REFERENCES
➡️ Reference page in 🇩🇪 German.
➡️ Full reference letters are available upon request.
Petra Lange
Shareholder and Member of the Advisory Board, Edelmann Holding GmbH & Co. KG
Excerpt from the reference:
“I can highly recommend Christian Rook to any company looking for a thoughtful, flexible, diplomatic, passionate, intelligent, team-oriented, and solution-focused Plant Manager / COO / CRO / CEO with outstanding expertise in Lean Management and short-term, significant process improvements with lasting impact.
An experienced ‘manager’ who collaborates cooperatively and respectfully with all parties in the company — from shop floor workers to advisory board members.
A ‘caregiver’ who solves tasks sustainably. A ‘Lean’ manager who understands that Lean Management only becomes truly successful in application and implementation.
And a ‘human being’ who knows that the most important source of success in a company is the right handling of all stakeholders through communication, transparency, and leadership.”
Petra Lange, March 15, 2021
Hans Schneiderhan
Group Works Council Chairman, Edelmann Group
Excerpt from the reference:
“Mr. Rook quickly familiarized himself with this task thanks to his open manner and very quickly gained the trust of the employees.
Urgent changes and projects were initiated and consistently implemented.
Mr. Rook always discussed all pending changes openly and honestly with the works council, coordinated them, and implemented them as quickly as possible.
Thanks to his ideas and strategies, success came very quickly, and the plant was back in the black after a short time.
His efforts to talk to all employees, listen to their suggestions or concerns, and, whenever possible, provide immediate assistance fundamentally and positively changed the communication culture in the company within a very short time.
As a representative of the employees, working with Mr. Rook was always on an equal footing, honest, and fair. His winning manner in dealing with employees and the works council was exceptional.
Mr. Rook truly embodies the term leadership.
After 18 years as works council chairman, this was the most trusting collaboration I have ever experienced. I will greatly miss the human interaction, appreciation, and mutual trust.”
Hans Schneiderhan, March 2, 2021
Nikolaus Wiegand
Director Global Operational Excellence, Edelmann Group
Excerpt from the reference:
“I experienced a ‘complete’ manager who tackles problems openly and without hesitation, who not only communicates fairness and transparency but truly lives them, and who engages and empowers all employees to give their best.
For these reasons, I highly recommend Mr. Rook to any company that has the opportunity to hire him and is looking for a top-notch leader.”
Nikolaus Wiegand, March 8, 2021
Florian Dölfel
Chairman of the Works Council, Weilheim Plant, Group Works Council, Edelmann Group Germany
Excerpt from the reference:
“Already during the first meeting with Mr. Rook and the Weilheim works council committee, it became clear that the future cooperation would be based on mutual understanding and trust.
The close, open, and trusting collaboration with Mr. Rook, the new plant manager Mr. Wiegand, and the works council proved its worth after a short time when the site was confronted with a very difficult situation.
In summary, Mr. Rook was the absolutely right choice as Technical Director for the Weilheim site. The cooperation between Christian Rook and the works council was characterized by mutual trust, understanding, and fairness.”
Florian Dölfel, March 5, 2021
Bastian Seeger
Vice President Maintenance, TDK-Micronas GmbH
Excerpt from the reference:
“Christian Rook exceeds the expectations of any leadership profile. He is not only an exceptional COO but also an outstanding mentor and coach. He invests time and energy in developing his employees and colleagues, significantly advancing their professional skills and careers.
I can say with full conviction that Christian Rook is not only an outstanding leader but also a person of extraordinary integrity and an inspiring vision. He has not only secured the future of TDK-Micronas GmbH but has also brought about a sustainable change in the corporate culture.
Christian, your achievements are admirable, and I am deeply grateful that I had the opportunity to work with you. You are not only a role model for leaders but also a friend and mentor. I am confident that you will continue to achieve great things wherever your professional journey takes you.”
Bastian Seeger, September 16, 2023
Holger Kümmel
Director Supply Chain / Logistics, TDK-Micronas GmbH
Excerpt from the reference:
“Personally, I can add that my collaboration with Mr. Rook was extremely cooperative and trusting. He always had an open ear for me and my colleagues and was always ready to offer advice and support. As Director of Supply Chain Management at TDK-Micronas, I had the privilege of working closely with Mr. Rook as my superior for the past two years. His pragmatic approach to challenges allowed me to learn a great deal from him.
Overall, I can wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Christian Rook. His outstanding leadership skills, his commitment to quality and employee development, his strategic foresight, analytical thinking, quick responsiveness, and open, cooperative manner have significantly advanced TDK-Micronas GmbH.”
Holger Kümmel, September 26, 2023
Stefanie Maier
Vice President Human Relations, TDK-Micronas GmbH
Excerpt from the reference:
“For my work as VP HR, which I have held since mid-2019, this new approach was a blessing. It made it much easier to work in a solution-oriented, constructive, respectful, and trusting way. People opened up, and we were ready to address the real problem areas.
In just six months, we succeeded in preparing and implementing the Charge 2.0 restructuring project together with the works council and improving it where necessary.
For any company looking for an empathetic, diplomatic, intelligent, and solution-oriented manager, I can highly recommend Mr. Christian Rook. He also impresses with his vast experience in corporate and people management. His collaboration is characterized by cooperation, transparency, and appreciation. His solutions are well thought out and therefore sustainable.”
Stefanie Maier, October 9, 2023
Dr. Jochen Stephan
Director Backend Technology, TDK-Micronas GmbH
Excerpt from the reference:
“Christian’s contribution to our company is invaluable. He is an exceptional leader who always asks the right questions, sustainably and positively shapes our corporate culture, and motivates those around him to achieve new heights.
His visionary perspective, technical expertise, and excellent communication skills make him a true asset to any company.
I wholeheartedly recommend Christian and am convinced that his qualities will continue to bring success and positive change—wherever he applies them.”
Dr. Jochen Stephan, December 4, 2023
Jean-Luc Koch
Director Quality, Nemera
Excerpt from the reference:
“In life, you rarely have the opportunity to encounter a leader like Christian Rook. Once you do, there is a life before—and a life after.
Christian Rook was my Plant Manager at Nemera Neuenburg GmbH. During this time, he built a highly focused and committed team capable of leaving a lasting mark on the universe!
Leadership, mentoring—his incredible ability to absorb and analyze vast amounts of information, his focus on the essentials, and at the same time, his deep understanding of details have greatly developed the entire plant leadership team.
His keen sense of details, his ability to identify and monitor key performance indicators made it surprisingly easy to understand relationships and implement targeted improvements.
He developed a specialized training program for our second-tier managers and personally trained almost 130 employees at the plant. All of them grew through his training and became better leaders.
His exceptional communication skills, tireless commitment, and influence on the personal and professional development of employees have sustainably multiplied the company’s value creation.
His core values—loyalty, leading by example, absolute reliability in keeping agreements, and many others—make it a privilege for me to have worked with him.”
Jean-Luc Koch, May 26, 2021
Wolfgang Klade
Management Consultant
Excerpt from the reference:
“Christian Rook and I worked together during the restructuring of a supplier for the pharmaceutical industry. The company produced drug delivery devices for medical substances using injection molding and assembly technologies. During our cooperation, Christian was responsible as Plant Manager for about 550 employees, while I worked as a freelance consultant, leading a team of up to eight external consultants.
Our collaboration can only be described as excellent—both professionally and personally. We achieved results that far exceeded initial expectations, delivering a completely new organization, optimized processes, and a revised IT structure for the entire plant. Our project enabled the urgently needed turnaround and laid the foundation for the sustainable development of the production site. Christian’s attention to detail was always impressive, but even more defining was his consistent refusal to accept ‘no’ as an answer. He continuously sought and pushed for better solutions, demonstrating a true Kaizen spirit like I had never experienced before.
On a personal level, it was an honor to meet and work with Christian. Throughout our time together, he had a significant impact on my own development, and I benefited immensely from his feedback, insights, and suggestions. Today, I am proud to call him my personal friend.
Christian devotes himself fully to the topics he undertakes. He never stops learning and is only satisfied when he has fully mastered a subject. His distinctive leadership skills make him not only a fair and honest superior but also a dedicated mentor who creates a learning effect for all involved in every encounter. This is an exceptional ability that sets him clearly apart from his peers.”
Wolfgang Klade (on LinkedIn), June 13, 2017
Manfred Barfuss
Site Director, TRW Radolfzell
Excerpt from the reference:
“When I think back on our four-month journey through the challenges, I remember the starting point and the final outcome. I must say, when I entrusted you with the improvement program for our injection molding department, I was not sure whether it would even be possible to achieve the set goals in such a short time.
You made it happen!
What I value most is the change in mindset you were able to bring about in the department and the motivation you gave to the people. I also greatly appreciated your pragmatic approach—with a sound analysis of the situation and daily challenges as well as concrete, fact-based actions.
I am absolutely convinced that you are one of those managers who can positively influence people and lead them in a goal-oriented way. That is precisely what distinguishes you from an ‘average manager’—and enables you to truly lead.”
Manfred Barfuss, June 26, 2014
Philipp Kosloh
Regional Managing Director, Smurfit Kappa Germany
“What I especially value about working with you is that you are open, enthusiastic, and reliable. Your greatest strengths are your excellent analytical skills, your quick comprehension, and your outstanding presentation abilities.”
Philipp Kosloh, November 8, 2011
Eric Claes
COO, Smurfit Kappa Germany
“What I value most about working with you is your openness to new ideas and concepts from outside the organization. You definitely do not suffer from the ‘Not-Invented-Here’ syndrome.
Another point is your team spirit—you always tackled challenges and problems together with your team, searching for creative and constructive solutions.
Last but not least, I want to highlight the human factor: you put great emphasis on treating colleagues and employees as people.
Your strengths? I would say your openness to the opinions of others, new ideas, and anything that can contribute to problem-solving. And secondly, your ability to achieve goals through teamwork.”
Eric Claes, November 2011
KARIM CHAVEZ
Vice President Procurement, Reckitt Benckiser / Kukident GmbH
"I believe that you were the most important contributor to improving the quality of our products at Kukident.
You succeeded in transferring your own enthusiasm and motivation to the people in your organization.
And that is precisely why Reckitt Benckiser Weinheim (Kukident) and Smurfit Kappa continued to do business together – even after a truly difficult period.
I regret seeing you go. Thank you for your support and your extremely constructive collaboration."
Karim Chavez, November 2011
JEFF PLANTE
Senior Vice President / General Manager Global Customer Service, Brooks Automation, Inc.
"Christian Rook is a rare find. He is a leader who is not afraid to stand by his convictions, is not only respected but genuinely valued by his team, consistently champions the customer, and delivers strong operational results.
I worked with Christian for several years and came to know him as a top-tier General Manager – someone I learned a lot from and could have learned even more from.
He is innovative, grounded, and decisive in his leadership. The result is a high-performing team that exceeds both customer and company expectations.
Christian is a true 'must-have' executive for any company serious about growing its business in Europe. I sincerely hope I’ll have the chance to work with him again."
Jeff Plante, April 2008
JIM GENTILCORE
COO, Brooks Automation, Inc.
"When I think about what I appreciated most in working with you, what stands out is how free you were from political motivations.
Brooks was a company marked by political tensions and internal divisions.
You, on the other hand, remained focused on operational challenges and managed to ignore the biases from both sides. I also found that your operational expertise was well-grounded and not just based on experience within Brooks.
In my experience, the most valuable members of the successful teams I’ve led bring broad experience and – even more importantly – a track record of significant achievements across different contexts. Many of my former colleagues were top performers but had spent their entire careers within a single company.
You, however, brought a strong customer commitment that helped to always see operational goals in the right context – something that was quite rare at Brooks."
Jim Gentilcore, November 2011
STEVE HANE
EVP Business Development, LightPointe Communications, Inc.
"A successful leader combines vision, passion, and creativity with professionalism and subject matter expertise. The latter can be learned; the former cannot – it is innate.
Christian Rook is a rare combination of both.
He is a consistently inspiring presence in any organization he joins. He is driven by the will to win, to lead, and to motivate others – in a way that demands excellence while also creating the space for it to emerge naturally.
He learns incredibly fast in any environment he enters. Once he’s mastered a topic, he immediately sets the pace for the entire organization.
Christian has an exceptional instinct for what truly matters – and what doesn’t – and knows how to align an organization around the essentials. He is a genuinely intelligent change agent."
Steve Hane, November 2011