CEO Cooling

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John Cockerill, enablers of opportunities

Driven since 1817 by the entrepreneurial spirit and thirst for innovation of its founder, the John Cockerill Group develops large-scale technological solutions to meet the needs of its time: facilitating access to low carbon energies, enabling sustainable industrial production, preserving natural resources, contributing to greener mobility, enhancing security and installing essential infrastructures.

Its offer to businesses, governments and communities consists of services and associated equipment for the sectors of energy, defence, industry, the environment, transports, and infrastructures. With more than 8,000 employees, John Cockerill achieved a turnover of € 1.417 billion in 2024 in 28 countries, on 5 continents.

Role Summary

The CEO of the Cooling Solutions Business Line is responsible for defining and executing the global strategy, ensuring profitability, and driving operational excellence across all business functions. With full P&L responsibility (mid term target of €250M turnover; 12% EBITDA), the CEO leads commercial growth, product development, project execution, services, and supply chain while ensuring financial discipline, quality, EHS and compliance.

This role requires a strong leadership presence across key markets, optimizing regional operations and leveraging low-cost locations to enhance competitiveness. The CEO ensures that the business operates efficiently within the corporate framework while maintaining the autonomy required for execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Business Growth
• Develop and execute a global business strategy aligned with market trends and corporate objectives.
• Define and implement a financial and commercial roadmap to achieve revenue and profitability targets.
• Define and implement product developments and establish a competitive value proposal for the different regions
• Identify growth opportunities in new markets and strengthen positioning, leverage and generate synergies with Energy and the Group (HRSG, service and others).
• Oversee regional optimization, balancing cost efficiency and business expansion.
• Lead and develop a high-performing, globally distributed leadership team.
• Full ownership of the P&L, cash flow, and EBITDA performance.
• Establish strong financial controls, risk management, and compliance mechanisms.
• Ensure contract discipline and risk mitigation in sales and project execution.
• Drive cost efficiency and supply chain effectiveness, optimizing procurement strategies.
• Oversee budget planning and resource allocation to support sustainable growth.

Commercial Excellence & Market Expansion

• Define and implement a go-to-market strategy that drives sales and customer retention.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, partners, and key industry stakeholders. Integrate and cooperate with Energy and Group businesses
• Oversee key account management (established with the HRSG team), ensuring long term partnerships and recurring revenue.
• Lead pricing strategies and contract negotiations, balancing competitiveness and risk.

Operational Excellence: Project Execution, engineering, supply chain, Services

• Oversee global project execution, ensuring on time, on budget, and high quality delivery.
• Strengthen the services business, driving aftermarket revenue and customer lifetime value.
• Implement quality assurance processes to uphold product reliability and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure supply chain resilience and supplier performance management.

People, Culture & Organizational Development

• Lead talent acquisition, training, and succession planning for key business functions.
• Foster a performance driven culture with a strong focus on execution and accountability.
• Ensure effective internal communication and collaboration across regions, Energy as well as the group.
• Oversee HR initiatives, aligning people strategy with business objectives.
• Define IT strategy to ensure flawless global project execution and interfaces with customer IT tool suites.
• Ensure adherence to legal, financial, and corporate governance standards.
• Oversee HSE (Health, Safety, Environment) and sustainability initiatives.
• Implement internal controls to monitor financial and operational risks.
• Drive a culture of integrity, compliance, and ethical leadership.

Candidate Profile

• Proven experience as CEO, Business Unit Head, or Senior Executive in an international EPC, industrial, or energy sector business.
• Strong track record of building up organizations, hands on leadership (mid term requirement)
• Strong P&L management experience in a business of similar scale (€200M+ revenue).
• Expertise in sales, operations, project execution, services, supply chain, and quality management.
• Experience in energy or other project driven businesses, engineered services, cooling experience is a plus
• Experience managing decentralized global teams and optimizing regional operations.
• Ability to drive business transformation, commercial strategy, and operational execution.
• Strategic Vision & Execution.
• Balances long term strategy with hands on leadership.
• Strong business sense, P&L management, and risk control.
• Operational Excellence - Drives efficiency across projects, services, and supply chain.
• Leadership & People Development - Builds high performing, globally distributed teams.
• Governance & Compliance - Ensures ethical, legal, and financial discipline.

John Cockerill offers you career and development opportunities within its various sectors in a friendly working environment.
Do you want to work for an innovative company that will allow you to take up technical challenges on a daily basis?
We look forward to receiving your application and to meeting you!