CEO for Contracting Company – Critical Infrastructure
Do you want to be the unifying force in a company with strong growth opportunities?
Our client is a construction/contracting company in strong development, working primarily on district heating and fiber projects in Denmark and Germany. The company has around 40 employees, split across field teams, an Operations Manager in Germany, and several middle managers in Denmark, and has international ownership supporting its continued growth journey.
The company is part of an international group of sister companies that are among the leading contractors in Denmark. Each company retains its own independence, while close collaboration across the group also opens up further opportunities and solutions where relevant. The group currently generates revenue of around EUR 2.6 billion with very healthy earnings margins, of which approximately EUR 350 million is generated in Denmark. The group will continue to support the company with further development and growth opportunities, and the ambition includes expanding into new business areas, such as the energy/electricity sector.
The background for this search is that the company's current Managing Director wishes to step back from the CEO role and going forward focus on operations as COO – with an emphasis on projects and deliveries. A CEO is therefore being sought who can complement and elevate the company in the areas that currently receive too little attention: structure, people leadership, and strategic and commercial development.
Your role
As CEO, you will have overall responsibility for the company's strategy, leadership, and development. You will become the person who binds the organization together, sets direction, and ensures the company continues to deliver high quality – both to customers and employees.
You will work closely with the company's COO, who drives day-to-day operations and project execution. Your task will be to move the company forward: creating structure, developing leaders, strengthening the culture, ensuring commercial growth, and being the unifying figure for both the Danish and German parts of the organization – in close and ongoing dialogue with the international ownership.
Who are you?
We are looking for a leader who builds strong relationships and creates trust. Someone who is stable, calm, and brings the organization together, with a natural ability to make people feel seen and heard. You thrive leading middle managers and operations managers, and you lead by example – you know what's happening in the field, and you're not too senior to roll up your sleeves and lend a hand when needed.
You have solid management experience from the contracting industry, ideally with experience within district heating, electricity, water, wastewater, or other critical utility infrastructure – and ideally bring a strong network within the industry.
You build strong relationships, create trust, and have a natural ability to make people feel seen and heard.
You have a natural focus on employees, wellbeing, and culture, and thrive leading middle managers and operations managers.
You are stable, calm, and unifying – the type who brings the organization together rather than dividing it.
You are strategic, yet practical enough to understand everyday life in the field, and you readily bring ideas and suggestions for improvement.
You are honest, principled, and punctual.
You speak Danish and are fluent in English, ensuring dialogue with the ownership is at a good level. A reasonable level of German is a clear advantage.
You have a good understanding of the infrastructure market.
A technical education is not a requirement but will be considered an advantage.
You want to be based at the office south of Copenhagen and lead the business from there, and you therefore live in Zealand within a manageable distance for your daily work at the company.
Your key areas of responsibility
Strategy, growth, and business development – including further developing the district heating business and helping to potentially build a new electricity division.
Leadership of the Operations Manager, middle managers, and other key personnel.
Budget, finance, and overall project management.
Customer relationships, external communication, and partnerships – including close dialogue with customers on project progress and solutions.
Organizational development and structure.
Culture, wellbeing, and employee satisfaction.
Close and ongoing dialogue with, and reporting to, the international ownership.
Close collaboration with the COO on operations and execution.
What's on offer
A company with a strong culture and a fast pace.
A COO who loves execution – so you can focus on direction and development.
An organization that wants to develop.
Projects in both Denmark and Germany.
The opportunity to help build, for example, a new electricity division alongside the district heating business.
A role with significant influence and direct dialogue with the international ownership.
An attractive compensation package with the possibility of co-ownership.
Contact
To be considered for this assignment, please click Apply now. We screen, evaluate and interview candidates on an ongoing basis.
Not the right fit for you, but know someone who is? We'd appreciate you sharing the posting within your network.
- Application Deadline 30 September
- Expected Start asap
- Involvement Full time
- Period Permanent hire
- Location Sealand - Denmark