Professional Summary
Professional Overview
Michael Houben is the Founder of MACH 8, a company dedicated to helping organizations build exceptional engineering teams. With a strong background in global validation and testing management, Michael brings a wealth of industry expertise to his current role, where he leverages his experiences to enable clients to develop benchmark engineering capabilities.
Experience Summary
Current Role
As the Founder of MACH 8, Michael is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of the company and driving its mission to transform engineering organizations. In this role, he works closely with clients to assess their current engineering capabilities, identify areas for improvement, and implement tailored solutions to help them build world-class engineering teams.
Career Progression
Prior to founding MACH 8, Michael held several leadership positions within the automotive industry, including serving as the Global Head of Validation at ZF Group and the Global Testing Manager, where he was instrumental in improving testing processes and driving operational efficiency. He also held roles at Punch Powertrain, where he served as the Global Application Chairman & Improvement Consultant and the R&D Department Manager in China, contributing to the company's growth and development.
Earlier in his career, Michael gained valuable experience as a Team & Project Leader, R&D Engineer, and Post-doctoral Researcher at KU Leuven, where he honed his technical expertise and problem-solving skills.
Academic Background
Michael holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from KU Leuven, where he specialized in the development of advanced simulation and testing methodologies for powertrain systems. His academic achievements and research contributions have helped advance the field of automotive engineering.
Areas of Expertise
- Global validation and testing management
- Automotive engineering and product development
- Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
- Talent management and team building
- Strategic planning and organizational transformation
Professional Impact
Throughout his career, Michael has demonstrated a proven track record of driving measurable improvements in engineering processes and team performance. As the Founder of MACH 8, he is leveraging his extensive experience to help organizations around the world build exceptional engineering teams that can deliver cutting-edge solutions and drive innovation within their respective industries.
Conclusion
With his deep industry knowledge, technical expertise, and strong leadership skills, Michael Houben is well-positioned to guide organizations in their efforts to develop benchmark engineering capabilities. As the Founder of MACH 8, he is committed to empowering his clients to achieve sustainable growth and success through the implementation of transformative engineering solutions.
