Simply the Best
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AN_060821_13_16.qxd 15.08.2006 16:19 Uhr Page 13 ◆ AUGUST 21, 2006 AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE 13 ◆ Simply the best Each year the editors and reporters of Automotive News Europe select who they think are the best executives in the car industry. The decisions are, by nature, subjective. And with the wealth of talented people working in all corners of the car business, the choices are always difficult. But the 14 executives we picked have all excelled in many ways. They have made lasting contributions to their companies and to the industry as a whole. Congratulations to all of our 2006 Eurostars! Chief financial officer Stefan Krause BMW board member for finance Age: 43 Anyone who thinks all automotive chief financial officers are boring, uninspired “bean counters” obviously hasn’t met Stefan Krause. BMW group’s finance boss is a tough, open-minded straight talker whose talent with numbers has helped the automaker earn huge profits despite unfavorable currency exchange rates, skyrocketing raw materials prices and intense competition. But Krause has done more than just manage the numbers. Financial analysts praise his openness and say he has created a greater degree of transparency in the company’s books. That has helped the company’s stock price. BMW’s 2005 pre-tax profit slipped 8 percent to E3.29 billion, but the company forecasts a rebound to E4 billion this year. That ambitious goal perfectly fits Krause’s results-driven personality. Born and raised in Bogota, Columbia, he brings a dose of Latin passion to the Bavarian company’s board room. He will need all his energy to help BMW hit its next target – sales of 1.6 million units by 2010 – without sacrificing profitability at the world’s largest premium carmaker. Photo: Beatrice Vohler Supplier CEO Siegfried Goll ZF Friedrichshafen CEO Age: 65 CEO Siegfried Goll has excelled at extending ZF Friedrichshafen’s reach through acquisitions and partnerships during his five Project leader years at the helm of the German supplier. Cristina Siletto Recent projects include a cooperation on hybrid Fiat Auto vehicle line executive for large and premium models technology with Continental and the Sports Utility Cabrio Age: 41 concept car that ZF built together with contract manufacturer Karmann. Cristina Siletto really is enjoying the success of the Fiat Grande Punto. She should. Without her the But Goll’s masterpiece was the 2001 purchase and car probably would not be such a hit. integration of chassis components supplier The head of the Grande Punto project did two things that have not been done at Fiat Auto in more Mannesmann Sachs, which is now ZF Sachs. than a decade: She met all of the car’s quality targets and did so within budget. “Sachs was a very big acquisition, but we have Siletto also had the car ready for showrooms last September – two months ahead of schedule. mastered it, and we are well on our way. The whole Being quick to market gave Fiat Auto more time to win buyers from rivals Opel/Vauxhall and business is now a core part of our group,” Goll told Peugeot, whose aging Corsa and 207 small cars are being replaced this year. Automotive News Europe earlier this year. Customers have rewarded Fiat Auto by making the Grande Punto one of Europe’s top-selling small cars. A consistently strong performer in a tough market, By beating 2005 sales expectations, the Grande Punto helped give Fiat Auto a fourth-quarter ZF reported sales of almost E11 billion last year, up operating profit of E21 million – the automaker’s first positive result after 17 consecutive quarters 8 percent from 2004. of losses. Since Goll started with the company in 1963, ZF Siletto’s work on the Grande Punto earned her a huge promotion last November. She is Fiat Auto’s has evolved from a transmission maker into a vehicle line executive for large and premium models. chassis and drivetrain specialist. The 2002 Automotive News Europe Woman of the Year now oversees four platforms that underpin Goll will retire on December 31. He will be replaced eight Fiat Auto cars ranging from the Alfa Romeo GT to the Fiat Croma and Lancia Thesis. on January 1, 2007, by Hans-Georg Härter, 60, If she can meet each car’s cost and quality targets, Fiat Auto has a chance to achieve another first: who currently heads ZF Sachs and also is having a top seller above the minicar and small-car segments. responsible for ZF’s operations in Asia-Pacific. AN_060821_13_16.qxd 15.08.2006 16:20 Uhr Page 14 ◆ 14 AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE AUGUST 21, 2006 ◆ Supplier division CEO Wolfgang Dehen Group CEO Siemens VDO Automotive Sergio Marchionne President Fiat group and Fiat Auto CEO Age: 52 Age: 54 Siemens VDO Automotive Sergio Marchionne’s message to employees after he took over as President Wolfgang Fiat Auto CEO in February 2005 was clear and simple: “I told them Dehen has turned that we would build a team and try to fix the damn thing.” around the division and To form his team, Marchionne, who also is Fiat group CEO, either strongly improved its fired or reassigned executives whose divisions were performing products and quality. poorly. While Marchionne admits that Fiat Auto remains on the Since Dehen took over in comeback trail, he is thrilled with the executives who are helping July 2002, Siemens VDO him fix the once-reeling Italian automaker. has gone from being a “Great organizations and great people can do great things,” loss-making subsidiary of Marchionne said. “We’re growing some great kids in our house.” the Siemens electrical and The highlight of Marchionne’s continuing turnaround of Fiat group electronics giant to a has been his work at Fiat Auto. The car division reported a first-half division that contributed E E 630 million to the operating profit of 145 million. During the same period last year E Fiat Auto had an operating loss of E217 million. group’s 4.7 billion profit in But Marchionne has done a lot more than put the Italian the fiscal year that ended conglomerate’s largest division back on track. September 30, 2005. Fiat group’s other businesses – truckmaker Iveco, agricultural Dehen managed to cut the and construction equipment specialist Case New Holland (CNH) supplier’s overall rate of faulty and vehicle component maker Magneti Marelli – are even more parts (measured in parts per profitable now than when Marchionne took charge of the group million or ppm) from 167 ppm in in June 2004. 2002 to 30 ppm in 2005. Dehen’s Even without Fiat Auto’s contribution, the group’s first-half ultimate goal is even more operating profit was E837 million, up from E634 million during the ambitious. “Zero ppm is same period last year. possible, even in electronics Marchionne’s goal is for Fiat group to have a net income of close and software,” he says. to E1 billion for the full year and between E1.4 billion and Dehen also is on track to E1.6 billion by 2007. achieve his strategic goal To reach that goal he expects big results: a 10 percent operating of creating an even mix of profit for CNH and a 7.5 percent operating profit at Iveco. business between Europe, Fiat Auto will be expected to deliver a 4 percent operating profit. Asia and North America. In Marchionne believes the bulk of the work to fix Fiat Auto has been 2002, 71 percent of Siemens done: “The team is in place and is working with enthusiasm and VDO’s sales were generated in Europe, 21 dedication.” percent in North America and 7 percent in Asia. Since January Marchionne has dedicated half his working hours to That ratio changed to 61:27:10 in 2005. The long-term goal is to have each CNH. continent represent one-third of the supplier’s sales. That, by the way, is a huge commitment of time considering that Dehen is ambitious. He wants Siemens VDO to pass Robert Bosch and the chain-smoking, tie-hating executive works 20 hours a day Denso to become the world’s No. 1 automobile electronics supplier. 6 days a week. Purchasing executive Jean-Philippe Collin PSA vice president of purchasing Age: 50 When PSA/Peugeot-Citroen hired Jean-Philippe Collin two years ago to head its purchasing division, the French automaker signaled that global sourcing had become top priority. PSA chose an outsider with an engineering and international background rather than a seasoned company veteran. One reason Collin was picked was because he Car division CEO brought PSA expertise in a key area: electronics. Detlef Wittig His previous job was head of purchasing at Skoda chairman French electronics giant Thomson. Age: 64 Collin searches the world for suppliers that can deliver quality parts at competitive prices. “He is Skoda has enjoyed record production and profitability during PSA’s own cost-killer,” says a PSA insider, in an Detlef Wittig’s tenure as the Czech automaker’s chairman. allusion to rival Renault’s famed cost-killer, CEO Skoda is on track to produce and sell a record 500,000 cars Carlos Ghosn. in 2006. At the same time it is making a lot of money. Collin’s natural affability may help lessen Its first-half net profit increased 62.2 percent to 6.4 billion the pressure he puts on suppliers. crowns (E228 million) compared with the same period last year. His colleagues marvel at the Skoda reported record profits in both 2004 and 2005. contrast between his short, Skoda has become a more global player under Wittig.