20 Inspiring Journeys That Redefine Success
Company: German Technology and Engineering Cooperation (GTEC)
Designation: CEO
Country: Germany
Karlheinz Zuerl is the CEO of German Technology and Engineering Cooperation (GTEC), a firm that delivers interim general management and fractional project management to industries across the BRICS countries. With 33 years of leadership experience, he is recognized for transforming complex challenges into measurable results, boosting sales, reducing error rates, and increasing profits from “lousy” to “wow,” particularly through his work as an interim General Manager in China since 2013.
GTEC’s selected, locally based experts partner with medium-sized, family-owned suppliers to solve operational and cost problems by focusing on efficiency, lean processes, and business development, ultimately improving competitiveness and customer satisfaction.
Zuerl’s specialties include effective cost reduction in Asia, master planning, and KPIs. He coaches and mentors teams across sales, supply chain management (SCM), production, human resources (HR), finance (FIN), total productive maintenance (TPM), and quality management (QM) to achieve their personal KPIs.
In 2022, Capital magazine named him “Top Interim Manager of the Year,” and in 2024, he was recognized as Interim Manager of the Year in Europe for his successes with Western companies in China. He currently ranks among the top 10 consultants in the German economy.
Since 2023, he has led the “BRICS Project Network,” a partnership through which he and his team reduce costs, introduce lean practices, and drive business development for struggling companies in BRICS+ countries and Europe. A key advantage of the network is that its selected experts are embedded locally, understand culture and law, and maintain close connections to decision-makers, enabling rapid, effective solutions. Zuerl has also authored several books in German and English and is a member of the Diplomatic Council Think Tank and the Asian Transformation and Turnaround Association.
His journey began with an apprenticeship as a toolmaker, followed by degrees in mechanical and industrial engineering and formative roles at BMW, GM, Valeo, and Bosch, experience that honed his ability to “turn wrenches into miracles.” His recipe for success is simple and demanding: 100% customer loyalty, innovative problem-solving, and a turbocharged work ethic. Whether leading lean production, optimizing workflows, or elevating quality management, he ensures each project delivers maximum impact. His passion for coaching, innovation, and digital transformation unlocks new growth opportunities in sales, marketing, and beyond, while his blend of strategic thinking, financial acumen, and practical leadership drives restructuring, automation, and profitability. With deep experience across Chinese and broader Asian operations, he doesn’t just manage change; he transforms it into a game-changer for clients.
Organizations seeking turnarounds, purchasing support, production improvements, business development, or financial management, whether to enter or manufacture in Europe, or to pursue cost-effective solutions in sales, M&A, and production, are invited to connect.
Experts seeking new challenges can join the BRICS Project Network for collaborative opportunities, joint publications, and attractive investments.
Private investors, business angels, and silent shareholders interested in successful companies such as GTEC are welcome to reach out.
Contact Karlheinz Zuerl at contact@gtec.asia or schedule a meeting at https://calendly.com/karlheinzzuerl.
