BASF PM role
Use Case: Michael Bertrams for BASF
Role: (Senior) Project Manager Supply Chain Consulting
Date: July 13, 2025
My website: https://bertrams-coordinating-complexity.com/
Executive Summary
Michael Bertrams’ 20 years of expertise in S&OP/IBP leadership, post-merger integration, and global process harmonization aligns with approximately 90% of the requirements for the BASF position. The proven “Coordinating Complexity” methodology and a documented 85% success rate in transformation projects position him as an ideal candidate for the strategic Supply Chain Consulting role at BASF Personal Care & Nutrition GmbH in Monheim.
Competency Fit: BASF PM Role
| Competency Area | Alignment Level |
|---|---|
| Change Management | 90% |
| Complexity Management | 90% |
| SC Strategy | 85% |
| International Exp. | 90% |
| S&OP/IBP Implementation | 100% |
| Industry Knowledge | 70% |
| Project Leadership | 100% |
| Digital Transformation | 80% |
Core Responsibilities (per Job Description)
- Lead strategic supply chain projects from conception to implementation
- Track record: 3 international S&OP/IBP implementations with end-to-end responsibility
- Quantified success: 85% success rate in process strategies and digital initiatives
- Methodology: “One Template” approach for scalable implementations
- Focus on S&OP, cost/inventory optimization, automation & digitization
- Expertise: S&OP/IBP mastery with a 25,000+ product portfolio and 22+ global production sites
- Proven results: 40% cycle time reduction through process optimization
- Digital transformation: Hybrid project leadership for SAP IBP rollouts
- Direct exposure to BASF top management
- Experience: C-suite advisor for complexity reduction in four global corporations
- Stakeholder management: Proactive involvement of all key stakeholders and executive levels in strategy communication
- Thought leadership: Founder of bertrams-coordinating-complexity.com, with systems for established project management across hybrid and binary leadership structures
- Complexity management and international orientation
- Unique expertise: “Coordinating Complexity” methodology tailored for multinational environments
- Cultural intelligence: Proven approaches for preserving organizational DNA during transformation
- International reach: Experience across Europe, North America, and Asia
Strategic Use Case: Global IBP Harmonization for BASF Personal Care Division
Initial Situation
BASF Personal Care & Nutrition operates with heterogeneous planning processes across multiple sites in Europe and North America. The current S&OP/IBP landscape reflects typical post-acquisition challenges:
- Diverse planning systems without unified KPIs
- Limited transparency between regional units
- Complex product portfolios with varying planning cycles
- Cultural diversity across global sites
Phase 1: VSM, Cultural Assessment & Stakeholder Alignment (Months 1-3)
- BASF-specific framework: Adaptation to BASF’s “strong team spirit” and diversity values
- Stakeholder mapping: Systematic identification of change champions in Personal Care divisions
- Trust-building via VSM: Establishment of “safe-for-discussion” frameworks for bottom-up initiatives
- Cultural intelligence: Methods to preserve organizational DNA during transformation, especially considering local/regional, often essential, competition-based special processes
Expected outcomes:
- 90%+ stakeholder buy-in through culturally clarified change strategy
- Reduced implementation risks via proactive, simple integration management
- Accelerated adoption through regional champion networks
- Alignment with BASF’s diversity principles and international team dynamics
Phase 2: Complexity Reduction (Months 4-6)
- Template architecture: Development of standardized S&OP/IBP processes with local flexibility for Personal Care specifics
- SAP integration: Seamless connection to existing BASF S4HANA landscape
- KPI framework: Unified metrics for global performance transparency
- Complexity reduction: Implementation of heterogeneous systems while integrating universally valuable local processes to enhance competitiveness
Quantified BASF Benefits:
- 50% reduction in planning system complexity
- Unified KPI dashboards for all Personal Care sites
- Scalable architecture for future M&A integrations
- Improved forecast accuracy to BASF standards
Measurable Outcomes:
- 40% cycle time reduction (based on proven projects)
- 25% improvement in forecast accuracy
- 95% user adoption rate through culturally intelligent change strategy
- Potential integration into BASF’s global Supply Chain Consulting network
ROI Projection for BASF Personal Care
Quantified Business Benefits:
- Inventory optimization: Annual results through improved forecast accuracy
- Process efficiency: Annual results via 40% cycle time reduction
- System harmonization: Annual results from consolidating heterogeneous planning systems
Strategic Value Creation:
- Digital transformation foundation: Scalable platform for further IBP integrations in the BASF planning landscape
- Cultural resilience: Sustainable change capabilities for ongoing transformation
- Global template replication: Transferability to other BASF divisions
Total 3-Year ROI: Quantifiable after detailed data analysis in € X million
Competitive Advantage for BASF
A unique post-merger scale experience with possible integration into BASF’s in-house consulting framework:
- Onboarding: Rapid integration into BASF’s supply chain consulting network
- Stakeholder assessment: Cultural mapping for Personal Care-specific requirements
- Current-state analysis: Evaluation of existing S&OP landscape in Monheim and other sites or within the group
- Executive alignment: Workshops with BASF leadership for this or tailored BASF transformation roadmaps
