Interim CEO Specialty Chemicals

The Client

Our client, an internationally positioned specialty chemicals company, wants to divest a business unit that is not part of its core business and, moreover, is suffering losses. As a socially responsible family business, they want to avoid closure and are seeking a sale to a strategic investor.

The Challenge

In order to achieve a good sale solution, the company must be brought to a satisfactory earnings level. This requires significant improvements on both the cost and the revenue side.

The Solution

The interim manager is appointed as CEO of the subsidiary and replaces the previous job holder.

A thorough review of the situation is to provide starting points for improvements on both the cost and expense side, and these are to be implemented at least to the extent that the situation becomes attractive for an acquirer.

The Result

An analysis of the market, the company's technological position and its technical capabilities very quickly yields strategic options for successfully developing the company further.

The strategy is adopted by the parent company and implemented very quickly; at the same time, personnel reduction and other cost measures can be introduced at short notice.

Success is achieved very quickly - with the result that the parent company refrains from selling - the subsidiary is now the division with the highest return on sales in the company as a whole.