Gabor SOMLAI

Managing Director @ Protecta Electronics

About

Passionate leader with 30 years solid professional expertise built in mainly Automotive (Metalworks & Electronics manufacturing) and FMCG industries as per below: * Managing Director/Plant Manager since 2006 (19y) * Operations Manager competences since 2000 (25y) * Leadership roles since 1998 (27y) * Interim Manager (6y) Comprehensive mgmt. experiences in Performance, People development, High growth, Manufacturing excellence, strategic Structural change, Crisis & Turnarounds, overall Lean transformation, Relocation and “Greenfield start up" projects at diversified mid/large scale multinational corporations as well as family-owned businesses.

Country

Hungary

City

Budapest Metropolitan Area

Industry

Automotive

Skill

r&d, People Development, Performance Enhancement, Change Management, P&L Management, Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Leadership, Team Management, Financial Analysis, Project Management, Customer Satisfaction, People Management, Engineering, Automotive, Operations Management, Lean Manufacturing, Business Strategy, Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma

Experience

Managing Director

Protecta Electronics

2026-4 - Present · 6 mos

Budapest, Hungary

Interim Plant Manager / Managing Director

thyssenkrupp

2020-5 - 2026-4 · 6 yrs

Hungary

Active in fixed term Executive assignments at Thyssenkrupp, Autoneum, ACPS (Bosal, Oris) and more... (Turnarounds, crisis mgmt., high growth by multiple new project launches, performance development, Consultancy, etc)

Multi-site General Manager / Voluntary Career break

Valeo

2019-1 - 2020-4 · 1 yr 4 mos

Hungary

Resigned by 04/2019 during probation from Valeo Automotive, followed with 1y voluntary career break ("Paternity leave")

Managing Director / Plant Manager

KIRCHHOFF Group

2014-4 - 2019-1 · 4 yrs 10 mos

Hungary

Managed a complex Tier 1 Automotive supplier of metal and hybrid structures for body in white and chassis.

Managing Director / Plant Manager

IKEA

2009-7 - 2014-3 · 4 yrs 9 mos

Trnava Region, Slovakia

Overall lean transformation as part of a global development project of IKEA Industry group own production system, based on Lean and Automotive industry manufacturing principles.

Plant / General Manager

Dana Incorporated

2006-1 - 2009-6 · 3 yrs 6 mos

Hungary & France

"Greenfield startup" factory operations at a leading Tier 1 Automotive supplier of heat-exchange and thermal-bypass technological products for engine, transmission, and fluid applications.