Chief Operations Officer
Automotive Company
Detroit, MI
Key Criteria
- 1.P&L Ownership at Scale
- 2.Multi-Site Manufacturing Leadership
- 3.Continuous Improvement & Footprint Optimization
- 4.Private Equity Operating Experience
- 5.Global Operations Scope
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Sarah Lindqvist
Vice President, Global Manufacturing
Meridian Drivetrain Systems
Ann Arbor, MI
Oversees 18 manufacturing plants across North America and Europe. Leading the strategic ICE-to-EV footprint transition currently in execution.
Comp concern→
Active
David Kowalski
Chief Operating Officer
Great Lakes Precision Manufacturing
Grand Rapids, MI
Current COO with full P&L at $420M — strong PE operating cadence but significant scale gap versus the $2B mandate.
Comp aligned→
Rejected
James R. Hargrove
Chief Executive Officer
Pryor Industrial Technologies
Grand Rapids, MI
Full operational turnaround of $680M PE-backed industrial manufacturer — consolidated 24 plants to 18, expanded EBITDA margin from 9% to 17% in four years. Previously SVP Operations at Roper Technologies running $1.2B P&L across 22 sites.
Comp concern→
Hold
Katharina Wendt
Regional Director of Operations, EMEA & Asia-Pacific
Breitenfeld Aerospace Group
Stuttgart, Germany
Cross-border operations leader managing 9 plants across 5 countries with €640M operational budget. Toyota Production System trained (TSSC Japan). Led post-acquisition integration of two French facilities. Open to US relocation — family ties in Chicago.
Comp aligned→
Confidential