Professional Career

10/1989-06/1999	Manager Global Application Engineering Propeller Shafts GKN Driveline, Germany, France Number of member responsibility: 15 Coordination of global R&D activities, agreement and distribution of R&D Budgets, preparation of Technology Roadmaps
07/1999-11/2008	Director Global Engineering Torque Technology Group (TTG) GKN Driveline, Germany, Japan, China, USA Number of member responsibility: 250 Reporting to the Managing Director Torque Technology Group, the role of the Engineering Director was global in nature, encompassing all aspects of engineering activity for TTG. This included management of budget, resources and IPR across all sites, leadership of new product-development activity from concept to production, engineering support for customer-application programmes and management of technical facilities, equipment and investments. This included the leadership of, in total, 250 engineers at 4 sites with an annual budget of GBP 17.7 Mio.
12/2008-12/2013	Head of the Global Research & Product Development Centre GKN Driveline, Germany Number of member responsibility: 350 Reporting to the Global Engineering Director the task is to lead the main driveline R&D Centre in Lohmar, Germany, as a "quasi profit centre", with a total of 330 engineers and technicians. The RPDC Lohmar is the product lead centre for advanced CVJ systems, sealing systems, material development, eLSDs, eDrive systems and AWD disconnect technology with an annual budget of €50m. The RPDC Lohmar is a self-sufficient site with capabilities in prototype manufacturing, metallurgy and metrology lab, component and system rig validation testing and vehicle / NVH testing. Main achievements were a with successful track record of meeting KPI´s, budget targets and generating sales, establishing "Mechatronic", "Software Development & Validation" and "Driveline System Integration / Engineering" expertise (E/E components, electronics, simulation, hydraulics, actuators, sensors, electromagnetics, software…) and creating, motivating and evolving "high performance teams", successful leadership and empowerment of cross-regional engineering teams. As a result the RPDC Lohmar teams won major development contracts for AWD, Electric- and Hybrid Drive applications around the world (including customers like Porsche, BMW, PSA, FCA, GM and JLR)!
01/2014-03/2016	Director Product Engineering Europe American Axles & Manufacturing Europe, Germany, Poland, Sweden Number of member responsibility: 120 Reporting to the President of AAM Europe and in matrix to the AAM Global VP Engineering the role of the Product Development Director is to lead European customer specific application developments for Commercial Vehicle Axles, Passenger Cars axles and AWD systems and electric / hybrid driveline products (including electronics, actuators and corresponding controls and software development, system integration and - engineering). Leadership of in total 120 engineers and technicians in 4 locations in Germany, Poland, Scotland and Sweden with an annual budget of in total €20m. The role also includes the technology roadmaps for the European OEM´s as well as strategic advanced product development activities with the AAM Global Corporate Engineering. As a result of the recent business wins the AAM Europe Sales will grow from €100m in 2014 to €250m in 2018 (including first win of Electric Drive Transmissions with launch in 2018).
04/2016-09/2017	Director Global Engineering Business Unit Transmission Hilite International GmbH, Germany, China, USA Number of member responsibility: 120 Reporting to the Executive Vice President Business Unit Transmission & CEO, the role of the Global Engineering Director is to lead a team of 120 engineers & technicians in three locations (Nürtingen / Germany, Orion / Michigan / USA, and Shanghai / China) to develop and implement new product & process developments around solenoid valves in automotive automatic-, hybrid- and electric transmission applications from advanced concepts to series production. The creation of a short-, medium and long term roadmap and the creation of global modular solenoid valve building blocks helped to create cost competitive design and business awards in China, US and Europe worth several €m annual sales.
01/2018	Chief Technical Officer CTO for AMEC Europe Nidec Motors & Actuators GmbH, Germany, Polnad, Spain Number of member responsibility: 280 Reporting to the CEO of Nidec Automotive Europe and the Global VP Engineering, the role of the CTO Automotive Europe is to lead a team of close to 300 engineers & technicians in 3 business units and five locations in Europe to develop the next generation of electric automotive motors ranging from 50W to 150kW, as well as electric water- and oil-pumps and Hybrid- / Electric Traction Motors and e-Axles. Main task is transforming the R&D organization from mechanical motors and pumps to mechatronic actuator systems incl. E/E HW and SW, system engineering and controls development. This includes establishment of new skills and competencies and the corresponding organization structure, processes and tools. First success is the nomination of two mechatronic systems business worth about €50m/a sales each for both NMA and NGPM.