About
Our background in strategy, turnaround, and operational and commercial excellence has shaped a clear conviction: if you don’t treat a business like it’s your own, you won’t fix it.
We work with an owner’s mindset — hands-on, accountable, and execution-first. We step into complex situations, take responsibility for outcomes, and turn strategy into measurable results. No slide decks without action. No improvement without impact. Sustainable performance is the benchmark.
Dr.-Ing. Carsten Witthohn
Strategy, Turnaround & Operations Manager with a proven record of fixing underperforming businesses across private-equity-owned and family-owned environments. Carsten leads from the front — from defining strategy to executing operational and financial restructuring. He is a trusted interim CEO and transformation leader for PE portfolios and complex carve-outs. Carsten founded Astra Consulting GmbH in 2023 while simultaneously taking ownership and transforming his family business as Managing Director.
Ralf Scharre
Senior Supply Chain & Operations Executive with more than 30 years of international leadership experience delivering results in industrial manufacturing, consulting, and private-equity contexts. Ralf is former COO and Managing Director with deep expertise in building and restructuring global organizations. He is known for decisive footprint consolidation, plant relocations to cost-competitive regions, supplier portfolio optimization, and sourcing strategies that materially improve cost, cash, and reliability.
Dr.-Ing. Jana Frank
Commercial Growth & Post-Merger Integration Executive known for turning commercial complexity into growth. Jana leads end-to-end redesign of commercial processes — including pipeline management, account planning, segmentation, pricing discipline and KPI-driven performance management — to create sustainable, scalable sales performance. Shaping go-to-market strategies, defining market positioning, key account strategies, and competitive differentiation is her expertise. In the past, Jana operated with full P&L responsibility and a clear mandate: accelerate growth, sharpen market focus, and deliver measurable commercial impact.
Dr.-Ing. Jannis Kuepper
Post-merger integration and general management leader with strong background in operations, manufacturing, and international business development. Proven track record in integrating organizations and IT systems (SAP, LIMS), consolidating sites, and leading plants with full P&L responsibility. Delivered significant productivity improvements through structural reorganization and cost optimization. Experienced in building businesses from greenfield to multi-million USD revenue, executing CAPEX programs on time and budget, and developing sustainability strategies aligned with regulatory and investor requirements.
SERVICES
Transactions
Support for Operational Due Diligence (ODD)
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Operational Transparency: Delivering clear insights into a company’s operations to provide a complete understanding of its processes and performance.
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Red Flag Identification: Identifying potential risks and issues within the operational structure to mitigate future problems and ensure smooth transactions.
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Improvement Potential Analysis: Evaluating operations to pinpoint areas for enhancement, offering strategies to boost efficiency and add value.
Restructuring & Transformation
Strategic Change Management Support
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Turnaround Situations: Guiding businesses through challenging periods to stabilize operations and restore profitability.
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Operational Improvement and Cost Cutting: Identifying inefficiencies and implementing measures to enhance productivity and reduce expenses within global production footprints.
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Structural Cleanup: Streamlining organizational structures to eliminate redundancies and improve overall effectiveness.
Interim Management
Temporary Leadership for Manufacturing Companies
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CEO: Providing interim executive leadership to guide companies through periods of change or crisis, ensuring continuity and strategic direction.
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COO: Stepping in to manage daily operations, optimize processes, and improve overall efficiency during transitional phases.
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CRO: Taking on the role of Chief Restructuring Officer to lead turnaround efforts, manage financial restructuring, and stabilize the business.
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CSO: Manage the commercial organization and create revenue und margin growth
Testimonials
“With Astra Consulting we have a partner that sees, analyzes and transforms businesses with the owners view.”
Mogens Søholm Bennetsen, VP Aurelius Group
"Astra Consulting demonstrates impressive efficiency in both planning and implementation, ensuring that decisions are well-founded and effectively executed. Their ability to deliver results is commendable."
Ryan Kerr, CEO Minova Group
“Working with Carsten from Astra Consulting is ensuring that change is happening.”
Mladen Milcinovic, COO Sauer Compressors