Chief Executive Officer

QLM Search is recruiting a CEO to lead a strategic buy-and-build programme within the food manufacturing sector across the DACH region .

This is a senior leadership role with full autonomy and a clear mandate from the Investment Board to drive operational scale, commercial value creation, and long-term sustainable growth.

Key Responsibilities :

• Provide full strategic and operational leadership across multiple sites in the DACH region, with complete P&L ownership and accountability for performance delivery
• Shape and execute a long-term growth agenda , balancing organic expansion with M&A opportunities to establish a high-performing, scalable platform
• Leverage deep commercial and financial acumen from within the mid-sized food or dairy manufacturing space to inform strategic decision-making and identify levers for value creation
• Develop and implement innovative initiatives to drive revenue growth , margin enhancement , and product innovation across all customer channels
• Build a lean, agile operating culture , focused on continuous improvement, waste reduction, and operational excellence
• Lead post-acquisition integration activity, ensuring cultural alignment, operational synergy, and sustained delivery of strategic objectives
• Drive a high-performing supply chain , ensuring agility, scalability, and efficiency to support growth across the region
• Establish a strong leadership team and empower a culture of accountability, engagement, and high performance at all levels of the organisation
• Act as the primary interface between the business and its investors, providing clear visibility and strategic insights to the Investment Board

Candidate Profile :

• A proven track record of operating as a Managing Director / CEO within a high growth food or dairy manufacturing business
• Demonstrable experience of value creation , business transformation, and profitable growth in a fast-paced, operationally complex environment
• Deep understanding of the DACH food production market , with a strong reputation and relevant industry network
• Strong leadership capability with a track record of building and developing high-performing executive teams
• Commercially sharp, operationally hands-on, and highly credible in board-level settings

Executive Officer • Leipzig, Saxony, Germany

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