General Manager – Fans & Heaters

Howden is a global engineering business with over a century of engineering excellence which focuses on providing clients with industrial products that help multiple sectors improve their everyday processes; from mine ventilation and waste water treatment to heating and cooling.

Howden’s core focus is on providing quality solutions for air and gas handling, and with over a century of experience in doing so, they are renowned for such projects across multiple sectors. Howden’s mantra is ‘revolving around you’, something that has underpinned the business since it was established in Scotland in 1854. Constantly improving products and services according to customers’ needs.

Howden is a business with great history and heritage and is a leading global player for industrial air and gas handling equipment, employing around 6000 people in 26 countries.

With a turnover in excess of $1.7bn, it has its HQ in Glasgow and was recently acquired by KPS Capital Partners.

Howden is developing and expanding its business and is looking for a General Manager for its Howden UK / Howden Axial Fans business unit, to be based in Næstved, Denmark.

This is a newly created role following the consolidation of three previously standalone businesses, it’s purpose to lead and develop the business into the future.  The General Manager will be responsible for a large multi-million USD business consisting of different complex engineering products and locations throughout Europe.  Whilst the role will have a global perspective, the initial focus will be on the European region. As a newly created role this represents a unique opportunity for the right candidate to build and shape the role, and significantly impact the business.

Key responsibilities are to:

• Lead and manage the transition of the business from a Global to a European focus
• Diversify the business and explore and investigate new opportunities in the market (e.g. Tunnel, Metro and Mining Ventilation), securing the business’ growth objectives
• Develop longer term market strategies for diversified products and services
• Grow the Aftermarket business margin and revenue
• Develop a strong leadership team across sites and with all other EU Contracting Unit General Managers
• Drive product value stream development to achieve margin and market share growth

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

• Experience of leading multi-site international operations, of leading cross-functional teams, and across multiple organisational structures
• Experience in leading major change programs
• Experience in an engineering/manufacturing environment, ideally but not essentially in rotating equipment or similar
• Experience of full P&L management, or significant budgetary management
• Experience in leading and successfully concluding complex negotiations
• Strong technical background / awareness, as evidenced by a degree in either Business and / or Engineering

For further information or a confidential discussion, please contact Ailsa Sutherland on: fwb@fwbparkbrown.com

Or alternatively, you can contact our Edinburgh office by phone on +44 131 539 7087.