Andreas Rauch
International Sales & Business Development
I open markets that aren't open yet.
25+ years across corporates, Mittelstand and start-ups. Pharma · Consumer Healthcare · Food Ingredients. Europe · Americas · Asia-Pacific · Middle East.
Available immediately — for interim mandates and permanent leadership roles.
You might be here because…
“Our product sells at home and nowhere else.”
“We have distributors, but no growth coming from them.”
“We're entering a new market and nobody here has done it before.”
That's the work I've done for more than 25 years — as an employee, as a partner, and as an interim manager.
I open international markets. Over 25 years I have built distributor networks, launched brands and grown revenue across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East — in pharma, consumer healthcare and food ingredients.
I have worked at every scale and at every level — from field sales and key account work, to distributor negotiations and trade fair floors, to running a business unit with full P&L responsibility, to building a company from scratch.
Today I work through SeCoBA, my own company, on interim mandates and consulting engagements: market entry, distributor networks, go-to-market and commercial setup.
I am open to both: a new interim mandate, or a permanent leadership role in international sales and business development.
Connect on LinkedInYears of Experience
International sales, business development and general management
Regions
Europe · Americas · Asia-Pacific · Middle East
Languages
German (native) · English (fluent) · French (proficient) · Spanish (conversational)
Availability
Available immediately for interim mandates and permanent leadership roles.
Corporate. Mittelstand. Start-up.
Corporate
Sanofi (Aventis Pharma), Novartis, Merck Consumer Healthcare, Commerz Real — eleven years inside large international organisations.
Mittelstand
Stern-Wywiol Group / SternEnzym — 1,400 employees, family-owned, 12 domestic and 16 international sites. Eight years, business unit lead with full P&L.
Start-up
EarPro / LiquidPro, Kaymogyn, SØVEN Gin, Arapex Singapore — built, launched and commercialised from zero.
HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management · European Business School Oestrich-Winkel · IE Business School Madrid · exchange semesters in Washington DC, San Francisco and Clermont-Ferrand.
SeCoBA stands for Services, Consulting & Business Angel Investment. The year 1873 marks the founding of the predecessor company of Tonindustrie Heisterholz, our family's business in the construction industry.
Interim Management & Consulting
Available immediately for interim mandates (3–12+ months) and project-based consulting. Based in Ahrensburg near Hamburg — DACH, Europe and international travel. German native, fluent English, proficient French, conversational Spanish.
You have a great product but need someone to open international markets? I step in as your interim business development leader — hands-on, fast and with 25+ years of experience across pharma, consumer healthcare and food ingredients.
I identify the right markets, find and negotiate with distribution partners, develop your go-to-market strategy and represent your brand at international congresses and trade fairs. From first market analysis to signed distributor agreement.
International Market Entry
Identifying target markets, building distributor networks and launching your product in new countries.
Go-to-Market & Commercial Setup
Go-to-market planning, pricing, positioning and sales material development for international markets.
Interim BD Leadership
Stepping into your organisation as interim business development director — leading teams, managing partners and driving revenue.
Selected Results
Merck Consumer Healthcare, Europe
Four consecutive years of double-digit revenue growth: Scandinavia realigned, South-East Europe opened, third-party export business restructured.
Stern-Wywiol Group, North America
Market entry for four group companies from a standing start; distributor network and key accounts built from zero.
EarPro / LiquidPro, Global
Global commercialization of a medical device brand, including successful launch in Australia and New Zealand.
Kaymogyn, Southern Europe
Delivered a market entry strategy for Spain and Italy, including a shortlisted distributor pipeline ready to approach and a congress plan for CPHI, Infarma and ISGE.
Track Record
Companies I have worked for, advised, invested in and built — across four regions and more than 25 years.
Corporate Career
Sanofi (Aventis Pharma)
Sales & Management Trainee · 1998–2000
Where it started: field sales, KOL relationships and product relaunches in prescription pharma.
Novartis
Junior Brand Manager · 2000–2002
Repositioned Venoruton for self-medication and launched a line extension on a lean budget.
Merck
Area Manager Europe · 2002–2006
Four consecutive years of double-digit growth — Scandinavia realigned, South-East Europe opened.
Arapex
Partner, Singapore · 2006–2007
Co-founded the Singapore subsidiary and won construction tenders in Saudi Arabia.
Commerz Real
Senior Transaction Manager APAC & America · 2008–2011
Cross-border property transactions in Japan and Canada, asset management in Singapore.
SternEnzym / Stern-Wywiol Group
Head of Business Unit & BD Director America · 2012–2019
Eight years, full P&L — and market entry into North America for four group companies.
Interim & Consulting Mandates
Kaymogyn
Consumer Healthcare · Spain, Italy & international
Built the market entry strategy for Spain and Italy, down to a shortlist of distributors ready to approach.
LiquidPro / EarPro
Consumer Healthcare · Global commercialization, launch AU/NZ
Global commercialization of a medical device brand, including launch in Australia and New Zealand.
Birn+Partners
Executive Search · Opened the pharma sector as a new market
Opened the pharmaceutical sector as an entirely new client market.
Ventures & Investments
Full CV and references on request.
Let's Talk
Interested in working together? Reach out directly.
Near Hamburg · DACH, Europe and international · Available for interim mandates and permanent roles.