VALUENEER Guest Speakers

Theory at university and practical application are often seen as two separate things. However, this is not a necessity. Examples taken from the professional business world can help to enhance the understanding of complex management and leader tasks and thereby support the transfer of knowledge from theory to real business life.


To strengthen the transfer of the knowledge taught in his lectures, Mr. Makowski regularly invites managers and leaders from different industries to his lectures at varying universities. The guest speakers support through their commitment the development of procurement and demonstrate how important procurement is for the success of a company.


The following persons did commit some of their time and gave students an insight into the world of procurement:

Dr Michaela Schäfer

Head of Global Purchasing at Hella

 

Guest lecture in 2015 at the Mannheim Business School concerning the topic ‘Talent driven purchasing organization’ and in 2015 at the ESCP in Berlin concerning ‘Risk Management’


Ms. Schäfer graduated with a Diploma in Engineering (Industrial Engineering) at the TU Berlin, made an MBA at the University of Kentucky and finally did her doctorate in Business Administration and Management at the Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. Her career started at McKinsey Berlin and was followed by several years in Moscow. Since 2008 Ms. Schäfer works for Hella in procurement and today she is Head of Global Purchasing.


Dr Ullrich Piepel

CPO at RWE AG

Board member at BME e.V.


Guest lecture in 2014 at the EBS, Wiesbaden concerning ‘Efficient and modern procurement’


After graduating in mechanical engineering at the University of Dortmund and finalizing his doctorate Mr. Piepel did work at various firms in different positions. Since 2003 he works for the RWE AG. At first he was appointed as Managing director and CPO of RWE Services GmbH and in 2013 he was appointed as CPO of the RWE AG. Furthermore Mr. Piepel supports the development of procurement and logistics in his role as a board member at the BME e.V.


Christian Thöne

Head of Procurement Management at DekaBank Deutsche Girozentral


Guest lecture in 2014 at the EBS, Wiesbaden and at the Mannheim Business School concerning ‘Leadership and performance measurement’


Mr. Thöne graduated at first at the Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg (Diploma in Business and Engineering) and afterwards at the Akademie für Führungskräfte der Wirtschaft, Bad Harzburg (Diploma in Management). His professional career did start at the Deutsche Bank and was followed by several years at the HDP Management consulting. Since 2008 Mr. Thöne is responsible for procurement at the DekaBank.


Norbert Merklein

Senior Vice President, Head of Group Procurement Services at Clariant International Ltd

 

Guest lecture in 2014 at the Mannheim Business School concerning ‘Sustainability initiatives in procurement’


Mr. Merklein is Head of Group Procurement at Clariant International, one of the leading companies for specialty chemicals. After working in international jobs in marketing and sales, he was appointed Head of Group Procurement in 2013, in Muttenz/Switzerland. Besides his responsibilities at Clariant, he supports the procurement initiative ‚Together for Sustainability‘.


Christian Holzer

Head of Corporate Function Procurement & Supply Management ThyssenKrupp AG


Guest lecture in 2014 at the Mannheim Business School concerning ‘International sourcing strategies’


After graduating in electrical engineering at the Technical University of Dortmund, Mr. Holzer started his career as project manager for infrastructure-projects at Siemens in the sector of ‘Energy’. As part of the Supply Chain Management board team he was responsible for a procurement volume of around €10bn. In 2012 Mr. Holzer changed to ThyssenKrupp AG, where he was appointed as CPO and is responsible for a procurement volume of around €24bn.


Marcell Vollmer

COO und Senior Vice President at Ariba

 

Guest lecture in 2014 at the Mannheim Business School concerning ‘Taking procurement to the next level’ and in 2013 concerning ‘Global procurement excellence’


Mr. Vollmer studied at the University of Hamburg and did his doctorate in political sciences in 2004. After his graduation he worked for DHL Express in several offices in national and international projects. From 2008 until 2015 he worked for SAP and was CPO and Senior Vice president since 2011. In April 2015 he was appointed COO and Senior Vice President of Ariba, an SAP company. 


Holger Hüppeler

Head of Procurement and Logistics at LANXESS AG


Guest lecture in 2013 at the Mannheim Business School


After finishing his apprenticeship as a business adjunct, Mr. Hüppeler worked for Bayer and later LANXESS. During his professional career he worked as a product manager and head of strategic management of the BU Basic Chemicals. Since 2008 he is responsible for procurement. 


Christoph Clausen

CPO at The Linde Group


Guest lecture in 2013 at the Mannheim Business School concerning ‘Global Procurement’


Mr. Clausen graduated at the RWTH Aachen (Diploma of Engineering in mining and mineral engineering). Since 2006 he is CPO at the Linde Group. 


Simon Eroglu

Category Manager Europe at Supply Chain S.à.r.l. (Lufthansa Group)

 

Guest lecture in 2012 at the University of Cologne concerning ‘Central Purchasing’


Mr. Eroglu did finish his academic track at the Berlin School of Economics and Law with a Master of Business Administration. Hereafter he worked for NH Hotels, where he later was appointed Purchasing Manager Germany & Poland  and then Director of Procurement Central Europe. Since 2014 he works as Category Manager at Supply Chain S.à.r.l.


Michael Timinger

Managing Director at Spahn GmbH


Guest Lecture in 2012 at the University of Cologne


After graduating  at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (Diploma), Mr. Timinger did work for several companies and was e.g. appointed Managing Director at Interad and later CEO at Nolte Holzwerkstoff GmbH. After several years as COO at Schmitz GmbH, he was appointed Managing Director at Spahn GmbH.


Atul Malhotra

Management Advisor

  

Guest lecture in 2013 at the Mannheim Business School concerning ‘Risk Management in Procurement’


Mr. Malhotra graduated with an MBA at the University of Delhi. In his professional career was later appointed Vice President Business Controlling & Development at ABB, then Vice President Supply Management at Adtranz and hereafter Vice President Procurement at Bombardier. In the following years he was Head of Purchasing & Member of Group Management at Georg Fischer Automotive AG. Today he is Management Adviser at Georg Fischer Automotive AG.


Matthias Manegold

Director Global Indirects Procurement at Bacardi-Martini

 

Guest lecture in 2012 at the Mannheim Business School 


Mr. Manegold graduated at University in mechanical engineering. In the following two decades he worked for Procter & Gamble and later was appointed Purchase Group Manager and Associate Director Global Purchase in several sectors. Since 2012 he works as Director of Global Indirects Procurement at Bacardi-Martini.


Martin Döller

CPO at Swarco AG

 

Guest lecture in 2011 at the Mannheim Business School, in 2011 and 2010 at the University of Cologne concerning ‘Excellence in Procurement’


After graduating in business administration at the VWA Münster, Mr. Döller started his career as Head of Procurement at Logware. Hereafter he was appointed as Head of Technical Procurement at British American Tobacco and afterwards as Vice President Supply Management at Hauni Maschinenbau AG. He then started to work as Head of Group Procurement and Logistics at Sedus Stoll and subsequently as CPO at the Swarco AG.


Akhan Urgun

COO at Gemalto M2M

 

Guest lecture in 2011 at the Mannheim Business School and in 2010 at the University of Cologne concerning ‘Procurement at Cinterion’


Mr. Urgun was, while he worked for Siemens, appointed Vice President Global Procurement at Siemens Home and Office Communication Devices. In 2008 he was appointed COO at Gemalto M2M (previously Cinterion Wireless Modules) and is responsible for the operative business.


Andreas Mader

Vice President Purchasing at Magna Exteriors & Interiors

 

Guest lecture in 2010 at the University of Cologne 


Mr. Mader worked several years as Director Purchasing & Operations at TRW Automotive. Hereafter he got in charge of procurement at Magna Exteriors & Interiors as Vice President Purchasing.