Automotive News Europe - September 2011 - 92

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE

HUMAN RESOURCES

E U R O S T A R S
❙ AWARD:

Sales & Marketing Executive

❙ AWARD:

CFO

❙ AWARD:

Supplier CEO

PAUL PHILPOTT
❙ TITLE: Kia Europe COO ❙ AGE:

AXEL STROTBEK
❙ TITLE: Audi Chief Financial Officer ❙ AGE:

FRANZ FEHRENBACH
❙ TITLE: Robert Bosch Chairman ❙ AGE:

aul Philpott has clear priorities in life. “What is important to me are my family and the future of Kia,” Philpott told Automotive News Europe. The married father of two has created substantial value for his employer. After joining Kia as its UK chief in 2007, the Englishman turned around the brand’s UK business, boosting its market share to 2.3 percent in 2009 from 1.4 percent in 2006. That success led to a promotion to Kia’s chief operating officer for Europe and a move to the carmaker’s European headquarters in Frankfurt in 2009. Philpott quickly set about the task of improving Kia’s new-car sales with bold decisions. In January 2010, he introduced a seven-year warranty on all cars the Korean brand sells in Europe. This move won Kia a lot attention and improved its brand awareness and sales. Philpott also started to roll out Kia’s new global corporate identity for the brand’s 2,000 European dealers. As part of Kia’s plans to improve its dealer network in major European markets, Philpott also announced in June that the automaker will take over the importing and distribution of Kia vehicles in Italy from the independent dealer group Gruppo Koelliker. Philpott has high ambitions for Kia in Europe. His goal is to boost European sales to 450,000 units by 2013 from 262,627 last year and probably around 300,000 this year. Philpott has a lot of experience in the automotive industry. He worked for Ford Motor Co. for 11 years and for Toyota for nine years. He also has a good feeling for business figures. After graduating in finance from Loughborough University in England, he worked for 12 months in the financial sector. ■
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udi continues to report all-time highs in sales and profitability. In the first half, the brand booked record figures for all key financial indicators. The company looks set for a record 2011 – after a record 2010. Axel Strotbek is the man making sure that the numbers add up. He compares the task of balancing investment in new products and technology while keeping a tight rein on costs to “walking a tightrope.” Between 2011 and 2015, Audi plans to invest 11.6 billion euros, mainly to boost its product lineup and to keep its technological edge. Strotbek also must make sure that Audi isn’t caught by the volatile conditions of the global economy as the ambitious brand powers head with its goal of surpassing BMW and Mercedes- Benz as the world’s best-selling and most profitable premium marque. As it chases this goal Audi is significantly boosting its product lineup and CEO Rupert Stadler values Strotbek’s skills in assessing whether the business case for a new car is sound. Stadler also appreciates Strotbek’s knowledge of the key Chinese market, which Audi calls its “second home market” after Germany. Strotbek was finance chief for VW Group in China from 2004 to 2007 when he was named Audi’s top financial officer. The German also has 20 years’ experience with VW group to help him meet the challenges ahead. He joined VW brand’s controlling and accounting department in 1991, winning promotion nine years later to managing director for Volkswagen Sachsen whose Zwickau factory builds Golfs and Passats. An industrial engineer by training, he studied in Germany and Sweden before gaining an MBA at University of Illinois in Chicago. ■

obert Bosch would be proud of the people running his company today. The 19th century entrepreneur, who founded the German firm 125 years ago and who would have turned 150 on Sept. 23, would be delighted to see the financial results current Bosch Chairman Franz Fehrenbach presented this past year. He also would be impressed with the integrity and compassion of his 21st century leaders. There are many reasons why Fehrenbach is the Automotive News Europe Supplier CEO Eurostar. Bosch’s total sales grew 24 percent to 47.3 billion euros ($67.8 billion) last year. The company’s 2010 profit before tax was 3.5 billion euros, resulting in a 7.4 percent return on sales. The company invests heavily in r&d. Last year, this sum was 3.8 billion euros – or 8.1 percent of revenues. And, mostly, Bosch’s future looks bright. Fehrenbach is confident the company’s total sales will pass 50 billion euros for the first time in 2011 – of which the company’s auto division should have contributed a record 30 billion euros. The executive also expects that Bosch’s total return on sales will remain at 7 percent to 8 percent. Fehrenbach is pushing the group into new areas, having recently approved a deal with Daimler AG to establish a 50-50 joint venture for electric motors. The new company, EM-motive GmbH, will develop and produce electric motors – also known as traction motors – for electric vehicles. Fehrenbach started as a trainee at Bosch in 1975. After running the company’s starter and alternator unit and the diesel systems divisions, Fehrenbach was promoted to Bosch’s management board in 1999. He became board chairman in 2003. ■

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Automotive News Europe - September 2011

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