Kobus van der Zel
Senior Consultant
Kobus, based in Chicago, spearheads Operational and Interim Management services at MorrisAnderson. An acclaimed author, speaker, and expert in achieving results in challenging scenarios, he excels as a coach and interim leader. Kobus is a respected member of TOCICO, an international continuous improvement group, and the Turnaround Management Association (TMA).
Based in Chicago, Kobus leads the Operational and Interim Management services at MorrisAnderson. An internationally renowned author and speaker with a track record of achieving results in the most challenging situations, both as a coach or as an interim leader. He is a member and past leader of international continuous improvement group, TOCICO, and member of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA).
SERVICES
Kobus has created a fast opportunity assessment to highlight the performance gap for a debtor or operating company. It opens the door for a structured discussion on various alternatives, ranging from a coach-guided improvement project, to a full interim management engagement, and/or sale of the company under the right conditions.
INDUSTRIES
Although past industries include heavy equipment, shipping containers, pharmaceutical equipment, refrigeration equipment, industrial products, wood cabinetry, building products, fertilizer and chemical batch manufacturing, automotive injection molding, commercial printing, metal plating, machining, in addition to various international import and distribution companies, and various engineering and service based companies, clients are often surprised at the success achieved in an unchartered industry.
REPRESENTATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE
- Since 1999, only once did a senior creditor not recover 100% on their loans.
- Won the Large Transaction of the Year award for turning Nasdaq-listed Swisher Hygiene cash positive for the first time ever in two quarters, causing the share price to jump from 50c to $1.80.
- Quadrupled the monthly sales for a pharmaceutical equipment manufacturer and engineering group, using the ambitious target and critical chain project management processes to realize a 12 month “unachievable” goal in month 14 (during recession).
- Interim CEO roles in multiple industries coast-to-coast in the US and Canada.
- Secured a 18x starting EBITDA valuation for a building products company, combining improvement and sale processes.
Since 1999 Kobus has built a reputation for challenging a company and its team to use the best continuous improvement tools from great leaders like Taiichi Ohno, Shigeo Shingo, Eli Goldratt, Jack Welch, Elon Musk and others to realize a rapid boost in cash flows when they need it most.
Kobus is a mechanical engineer, MBA, Certified Turnaround Professional (CTP), and a master black belt in continuous improvement. He is the instructor of the TMA Midwest advanced 13-week cash flow course, and owner of the people development portal www.YourSensei.org. He received the TMA Midwest Large Transaction of the Year award for rescuing the Nasdaq-listed company, Swisher Hygiene, by turning it cash flow positive for the first time ever within two quarters.