#12 - “Sustainability has always been a big part of IKEA and is very much in our DNA”

In the latest episode of Leading Corporate Transformation, Prof. Serden Ozcan and Gori von Hirschhausen from PwC Germany interview the Chair Managing Director of Keysight Technologies Germany, Dr. Joachim Peerlings. He talks about the history of his company and how its operations have evolved over the years. Learn more about the business of Keysight Technologies and what impact the company has today. Also get information about what it's like as an US company to operate out of Germany and how the company is currently working with AI. You'll learn insights on how to keep a company agile as it grows and what leadership advice Joachim would give you for your career.

In this new episode, Prof. Serden Ozcan and Gori von Hirschhausen from PwC Germany discuss with Gillian Drakeford, former Head of Global Retail Experience at INTER IKEA Group. She talks about her long career at IKEA and her role as a CEO in China, United Kingdom and Ireland . Gillian explains the company's biggest strategic and operational challenges and also looks at the company's ability to increase its profitability. Learn what three things had to happen for a successful digital transformation at IKEA and what personal tips Gillian would give you for your career.

In this episode of Leading Corporate Transformation, Professor Martin Glaum of WHU and Gori von Hirschhausen of PwC Germany are joined by Harald Wilhelm, CFO of the Mercedes Benz Group. In their conversation about the fundamental changes within the In this episode of Leading Corporate Transformation, Professor Martin Glaum of WHU and Gori von Hirschhausen of PwC Germany are joined by Harald Wilhelm, CFO of the Mercedes Benz Group. In their conversation about the fundamental changes within the Mercedes Benz Group in times of transformation, Harald Wilhelm explains the 6-pillar strategy the company is pursuing and goes into more detail about their transition to e-mobility. He also addresses the question of how better financial services can be integrated into the company and which specific requirements he identifies in his own finance function at Mercedes Benz Group. While listening to this episode, you will also get insights about the Chinese market as a competitor in electricity and the significance of ESG for Mercedes Benz Group.

In this new episode of Leading Corporate Transformation, Prof. Dr. Martin Glaum (WHU) and Gori von Hirschhausen (PwC) together with their guest Christian Ladurner, CFO of Hensoldt AG, talk about Hensoldt's operation model, business structure and product portfolio. Christian also answers the question of what challenges exist for a defence company like Hensoldt in the areas of supply chain bottlenecks and inflation and how the company is dealing with them. Together, the three financial experts also shed light on topics such as ESG, the EU taxonomy and the importance of M&A activities for Hensoldt.

To kick off the second season of Leading Corporate Transformation, Prof. Dr. Martin Glaum (WHU) and Gori von Hirschhausen (PwC) are joined by Lars Kaestle, CFO and Managing Director of Breitling. The three finance experts talk about the importance of strong brand positioning, Breitling's special approach to sustainability, and how the current geopolitical circumstances are affecting Breitling's business. Lars Kaestle also gives an insight into his collaboration with the private equity owners and talks about how his role as CFO has changed in the course of digitization.

In this episode of Leading Corporate Transformation, Professor Martin Glaum from WHU and Gori von Hirschhausen from PwC Germany talk to Eva Kienle, CFO and Executive Board Member at seed producer KWS Saat. We cover a variety of topics, including challenges faced by companies in the agricultural sector and how global population growth will affect demand for seed solutions in the medium term and the long term. Kienle sees the pressure to innovate as a solution and an opportunity, both for KWS and the industry as a whole. She explains why this pressure is only going to increase in the next few years, and why genome editing is the new kid on the block. Kienle also talks about KWS’s own investment strategy, and explains why a certain level of perseverance helps with revenue planning in the seed industry.

Hosts Professor Martin Glaum from WHU and Gori von Hirschhausen from PwC Germany are joined in this episode by Sebastian Säuberlich, CFO of the Westwing Group. We talk about what’s special about Westwing’s business model, how the pandemic has affected shopping habits (and Westwing’s growth), and the challenges of the battle to attract and retain talent. Sebastian also explains what a cross-docking business is, and sheds light on how the Westwing Group is minimising product returns to reduce the negative impact of e-commerce on the environment.

In the first episode of the new year, Gori von Hirschhausen from PwC and Professor Martin Glaum from WHU are joined by the CFO of Axel Springer, Dr Julian Deutz, to talk about Axel Springer’s fascinating journey from a traditional print publisher to one of the world’s leading digital media corporations over the last two decades. The biggest challenge in this transformation was to avoid losing sight of the company’s values and history while striking out in new directions. Deutz also explains the importance of proper portfolio management and the Axel Springer criteria for acquisitions. Listen in to find out more about the corporation going private a few years ago, and what this change means for innovation at Axel Springer.

Hosts Professor Martin Glaum from WHU and Gori von Hirschhausen from PwC are joined in this episode by the CFO of Giesecke+Devrient, Dr Peter Zattler. We focus on how G+D has always been ahead of its time, innovating its way from a small family business to a global tech corporation. Listen in for insights into what will make good CFOs of the future stand out, and which challenges the next generation will have to face in corporate finance functions – and to find out what fintech companies and the time-honoured ampersand have to do with G+D.

This time, hosts Professor Serden Ozcan from WHU and Gori von Hirschhausen from PwC are joined by the CEO of the Röchling Group, Professor Hanns-Peter Knaebel. Professor Knaebel talks about how Röchling has always been undergoing transformation, and how the company is transforming going forward. As a company which mainly produces industrial plastics, shortages of raw materials are a major challenge, and sustainable alternatives need to be found. As a result, placing ESG at the centre of corporate strategy is a key aim at Röchling. On the role of finance, Professor Knaebel says he wants to be able to go to the finance function to find out about challenges of the future rather than to get a history lesson. As a CEO, he’s well aware of the importance of seeing the big picture, but he also feels that he can still get down into the details with his employees.