KRÜSS

As interim CFO and adviser, Ruben Faust led finance at KRÜSS – an owner-managed high-tech hidden champion from Hamburg (€20m revenue, 120 employees) – across several assignments. The reporting line was directly to the owner and managing director.

Situation

The family business needed experienced finance leadership on a temporary basis to strengthen controlling, budgeting and reporting while delivering a company-wide CRM project – without disrupting its established culture.

Challenge & Brief

The brief: run the finance function operationally, support the annual, statutory and tax audits, and own the company-wide CRM rollout as project lead – with a clean handover to the permanent post-holder as the goal.

Approach & Result

Ruben Faust led controlling, budgeting and reporting, ran the CRM implementation from selection to rollout, and supported the audits. The engagement ended with a structured handover to the permanent successor – the structures remained.

Achievements & Business-Partnering Results

• Finance, controlling, budgeting and reporting leadership
• Project lead for the company-wide rollout of a CRM platform
• Year-end closing, audit and tax review successfully completed
• Finance process optimisation and sparring partner for management
• Selection of and structured handover to the permanent appointee

• FAQ: When an interim CFO instead of a permanent CFO?
• FAQ: What happens at the end of the mandate?
• FAQ: Can an interim CFO lead a CRM rollout?
• Guide: Interim CFO, fractional CFO, consultant or permanent hire?
• Guide: ERP implementation in a scale-up

»As unreservedly as Ruben was recommended to me, I can pass on that recommendation just as wholeheartedly. Ruben far exceeded my expectations in every respect!«— Florian Weser, Owner-Managing Director, KRÜSS GmbH