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The person behind the CV

Every one of these steps belongs to me.

Production work at Thyssen, international leadership and the choices in between. A path shaped by setbacks, responsibility and curiosity.

The decisions behind my CV

No two jobs were alike.

My career began in production at Thyssen. Customer projects, integration in Wuhan, global sales and CEO responsibility followed. Each move brought different questions, people and responsibilities. Changes of direction, setbacks and curiosity are part of that story.

Begin

Thyssen · production & materials

Production work, materials testing and production planning

Industrialize

Sino-European automotive joint venture

Wuhan integration and China operations

Open markets

Automation · metals · automotive supply

Global projects, sales, pricing and growth

Transform

Advanced manufacturing · new mobility

CEO leadership, mobility and special situations

Accelerate

Engineering & transformation consulting

Strategy, engineering and technology commercialization

Max Brandt smiling outdoors
More than a CV
“What you see is what you get. Every one of these steps belongs to my story.”

The person behind the milestones

What you see is what you get.

I used to keep quiet about starting at Thyssen as a production worker. Being a global executive always made it onto my CV, of course.

I filled my CV with achievements. I also tended to leave out that I hadn’t gone straight from school to a top university. Today, I’m coming to understand just how valuable those early steps were.

A date and a title tell you little about what led me to a decision. No two jobs were alike. There were changes of direction and setbacks, and curiosity kept drawing me towards the next step. Those experiences belong to the person you work with today.

Art, design, craftsmanship and music keep me curious: recognising patterns, combining distinct elements and discovering what emerges between them.

What I bring into leadership

01 Industry from several perspectives My experience in production, customer projects, global sales and CEO/CFO roles helps me assess a growth plan from several sides: customer demand, operational feasibility and the financial result. These perspectives need to fit together before a plan can work.
02 Experience across Europe and Asia Two and a half years in Wuhan and continuous China engagement since 2008 inform my work across markets, cultures and management systems.
03 Clear commitments. Accountable decisions. I welcome people who challenge my thinking. I make clear commitments, carry decisions through and take responsibility for the result.
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