August 2020

Renommierte Berater schliessen Allianz

Alexander Müller und Bernhard Glaninger gründen gemeinsame Board Advisory in Deutschland und der Schweiz.

Renommierte Personalberater schliessen Allianz

Zwei ehemalige Partner eines globalen Search-Netzwerkes, Alexander Müller und Bernhard Glaninger, gründen eine gemeinsame Board Advisory mit dem Novum eines wertebasierten Beratungsansatz. Sie stehen für Integrität, Vertraulichkeit, Unabhängigkeit, Professionalität und Fairness. Schwerpunkte sind Executive Search, Management Coaching/ Audit und die Organisationsberatung.

Herr Müller war zuletzt Partner und Global Head der internationalen Practice-Group einer global tätigen Executive Search Gruppe. Er verfügt über eine mehr als 20-jährige Erfahrung in der internationalen Managementberatung. Herr Glaninger war bei dem gleichen Search-Netzwerk Partner in der Schweiz und zuvor langjährig Geschäftsführer und Board-Mitglied der weltweit größten Aftermarket-Organisation. Sie vertreten sich gegenseitig als Primus inter pares Partner in den jeweiligen Unternehmen der Schweiz (PRAECLARUS Bernhard Glaninger) und in Deutschland (BOARDTARGET Alexander Müller). Die gleichsam neu gegründete, internationale Dachorganisation - IBA-Partners, Independent Board Advisory Partners, repräsentiert den gemeinsamen Werte-Ansatz der beiden.

Die Organisation ist offen für weitere Partner die diese Werte-Orientierung uneingeschränkt teilen.

Informationen unter www.boardtarget.com für Deutschland, www.praeclarus.ch für die Schweiz sowie international

www.iba-partners.com.

2019

Rallying for Talent in the Automotive Industry

Written by:

Bernhard Glaninger

Partner BOARDTARGET – Value-based Board Advisory

Managing Director PRAECLARUS GmbH, Switzerland

The real search for talent in the automotive IAM is changing into a much broader search across multiple industries. Hiring Managers and Executive Search Consultants all know, or at least believe we know, how our markets are changing in the IAM.

But do we really?

How often is talent recruited from one company only to face a similar challenge in another? Who should do the work necessary to evaluate the right candidate? The company on its own? Or should it be in co-operation with an independent specialist? Today’s IAM organizations undergo constant change, consolidation is accelerating and formerly independent companies grow to become huge structures. This does not only apply to wholesalers or spare part manufacturers, but also to International Trading Groups (ITGs), which are also under great pressure to transform themselves.

How does the distribution of a spare part work in the IAM? Yesterday, today and in 5 years-time? What are the next steps/advances in the digitalization of our industry? How much overlap will there really be between the IAM and the OE aftermarket? What will be the size of the IAM in view of the developments in the direction of electric and autonomous vehicles? We should take the time to find answers to these questions and not simply continue as before, pushing the problem away.

We find that our IAM clients increasingly ask us to source talent also outside their core industry, for example in the Media Technology and Energy Sectors. At the same time, players from these industries are requiring talent from the Automotive Industry, including the IAM. This to fulfil the needs and demands for the new mobility solutions and the providers in automotive. Ideas are changing: the pure professional IAM manager with deep knowledge and experience in his field is still important, but is feeling the pressure from talent out who can bring the necessary innovation drive, and these candidates are often grown in alternate industries. For candidates who are looking for new challenges and who want to move into the IAM, possibilities are abound.

We are in a position to assist our clients in this process, seeking the right talent for them both inside and outside the IAM. Our consultants are discreet, work with objectivity, total independence and in compliance with corporate governance best practices.

2018

Leadership in disruptive technologies

Written by:

Alexander Müller

Managing Partner BOARDTARGET – Value-based Board Advisory

Partner PRAECLARUS GmbH

When we are discussing one of the most important considered topics in management – leadership – we find a lot of approaches, different theories and industry perspectives. Unsurprisingly, these often called “new” findings on leadership just repeat identical content under new headlines. At best, these new findings refer to validated scientific researches and operational studies in management consultancy and are indeed neither new nor revolutionary. At worst, they refer to non-validated material, individualistic pseudo- philosophy or even cabalistic insights. In fact, repeating the same procedures year after year does not confirm the correctness at all. Now what does this mean for leadership in disrupted industries like the Automotive Industry for example?

Measures taken in the past in changing situations – remember, previously we called that “Change Management” – are implemented in the same way as ever, caused by the expectation that it works. Of course it`s hard to find out instantaneously that it does not. The reason for repeating this dysfunctional leadership approach is that the perspective did not change. As long as management is not able to change perspective, it will stay ineffective. Regarding the exemplary and famous failed change of KODAK some years ago, management could not get a grip on new developments and neglected the technology trends and market developments due to a cashcow-model running out of time. This was disruption at its best.

The Automotive industry today is confronted by a similar development, still sticking to the old technology, at least anticipating the change, but still in urgent need of action plans to manage. The more you move in the marsh, the more you sink. The actions taken are disclosing desperate attempts to survive the current state as long as possible, while sinking deeper in the mud. What an ironic picture this brings to mind: Automotive needing horses to get out of the swamp.

If the perspective changes, solutions are so close, in fact brilliant heads have been working on it for years. Managers are obliged not to be busy with the old world but to keep an eye on those brilliant heads who are able to develop transformation fast. Automotive leadership should no longer insist on achievements of the past but rather change their perspective and take a focussed, sharp look at the intelligent, bright people and leaders working on solutions in alternative business models; considering future alternative powertrains, massive emission reduction, new mobility concepts, autonomous driving, new manufacturing concepts and digital services. Leadership means developing people, technologies and markets, finding best solutions as an ongoing continuous process with a steady hand, a clear vision and focussed attitude.

Automotive is dead? No, as long as it is open for disruption and change. Automotive has the kind of leaders who have proven capabilities to manage disruptive technologies. We meet those leaders along our way as Executive Search Consultants and know where to find them. We are the horses, helping to get our clients out of the swamp.

2017

Independent Automotive Aftermarket – Make or Buy

Written by:

Bernhard Glaninger

Managing Partner BOARDTARGET – Value-based Board Advisory

Managing Director PRAECLARUS GmbH

Traditional and family-run companies active in the Independent Automotive Aftermarket (IAM) are under great pressure. Adjustments and changes are necessary. Some organizations are investing in new markets, going abroad, others are adapted, merged and optimized. Large organizations from overseas with great appetite take over entire corporate groups in the European aftermarket. Private equity funds buy traditional companies in the automotive aftermarket, optimize them and sell them, etc.

As a former Managing Director of a family run company in the IAM, I am very concerned about these major changes in our market which create completely new requirements in terms of personnel development and the abilities of the management. Another game changer comes form the technical developments affecting the car parts business, including necessary organizational changes in logistics.

Question: Can spare parts be sold in the same way as 5 years ago? The answer to this is simple: certainly not! The technical development of the vehicles, and in particular the connectivity and communication between vehicle, workshop and driver require significant changes in the sales and logistics processes. Because of this, employees have to develop a whole new set of skills. In addition, organizational arrangements must be made. Is our organization ready and fit for the change? Do we have the necessary knowledge in our team to be successful in future too? Are we, as entrepreneurs and owners in the IAM, prepared for it? Everyone can answer this question for himself.

A friend and owner of a very successful company in the IAM shared the following view with me: Should I develop my own personnel and knowledge in-house – as it has always been – , or should I hire and introduce external staff as a result of the strong changes in the market?

MAKE OR BUY, that is the question.

2014

Alexander Müller appointed for Global Leader Automotive

AIMS International-Germany Partner Appointed Global Head Of Automotive, Alexander Müller, AIMS International Partner based in Munich, has been elected to serve as the organization’s Global Head of Automotive Practice Team by the AIMS International Board after he had been peer reviewed. The Automotive Practice Team consists of AIMS International Partners located throughout the Americas, EMEA and the Asia/Pacific regions.

In the last 20 years as management consultant, Mr Müller has gained experience in conducting international cross-functional C-Suites- and senior executive-searches as well as executive coaching and management appraisal assignments in various industries. In the automotive sector, he worked for OEM brand-name companies, international retail organizations and tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers. He has a master in psychology at the Free University of Brussels and speaks fluent German, English, Dutch and some French.

Search-consult online published by Dillistone Systems in 2014