for planners
Oliver Stoll
Last position:
Managing Director and Employed Actuarial Consultant at ARCS Actuarial and Risk Consulting Stoll GmbH
- Advising insurance companies on modeling, reporting, valuations, risk management and acting as the responsible actuary
- 2023–2025: Improving Solvency II software, annual financial statements (HGB, SII), process optimizations, pricing, SQL and Python-based reports for AXA Germany, Cologne
- 2022–2023: Support for portfolio transfer (RAFM optimization; impact on HGB balance sheet, SII, reinsurance; migration to msg.Life Factory) for Zurich Germany, Cologne
- 2021 and 2024: Redesign of Solvency II model, implementation in Python and model extensions; testing and documentation for PK Rück, Zurich
- 2021–2023: Control calculations for maturity benefits of contracts; specification and testing of policy administration system for product launch at Youplus, Liechtenstein
- 2021: a) Support in preparing a reinsurance treaty: project management and analyses; b) assistance with Solvency II reporting and multi-year planning for Allianz Leben, Stuttgart
- 2020–2021: Further development and optimization of models with Risk Agility FM (RAFM), integration into IFRS 17 reporting process using Unify for Allianz Slovakia and Bulgaria
- 2017–2023: Quality improvement of the RAFM model; methodology development; documentation; process optimization in reporting and planning; automation with Excel and Oracle SQL (on COR-Life); implementation of a life reinsurance treaty; validation of numerical results in the policy administration system for SV Versicherung, Stuttgart and Mannheim
- 2015–2017: Project management and senior actuary in developing an actuarial projection tool and in the IMAP process with the regulator; guiding the reporting team; analyses; methodology development; process design; coordination with IT, asset and risk management for Allianz Leben, Stuttgart
- 2016–2020: Review of cash flow models for investment projects for B Capital, Zurich
- 2015: Redevelopment of MCEV calculation methodology based on MVBS; weakness analysis and collaboration on fixes for Allianz SE, Munich
- 2014: Solvency II risk capital reporting project: validation of data deliveries; analyses for management and regulator; tool development; process and documentation improvements; training of team members for Aegon Group, The Hague, Netherlands
Bernhard Höhne
Last position:
Interim Global Medical Manager (Alzheimer’s Disease) at Roche Diagnostics International
Launch of blood-based biomarkers (pTau181, pTau217) across DACH region and Spain, ensuring alignment with global medical strategy. Strengthened Roche Diagnostics’ positioning as trusted partner in neurology and improved stakeholder engagement.
Michal Konstacky
Last position:
Managing Director/Consultant at K Medical Consulting GmbH
- Consulted for AstraZeneca (Forxiga: chronic renal & heart failure, T2DM)
- Consulted for Pfizer (ATTR cardiomyopathy registry)
- Consulted for Merck (rare diseases, BD/due diligence)
- Consulted for Idorsia (daridorexant: insomnia PIP, cenerimode: SLE safety physician)
- Consulted for PrimeVigilance (ovarian cancer)
- Reviewed EU scientific grants for the Czech Ministry of Education
- Member of the evaluating committee for the Czech Academy of Sciences
- Served as CMO in device & biotech startups (Sherpa Healthcare, HTG Medical, C-mo)
Jörg Benedikt Schenker
Last position:
Founder & Managing Director at Schenker Labs GmbH
Applications development & consulting - Schenkerlabs.com
Thorsten Morschheuser
Last position:
Managing Director at Morschheuser Consulting GmbH
- Establishment, development and auditing of ISMS and IAM/IDM structures (SAP & non-SAP).
- Development, optimization and review of authorization concepts, role models and interfaces (including SAP IDM/NetWeaver/S/4HANA, as well as cloud & AD).
- Management and documentation of audit, compliance and certification projects (ISO 27001, TISAX, KRITIS).
Benjamin Talin
Last position:
Board Member at University of Digital Science (UDS Berlin)
- Advisor on topics of economic development, SME, digitization, technology and education in Europe incl. EU Commission, Middle East, Asia and North-Africa.
Thomas Funke
Last position:
Founder and Managing Director at The Associated Engineers Group GmbH
Robin Seidelmann
Last position:
Board Member at 2BCS AG at 2BCS AG digitalization experts
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Managing Directors statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
22 years
Position duration
3.1 years
Positions per freelancer
11
Top business areas
Project Management, Strategy, Operations
Top industries
Professional Services, Information Technology, Banking and Finance
Certification focus areas
Human Resources, Project Management, Information Technology
Bachelor's degree or higher
92%
Master's degree or higher
75%
Doctorate
17%
Certifications per freelancer
2
Most common languages
German, English, French
Speak two or more languages
100%
Based on our profile pool as of 6 Sep 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role in Zurich are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range.
Average rates for Managing Directors in Zurich
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 Sep 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Managing Directors experts industry focus
See where the role earns the most, city by city against the national average — every figure is calculated live from the freelancers on FRATCH.
- Professional Services (77%)
- Information Technology (54%)
- Banking and Finance (46%)
- Manufacturing (38%)
- Automotive (31%)
- Education (31%)
- Energy (31%)
- Transportation (31%)
Please note that freelancers can work across multiple industries, so percentages overlap.
About the role
What they do
A Managing Director sets direction and turns strategy into day-to-day execution. In freelance work, this often means stepping in as interim MD, general manager, or country manager to stabilize leadership, align teams, and keep decisions moving.
- Owns P&L, targets, and cross-functional execution
- Leads management teams and manages board reporting
- Drives restructuring, growth, market entry, or change programs
- Resolves gaps between sales, operations, finance, and HR
Core skills
Strong Managing Directors combine commercial judgment with calm leadership. They are able to read a business fast, decide what matters, and create focus without creating noise.
- P&L ownership and business planning
- Stakeholder management at board and executive level
- Leadership in crisis, transition, and scale-up phases
- Clear communication in English and, when needed in Zurich, German
Typical work
A freelance Managing Director is often brought in for a defined mission. That can be a leadership gap, an acquisition integration, a product or market shift, or a company that needs sharper execution across functions.
Common deliverables include:
- leadership diagnostics and priority setting
- operating model adjustments
- management cadence and reporting routines
- turnaround plans, growth plans, or transition handovers
Tools and methods
The best professionals use simple, practical methods. They work with budget reviews, forecast planning, KPI tracking, executive meetings, and stakeholder maps. In Zurich, they often work with international teams, local founders, family businesses, or Swiss subsidiaries that need steady senior leadership.
What good looks like
A strong Managing Director is visible without dominating. They make decisions, delegate well, and keep accountability clear.
- Brings structure to unclear situations
- Balances speed with sound judgment
- Builds trust with owners, investors, and teams
- Leaves behind a stronger leadership setup
When to hire freelance
Companies use a freelance Managing Director when they need senior leadership now, but not permanently. This is common during transitions, before a permanent hire is in place, or when a project needs a leader with specific sector or turnaround experience.
In Zurich, freelance support is often a good fit for international groups, private equity-backed businesses, and established local companies that want flexible executive support without a long hiring process.
Frequently asked questions
Not sure where to start with Managing Directors? These answers cover the essentials.
A Managing Director takes responsibility for running the business, not just advising it. That usually includes strategy execution, leadership alignment, budget ownership, and reporting to owners or the board. In a freelance setup, the mandate is often tied to a clear business phase such as transition, growth, or turnaround.
Choose a Managing Director when someone must make decisions, lead people, and carry accountability for results. A consultant may analyze and recommend, but a managing director is expected to own execution. Companies often bring one in when leadership is missing, overloaded, or changing.
Not always, but the roles can overlap in practice. A Managing Director usually has broader authority and more direct responsibility for the full business, while a general manager or country manager may focus on a market, unit, or region. The right title depends on the company structure and who owns final decision-making.
Look for commercial judgment, calm leadership, and the ability to create structure quickly. A strong Managing Director should handle P&L pressure, board communication, and team alignment without needing a long ramp-up. Sector knowledge helps, but execution strength matters more.
Freelance Managing Directors are often brought in for restructuring, post-merger integration, growth planning, or interim leadership during a vacancy. In Zurich, this can also include supporting international subsidiaries, founder-led companies, and firms with multilingual stakeholders. The role works well when senior presence is needed on-site, but not full-time permanently.
That depends on the mandate, but a Managing Director often needs at least some on-site time to lead teams and build trust. In Zurich, many clients want a mix of on-site meetings and remote follow-up for reporting, planning, and stakeholder coordination. The right balance should be clear before the engagement starts.
Look at the situations they have handled, not just the titles they held. A strong Managing Director can explain how they improved performance, resolved leadership issues, or steered a business through change. Ask for concrete examples of decisions made, teams led, and outcomes delivered.
A freelance Managing Director should expect broad responsibility, direct access to decision-makers, and clear business goals. The work can range from stabilizing operations to leading a full transition, so scope must be defined early. Strong freelancers are comfortable being accountable and communicating directly with owners, boards, and leadership teams.
The average hourly rate for Managing Directors in Zurich is 155 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 1,243 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Managing Directors in Zurich, 92% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 75% hold at least a Master's degree, and 17% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers working as Managing Directors in Zurich have 22 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 3.1 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Managing Directors in Zurich are German (100%), English (92%), and French (54%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Managing Directors in Zurich are Professional Services (77%), Information Technology (54%), and Banking and Finance (46%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Managing Directors in Zurich are Project Management (85%), Strategy (85%), and Operations (69%).
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.
Countries:
Zurich 
Geneva Basel Bern 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
