Pierre Blesch

Background

About Pierre Blesch

Pierre Blesch has been working for thirty+ years in leadership roles at Steelcase, a corporation internationally recognized for excellence in its field. Since 2020, he supports Manufacturing Operations with the development of best-in-class core competences and work center design. This position facilitates the implementation of fabrication, tooling, machine controls, automation, finish technology, and packaging. Current position: Director, Manufacturing Services for EMEA and APAC • Lead Engineering and Trade Skills teams by providing vision, by prioritizing actions, and by empowering players. Identify needs of people development, support and coach when needed. Help teams removing barriers to move forward to completion. • Support daily operation of 6 plants: France, Germany, Czech Republic, Malaysia, China, India • Meet product industrialization goals • Own regional cost reduction initiative process to deliver targets • Maintain technical core expertise team: welding, painting, foaming, sewing, upholstery, packaging, wood working • Team of 160+ employees, 13 direct reports One of his most exciting position was being plant manager to grow a new facility manufacturing melamine storage products in Stribro, Czech Republic. Prior to holding this position, he was managing diverse teams and projects to reduce complexity and was supporting product industrialization in Operations for Europe. On key mission was, as project manager based in Madrid, to transfer the production of a French plant to Spain. He was interim plant manager in Wisches and plant manager in Rosheim, France, a facility producing metallurgic components, where he the transfer of the activity to an external company. He worked in Morocco, Africa, for 8 years, running Operations for furniture, white goods business (washing machines and cookers) and security activities (safes and alarm devices). Specialties: • plant management • interpersonal and communication skills to create collaboration between various teams and diverse takeholders • understanding of cultural differences between locations and how to adapt to each specific environment • disciplined, structured and result-oriented mindset • analytical and problem-solving skills using data-driven approach: ability to analyze root cause, identify corrective action to remove the cause, and implement the corrective action • negotiation skills to gain consensus and to propose effective recommendation • being comfortable to operate with contradictory inputs Pierre holds an Engineering degree from Centrale Lille, France.