Interim CEO · COO · Transformation Leader

Stephan Bocken

I take on full operational responsibility in industrial mid-sized companies (approx. 20–300M EUR revenue) when profitability, liquidity or leadership stability come under pressure.

35+ Years Experience
4 CEO Mandates
20+ Countries
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Stephan Bocken
Available for mandate

Fields of Action

Calm and clarity in complex situations

Operational interim executive for transformation situations in industrial mid-sized companies. Depending on the mandate, I focus on one of the following three fields of action.

When profitability and liquidity come under pressure

Short-term stabilisation of performance and liquidity through targeted hands-on intervention in the value chain.

  • EBIT & Cash Stabilisation
  • KPI-based Management
  • Portfolio Focus
  • Quick-wins Execution

When leadership is suddenly absent or ownership changes

Confident takeover and stabilisation of the organisation through composed leadership in times of upheaval.

  • Operational Capability
  • Roles & Decision Paths
  • Structure Building
  • Handover Readiness

When growth demands new organisations

Structured transformation and building of future-proof organisations to embed operational excellence.

  • Sales Models
  • Site Organisation
  • Global Standards
  • Operational Excellence

Profile Video

Get to know me

A brief introduction to my background, approach, and what I bring to interim mandates.

Stephan Bocken
35+ Years of
Experience

About

Not just a functional interim.
Full operational leader.

"I act as a full operational leader with clear value orientation — not just limited to a functional interim role."

I take on full operational responsibility in industrial mid-sized companies (approx. 20–300M EUR revenue) when profitability, liquidity or leadership stability come under pressure.

As interim CEO, COO or transformation leader, I stabilise EBIT, cash and management capability within 6–12 months — with clear P&L accountability and end-to-end leadership across sales, operations and service.

Each mandate starts with a structured 4–6 week diagnostic phase with a prioritised action roadmap and quantified performance targets.

Differentiation

Many interim managers are functionally oriented — consulting, restructuring or sales. My profile is far more integrative.

  • Sales + Operations + Service
  • Strategy + Execution
  • Technical Understanding + P&L Responsibility
  • Entrepreneurial Thinking + Operational Leadership

Way of Working

  • Rapid prioritisation and clear goal definition
  • Transparent KPI and cash management
  • Tight integration of sales, operations and service
  • Consistent execution over concept orientation
  • Eye-level leadership with owners, boards and management teams
Sectors
Mechanical Engineering · Plant Construction · Specialty Chemicals · Environmental Technology
Languages
English (native) · German (near-native) · French (native) · Dutch (basic)
Availability
Available now · Full-time · National & international

Track Record

Career History

CEO Leadership

2022 – 2026

CEO

Mechanical Engineering

Avermann Holding, Osnabrück

  • P&L responsibility for all business areas: environmental technology, laser & bending centre, concrete precast production — €100M revenue, 450 employees across Germany, Poland, Hungary and the Netherlands
  • Professionalised the organisation for new scale: ERP implementation, international expansion into Eastern Europe and North America, service business build-out
  • Design-to-Cost programme delivered 35%+ production cost reductions; gross margin improved from 38% to 48%; 75% reduction in quality complaints
2013 – 2022

CEO

Plant Engineering / Environmental Technology

Paques Holding B.V., Balk (Netherlands)

  • Full P&L responsibility for global manufacturer of wastewater treatment systems: >€100M revenue, 450 employees, regional headquarters across Asia, Europe and the Americas
  • Revenue doubled through organic growth of ~8% p.a.; new regions grew from zero to 40%+ of group revenue at highest EBIT margins; annual double-digit service revenue growth
  • Multiple innovation awards including finalist for the Koning Willem I Prize; developed new biomaterials (PHA), 4th-generation anaerobic reactor (Biopaq ICX) and the world's largest industrial 3D printer for plastics
2007 – 2013

CEO Division — Fiber & Environmental Solutions

Mechanical Engineering

Voith Paper GmbH & Co. KG, Ravensburg

  • Led Stock Preparation & Fiber division (€230M revenue, 800 employees) as board member of Voith Paper; sites in Asia, the Americas and Europe
  • Strategic repositioning from newspaper to packaging paper; Asia expansion through localisation of production, engineering and sales in China
  • Doubled divisional profitability; 30–50% product cost reductions through New Product Family redesign; new product revenue share from 10% to 40%; 90% reduction in accident rate

Earlier Career

2003 – 2006

Global Business Unit Head — Paper Chemicals

Ciba AG – Division Water & Paper, Basel

  • €880M revenue responsibility, 660 employees; full P&L across sales (Europe, Americas, Asia), product management, marketing, production and R&D
  • Led acquisition and integration of Rasio Chemicals (€400M) and two further companies in Canada and Sweden
  • Maintained profitability through restructuring: headcount –35%, 9 production plants and 19 sales offices closed with minimal revenue impact
1987 – 2003

Global leadership roles

Ciba-Geigy AG / Ciba Spezialitäten Chemie AG, Basel

  • Progressed through Global Business Unit Head (CHF 800M), Division Manager South Africa, Global Marketing Leader and Product Manager
  • Built and led international teams across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas; consistent growth, margin improvement and innovation awards
  • Annual cost savings of CHF 100M (12% of revenue); revenue +30% in South Africa within 3 years; patented product share from 2% to 7%

Education

1993

MBA

IMD Lausanne, Switzerland

  • Business Administration
1981 – 1987

M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering & Environmental Technology · B.Sc. Chemical Engineering (with distinction)

University of Cape Town, South Africa

  • Focus: Process Engineering

Detailed CV on request

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Ready for your
next mandate?

Whether you are facing a leadership gap, need an experienced CEO to drive a critical transformation, or are looking for an interim executive with deep industrial expertise — I am available now.