Profile
Professional Services
Technology, Information and Media
Manufacturing
Active

Thorsten

Operational Leadership for PE backed Tech Companies

About Me

I work with PE-backed companies when value creation starts to depend on more leadership, stronger execution and sharper operational control than the current setup can provide. Typical situations include: → Transformations that lose traction (Execution Drift) → PMI or carve-out situations that exceed internal capacity (Integration Overstretch) → Exit-readiness efforts that need stronger operational steering (Exit Readiness) → Leadership transition or continuity needs (Leadership at risk) In these situations, the challenge usually does not lie in the strategy itself, but in translating it into results through clear accountability, effective steering and disciplined execution. Depending on the mandate, I lead critical initiatives as Transformation Lead, provide operating support in areas such as ERP consolidation, PMI, operating model, reporting and KPI logic or take on full leadership responsibility where an interim CEO is required. My focus is always the same: stronger control, clearer ownership, better forecast confidence, faster execution and a more credible path to EBITDA, growth and exit objectives. I typically work with the CEOs and CFOs of portfolio companies, private equity partners, operating partners and boards.

Jurisdiction

Germany

Experience

Seniority LevelC-Suite
Years of Experience20+ years
Current StatusActive
Gründer und Managing PartnerRethinking Transformation
2023 - Present

Taking on operational responsibility during leadership and transformation phases of B2B software companies Focus on profitable scaling, governance, business model refinement and results management Collaboration with shareholders, boards and investor-related environments in structurally challenging situations

CEO, Managing Director and Supervisory Board of the subsidiariesDILAX Intelcom GmbH
2011 - 2023

Electronics and software company | 160 employees worldwide | €25 million revenue Overall responsibility for an international organization across six locations Post-merger integration and merging of the Retail and Mobility business units Development of the project and service business as well as the introduction of scalable structures Consolidation of product development and transformation to an integrated platform model Acquisition and integration of a technology company with a significant contribution to growth and value creation.

Business Unit Management / ERP and Transformation ResponsibilityComarch Software AG
2002 - 2011

ERP and software solutions for medium-sized businesses | 250 employees | €30 million revenue Profit and loss responsibility for ERP and consulting business Reorientation of portfolio, go-to-market and pricing ERP and system consolidation as well as the introduction of performance-related KPI logic. Planning and management of complex ERP projects for industrial clients

Senior Manager Customer Network Implementation / Leiter Competence Center VPNKPNQwest Germany GmbH
1999 - 2002

Responsibility for international project business including budget control and management of 45 employees Managing international rollouts for major B2B clients Establishment and management of a competence center for IP-VPN

Head of Profit Center Software and Consulting / Product Manager BOG Informationstechnologie & Services GmbH
1996 - 1998

Establishment and management of the Software & Consulting profit center with P&L responsibility. Strategic realignment and consolidation of the product portfolio Reorganization of customer service and introduction of integrated software solutions to increase efficiency

Management consultant GfP Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement mbH
1993 - 1996

Consulting projects in software development, logistics and business process optimization Design and implementation of operational information systems

Education

Masters of MSc in Industrial EngineeringTechnical University Hamburg / Harburg
1987 - 1993

Skills

Core skills0
Languages2

Languages

English
German