Restructuring · CEO · Executive Coach
Twenty turnarounds in twenty-five years. Always in the chair — as CEO, CRO, CTO — with full accountability for the outcome. Not advising from the outside. Deciding from the inside, sometimes with my own capital at risk.
01 — Track record
Audited results, not projections
As CEO, CRO, and transformation officer — with full accountability for the outcome. The mandates below are a selection. All numbers are audited results, not projections.
As CEO · Consumer Goods
Mid-sized European manufacturer · €150M debt at entry
Debt €150M → €30M · EBITDA 0% → 10%
Full financial and operational restructuring. Debt-equity swap, €10M new capital raised. The leadership team installed during the turnaround is still running it today.
As Transformation Officer · Automotive
€3B revenue · 27,000 employees · Reporting to President of Europe
EBIT −2% → +6% · USD 240M performance uplift · 18 months
Tasked with accelerating a 300 MEUR operating margin improvement. Responsible for architecting and executing the full program — including senior leadership transformation, change management, and capability building across the organisation. The turnaround was delivered; so was the foundation for what came after.
As Managing Director · Packaging
€300M revenue · leverage at 10× on entry
EBITDA +€30M · Leverage 10× → below 2×
Without fresh capital. Without external consultants. The team did it — I helped them see that they could.
As CEO · Lighting · PE-backed
Four European markets · backed by private equity
Full restructuring across four European markets
Rationalized country P&Ls, reduced leverage, secured new capital. Built a leadership structure that outlasted the mandate.
As Entrepreneur · Own capital at risk
Negative equity on acquisition
Negative equity → healthy EBITDA
When your own money is on the line, the quality of every decision changes. This mandate gave me something no fee-based engagement ever could.
As Founder · Built from zero
Founded 2022 · global indirect spend
€10B+ spend under management · 1,100+ negotiations
Turnaround and building come from the same instinct — seeing clearly when others can't, and moving when others hesitate.
02 — Testimonials
What clients and colleagues say
"Very transparent, fact-based, rapid in response. We valued especially the focus on operational improvements from day one — and the integrity to tell us his convictions straight, even when it wasn't what we wanted to hear."
Major Nordic investment bank
"Jörg and I jointly led a company through a demanding three-year transformation. He is a precise analyst of organisations and people — and always with the discipline to execute. Most importantly: Jörg is genuinely fun to work with, even in the most stressful periods."
CRO, CEO, CFO · Former client & transformation co-leader
"Jörg is a very dynamic and professional leader. Under his leadership we achieved excellent results and high motivation throughout the team. He managed to restructure the company and bring it back to success in a very short time."
Senior Business Advisor · Former direct report
"Jörg's contributions have been significant. During 18 months a turnaround was executed whilst also establishing a foundation to continue improving from. He has my strongest recommendations."
Global Tier 1 leader in automotive passive safety · Reference letter 2024 · Available on request
— My approach
How I work
"I don't advise from the outside. I step into the chair, take accountability for the number, and stay until the result is real — and the team can hold it without me."
Jörg Weidenfeld · St. Gallen
03 — Current roles
Three active commitments
Each grounded in the same belief: lasting performance requires both operational rigour and human clarity.
Restructuring · Transformation · Advisory
My primary advisory brand. Specialist boutique for restructuring, transformation, and interim management. I work with management teams and owners navigating difficult situations — directly, not through junior teams.
lighthouseadvisors.ag ↗CEO & Co-Founder
AI-powered indirect procurement optimisation. Fully success-based model — no savings, no fee. €10B+ spend under management, 1,100+ negotiations completed. Average savings of 25%.
savify.io ↗Senior Advisor
Strategic advisory for companies facing liquidity pressure and working capital challenges. Specialist boutique, practical solutions, fast execution.
lwcsolutions.de ↗04 — Podcasts
In my own voice
From someone who has been in the room — not just read about it.
Co-host · Ongoing · German
Strong in the Storm
Co-hosted with Jens Alsleben. Leadership clarity for turbulent times — psychologically grounded, operationally sharp. 30 minutes per episode. For executives who want to lead through storms, not just survive them.
Listen on Spotify ↗Guest · The People Equation · Episode #38
"The Firefighter"
Behind the scenes of corporate rescues — the panic, the politics, and how to turn the atmosphere in a room when the company is on the edge. A frank conversation about what it really takes.
Listen now ↗Guest · The People Equation · Episode #52
Ambition under pressure
On ambition, resilience, and what it takes to keep aiming high when the pressure is relentless. A conversation about staying clear-headed and purposeful — in business and in life.
Listen now ↗
"The decisions that matter most are the ones you can share with no one."
Executive Coaching · Strictly confidential
05 — Executive Coaching
A different kind of thinking partner
Being the CEO or senior executive is often a lonely place. The decisions that matter most are the ones you can share with neither your direct reports nor your board.
I coach CEOs and senior executives through major transformations — professional and personal. Restructuring a company and restructuring a life share more than most people acknowledge.
No framework. No intake process. No programme. This is built around what you actually need.
Sessions are remote, intensive, and completely confidential. First conversation is always free and off the record.
You speak with me directly — no screening, no junior pre-call.
CEOs and senior executives navigating restructuring, succession, burnout, or reinvention. Leaders who need a clear-headed, experienced thinking partner — not another consultant.
I work with a small number of people at any time. The first call is always free. No pitch, no process. You speak with me from the start.
Schedule a call→Part of Lighthouse Advisors AG & HumanCEO
Let's begin
Pick a time directly in my calendar. It's a real conversation — not a pitch, not a process. You speak with me from the first call.
Or write directly: jw@lighthouseadvisors.eu
I read everything personally and always reply myself.