WOF Interview with Christoph Szakowski, Managing Partner at LogCon East
Christoph Szakowski is a seasoned international logistics and supply chain C-level manager with over two decades of experience in the industry. He has been with the LogCon East group since 2009 and since 2015 he has been serving as Managing Partner with the responsibility for Executive Search and M&A deal advisory practice.
Holding an MBA from Hamburg University Christoph has a rich career history, including leadership roles such as Traffic Manager at LKW WALTER INTERNATIONAL AG, Director of Sales/Marketing at Logwin AG, and Director of Business Development CEE at DB Schenker Logistics. He has also served as the Managing Director at Logwin Solutions Poland and was a Member of the Board at DB Schenker, Russia.
His Executive Search portfolio contains hundreds of completed assignments on the European level and regional/local responsibilities within CEE and DACH. Christoph works from Warsaw and speaks German, Polish, English and Russian.
Can you share with us your career journey from your early days as a Traffic Manager at LKW WALTER INTERNATIONAL AG to becoming the Managing Partner at LogCon East. What motivated you to move into consulting and Executive Search?
My career path reflects my interests and passion, as well as the geography of my life. As a teenager, I moved from Poland to Germany, and I lived and worked professionally in the DACH region for many years. Logistics is a very international, dynamic, and competitive business. I have always enjoyed challenges, and overcoming them has been a great pleasure. I am inspired by growth based on solid foundations and values. Since my time at LKW WALTER, then DB Schenker and Logwin AG, I have learned the nature of working as a manager and later as a top executive in logistics companies across various markets. In 2009, I realized that the TSL market needed strategically sound consulting with a deep understanding of the industry, and I did not want to wait long to start such a venture. The rest is history—our collaboration with partners at LogCon East in Vienna has created a unique consulting business model, with a foundation in Executive Search from the very beginning. For over a decade, we have specialized in finding the best managers for companies operating in the TSL sector, and my ability to connect people, combined with a perfected method of search and selection, has resulted in successes that, thanks to our clients, reach new dimensions. Currently, my work provides career opportunities for thousands of logistics/freight forawaring managers from across Europe and leads companies to achieve the most challenging recruitment tasks. It is a great satisfaction for me after 25 years in the business.
Over your extensive career, how have you seen the logistics and freight forwarding industry evolve, particularly in the CEE/CIS/NME and DACH regions?
Of course, it must be said that this business remains a people-centric one, and nothing replaces solid values such as credibility, trust, and an open mind. The industry is an area where significant changes are occurring, especially concerning the expansion of service packages like e-commerce and the increasing role of technological solutions. In our region of activity, we also observe market consolidation, mergers, and acquisitions that are changing the landscape. We are pleased to be able to contribute to these trends, both in the area of human resources and strategic changes for various types of companies—from regular carriers to Third-Party Logistics providers.
LCE is noted for being the only consulting group specialized in the logistics sector in the CEE/CIS/NME area. What specific challenges and opportunities does this specialization present?
Our specialization is a niche we decided to focus on from the beginning of our business. It was, and still is, a bullseye. We don’t face the problems that jack-of-all-trades companies do. 😊 We are recommended, and our brand is known to the biggest decision-makers. Of course, it is always important to observe market trends, but in the specialization of headhunting, our unique knowledge, contacts, and methodology give us an advantage over many giant firms that try to assist with recruitment in all business sectors, which usually results in poor outcomes for them and their clients.
What are the primary strategic areas LCE focuses on when advising logistics companies in these regions?
Fifteen years ago, three elements guided us in the comprehensive approach of the LogCon East group. Firstly, strategic changes require consultants who have previously managed this business themselves and additionally have excellent market benchmarks. Secondly, the challenges faced by companies lacking key managerial positions. Thirdly, there are opportunities the market offers in the area of M&A. As the LogCon East group, we focus on these solution areas for our clients.
You have managed significant growth and successful restructuring projects in various roles. Could you highlight a few projects you are particularly proud of and what were the key factors for their success? Impact on current position?
As a manager, I have learned a great deal, which later became valuable for companies in interim or consulting roles. However, I would like to focus on the perspective of a headhunter who thoroughly understands a company’s requirements because, in my “previous professional life,” I faced specific challenges in particular areas or markets. This understanding is crucial for candidate selection and, ultimately, for choosing the best candidate. Confidentiality prevents us from detailing projects precisely, but I can share that, for instance, in 2023, we filled around 25 positions at the Country Manager level or higher in large logistics providers. A key element of success was matching the candidate’s appropriate track record and leadership values with the company’s task.
I would say that in a relatively unpredictable time for TSL, at least 30% of tasks involve optimizing operations and sometimes restructuring. When a candidate tells me about their experiences, I can assess both the scope and credibility of specific events. This is essential for our clients.
What do you believe are the critical competencies that freight forwarders need to develop to stay competitive in the future?
I would identify two main characteristics here. The first element is cross-functionality. We are aware of the existing type of “highly specialized competencies” or niche leaders. However, a large multi-service forwarder must have people who, for example, can comprehensively understand the spectrum of client needs in the Supply Chain area and can calculate where and what optimization in deliveries is necessary. This requires combining an excellent analyst with a salesperson who can also appropriately assess operational KPIs. This may be a task for a team or a highly versatile Key Account Manager.
The second competency is undoubtedly the technology that accelerates dispatch processes, with a fine red line where forwarding maintains a human character. This is because the client should have a partner in the forwarder, not a robot automating all interaction fields. The future competence will be appropriately “dosing” technology while maintaining human empathy and the service-oriented nature of every forwarding enterprise, whether small, medium, or large.
What advice would you give to small and medium-sized freight forwarding companies looking to expand their operations in Eastern Europe?
Forwarding companies of various sizes and formats are already very strong in CEE. When expanding operations, we recommend making plans based on key personnel first, and only then on numbers. Every expansion strategy requires aligning staff and leaders. Our advice is to work with specialists here because mistakes made in the personnel area are too costly.
You will run a workshop at the upcoming WOF Summit Vienna From your extensive leadership experience, what key lessons have you learned about managing and motivating teams in the logistics sector?
One of the main lessons was that management and motivation are very complex elements, and the key in our business is the “practicality” of methods and professionalism in communication. Logistics businesses do not tolerate managers who communicate unclearly, nor do they tolerate authoritarian management styles, although culturally, this is still prevalent in some areas.
In your upcoming workshop at the WOF Summit Vienna 2024, you will discuss efficient methods of recruiting future competencies. Can you give us a preview of some of the practical strategies and best practices market leaders use to attract and retain top talent in the logistics industry? How can companies ensure hiring individuals with the skills needed to maintain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving logistics landscape?
Our workshop will focus on examples based on several winning strategies in employer brand communication and the tactical area of conducting the recruitment process. I encourage you to participate and learn the secret weapons of market leaders. Participants will have a rare opportunity to gain expertise from a headhunter, and the benefit of participating will be learning methods and techniques for “effective recruiting” from A to Z.
LogCon East is the leading headhunting firm in logistics and freight forwarding and a success partner for various companies in this sector operating locally, regionally, and globally. We cover all areas. As LogCon East Executive Search, we have been specializing for 16 years in our clients’ industries: Transport, Freight Forwarding, and Logistics. Our region: Central and Eastern Europe, the German-speaking area, and Emerging Logistics Markets. We conduct top-level market recruitments based on a deep understanding of the industry, a reputation that opens doors to the best candidates, and a record-breaking process effectiveness.