Interim Manager

Stephan Bocken

Driving operational excellence and transformational change across global supply chains, procurement, and production environments.

20+ Years Experience
15+ Mandates Completed
10+ Countries
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What I Do

Areas of Expertise

Over two decades of senior leadership across international organizations — delivering measurable impact where operational complexity is highest.

Supply Chain Strategy

End-to-end redesign and optimization of global supply chains. From network design and inventory strategy to risk management and resilience building across multi-tier supplier landscapes.

  • Network Design
  • S&OP
  • Risk Mitigation
  • Resilience

Procurement & Sourcing

Strategic procurement transformation, supplier consolidation, and category management. Building high-performance purchasing organizations with sustainable cost advantages and supplier partnerships.

  • Category Management
  • Supplier Development
  • Cost Reduction
  • SRM

Operations & Production

Operational excellence programs in manufacturing environments. Lean implementation, OEE improvement, capacity optimization, and building a culture of continuous improvement.

  • Lean / Six Sigma
  • OEE Improvement
  • Capacity Planning
  • KPI Systems

Turnaround & Crisis

Rapid stabilization in crisis situations. Securing supply continuity, cash flow optimization, and rebuilding operational foundations under time pressure with measurable results.

  • Crisis Management
  • Cash Flow
  • Rapid Stabilization
  • Restructuring
20+ Years of
Experience

About

Experienced.
Results-driven.

"My mandate is not to maintain — it is to transform."

Stephan Bocken is an accomplished interim manager with over two decades of leadership experience in supply chain, procurement, and operations across international industrial and manufacturing environments.

Having served as a senior executive in multiple global corporations, Stephan brings the rare combination of strategic vision and hands-on operational discipline. He steps into organizations at critical junctures — whether during rapid growth, restructuring, leadership transitions, or crisis situations — and delivers measurable results quickly.

His approach is direct, collaborative, and deeply results-oriented. He builds trust quickly with management teams and boards, aligns stakeholders around a clear direction, and drives execution with urgency and precision.

Industries
Automotive · FMCG · Industrial Goods · Retail · Logistics
Languages
German (native) · English (fluent) · [Language] (conversational)
Availability
Available immediately · Full-time · National & international

Track Record

Curriculum Vitae

Interim Mandates

2023 – Present

Interim VP Procurement

Automotive Tier-1

[Company Name], [Location]

  • Led end-to-end procurement transformation across 12 commodity groups
  • Achieved €XX M annual savings within 18 months through supplier consolidation and renegotiation
  • Built and mentored a purchasing team of 30+ across 4 countries
2021 – 2023

Interim Head of Supply Chain

FMCG / Retail

[Company Name], [Location]

  • Stabilized supply chain disruptions during post-pandemic demand surge
  • Redesigned S&OP process reducing forecast error by XX%
  • Implemented new WMS and TMS, cutting logistics costs by XX%
2019 – 2021

Interim Director Operations

Industrial Manufacturing

[Company Name], [Location]

  • Led operational turnaround of underperforming production site
  • Improved OEE from XX% to XX% through Lean and Six Sigma rollout
  • Reduced headcount costs by XX% while maintaining output targets

Career History

2014 – 2019

VP Supply Chain & Procurement

[Global Corporation], [Location]

  • P&L responsibility for global supply chain organization with €XXB spend
  • Led global sourcing strategy across 20+ countries
  • Implemented category management generating annual savings of €XXM
2008 – 2014

Head of Procurement — Central Europe

[Corporation Name], [Location]

  • Managed strategic procurement for Central European region
  • Led supplier development and qualification of 200+ new suppliers
  • Rolled out SRM system across 8 countries
2001 – 2008

Senior Manager Operations

[Corporation Name], [Location]

  • Production planning and operations management for 3 manufacturing sites
  • Led cross-functional project teams of up to 45 people
  • Drove continuous improvement programs resulting in XX% efficiency gains

Education

199X – 200X

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

[University Name], [Location]

  • Focus: Operations Management & Strategy
199X – 199X

Diploma in [Engineering / Business]

[University Name], [Location]

  • [Relevant focus area]

Detailed CV on request

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Ready for your
next mandate?

Whether you are facing operational challenges, leadership gaps, or need an experienced executive to drive a critical transformation — I am available for interim mandates, project assignments, and advisory engagements.