Dr. Dominik Philipp Appel

Dr. Dominik Appel is a Managing Director and proven leader in performance improvement and value creation across advanced industries, including automotive and defense, as well as for leading private equity investors. Dr. Appel brings deep operational, financial and strategic expertise coupled with an extensive track record of executive leadership, including service as Chief Operating Officer. He is recognized for driving measurable impact through analytical precision, decisive execution and a results-oriented mindset.

Dr. Appel advises clients on realizing their full potential by restoring and accelerating business performance in complex, high-stakes environments. He has extensive experience in leading company and plant turnarounds, optimizing manufacturing footprints, rightsizing organizations, improving procurement performance, modernizing target operating models, managing production ramp-ups and driving commercial excellence.

Dr. Appel brings also deep expertise in operational, carve-out, and commercial due diligences, advising investors and corporate leaders on value creation levers, execution priorities and strategic decision making.

Before joining FTI Consulting, Dr. Appel held senior leadership roles at leading strategy and operations consultancies, including as a management team member. He most recently led the Europe, the Middle East and Africa manufacturing footprint optimization initiative and co-developed the “Four Walls Improvement Toolbox” to enhance performance of production sites.

Dr. Appel holds a Ph.D. in Quantitative Economics and Finance, a Diploma in Business Administration from HHL – Leipzig Graduate School of Management and a Diploma in Industrial Engineering, each awarded with honors. He also earned recognition on the Dean’s List at the University of Illinois for outstanding academic achievements while taking M.B.A. and Economic courses during a semester abroad.

Relevant Experience:

• Served as Interim COO to lead the restructuring of a loss-making Automotive Body & Chassis plant with approximately 1,500 employees, overseeing strategic direction, financial turnaround, restructuring execution, manufacturing footprint optimization, and stakeholder negotiations
• Designed and executed comprehensive restructurings for leading Automotive Suppliers, including manufacturing footprint consolidations, organizational rightsizing, direct and indirect purchasing cost reductions, make-or-buy programs, and stakeholder negotiations
• Defined the future global manufacturing footprint for a leading Aerospace & Defense supplier, achieving investment approval for one of the world’s largest closed-die forging presses and establishing a new center of competence
• Directed as Interim COO and Advisor production ramp-ups of high-voltage charging systems, aerodynamic body parts, and carbon fiber manufacturing for leading German and British OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers
• Led the development of the ADAS/AD strategy and R&D target operating model for a German premium automotive OEM
• Served as Interim R&D Lead for the next-generation of steering systems at a premium German OEM
• Developed the equity story for e mobility systems production for DAX and MDAX companies
• Led numerous manufacturing footprint optimization programs and due diligence engagements across Automotive, Machinery & Equipment, Chemicals, and Food & Beverages sectors throughout Western and Eastern Europe and the United States

Awards & Recognition:

• Achievements in Excellence: Restructuring and Performance Improvement Projects, AlixPartners (2022-2024)
• Dean’s List Member for Academic Excellence, University of Illinois (2005)
• Award for Outstanding Student Work, Association of Friends of HHL – Leipzig Graduate School of Management (2005)
• Prize for Best Diploma Thesis, Neu Ulm University (2004)
• Award for Academic Excellence, Technological University Ulm (2004)