Leadership at eye level
Our management team
The management team consists of the two company founders, three partners and the Advisory Board and is complemented by senior advisors from various disciplines.
All of them have many years of professional practice and a correspondingly extensive range of experience, based both on leading activities in industry and on consulting experience in strategic and operational projects in various industries.
Our Management
I am Gerrit and founded FourManagement GmbH in 2012 together with Christoph. When I started as a consultant at Management Engineers in 2001 after successfully completing my PhD in electrochemistry, I actually only wanted to stay for about 2 years. This did not work because I really enjoy “my vocation”. The special thing about consulting for me is that I continuously get to know new and exciting people, with whom I jointly (further) develop or optimize topics in such a way that new values are created.
At 4M, I am an expert in strategy and reorganizations as well as for sales.
What else is there about me?
- Greatest strength: a positive attitude
- Favorite city: Düsseldorf, this is where I always come back to
- Specialist for: Water sports destinations
- Special characteristics: Running gear in my travel bag
- Most important equipment: my smartphone as mobile office
- Best anecdote or fact about me: efficiency can become a vice
My industry is energy supply, in which I have been involved in design, operations and consulting for over 25 years since graduating from RWTH Aachen University with a degree in electrical engineering — initially in industry, then later in renowned consulting firms and since 2012 as managing partner of FourManagement GmbH.
“Energy supply is the heart and lifeline of the German economy, therefore of immense importance and subject to massive change in the current decade!”
At 4M, I am an expert in almost all issues that concern an energy supplier.
What else is there about me?
- Greatest strength: Calmness and composure (comes increasingly with age)
- Favourite city: I don’t have one because there is so much to see and experience.
- Specialist for: Soccer and karting
- Special characteristics: Five children, one wife, precision in statements and order-loving
- Most important equipment: My car key
- Best anecdote or fact about me: I thought I could drive a car until I ended up in the gravel trap.
Our Partners
I stand for projects around business development, growth and creating the necessary organizational conditions.
After studying business administration at the TU Berlin, I got to know many industries and companies. For ten years I built up, managed and finally successfully sold my company in the health care sector. . I also developed energy projects around photovoltaics and biogas.
In the field of energy supply, I am an expert in electricity production from renewable sources, innovative business models and the transformation to a climate-neutral future. My conviction is that with the right framework conditions, we can change our economy innovatively and creatively so that we can conserve natural resources and provide future generations with a future worth living. The transformation of the economy needs strong co-thinkers. We should preserve values, not business models.
At 4M, I am an expert in innovation, change processes and transformations, and sustainable business. I am primarily responsible for consulting services related to innovation and growth management, mergers & acquisitions and due diligences and serve clients in the hydrogen industry and the renewable energy sector.
What else is there about me?
- Greatest strength: Great wealth of intercultural experience
- Favorite city: always where I am at the moment. But I love Munich, London, Milan, Barcelona, Edinburgh and Vancouver.
- Specialist for: Skiing and chopping wood
- Special characteristics: many household members (family with children, dogs, cat, chickens etc.), always a new business idea, jogging
- Most important equipment: my business idea memory
- Best anecdote or fact about me: when I thought I was at my destination, it was just a waypoint in a different direction.
I discovered my interest in the energy industry while studying to be an industrial engineer and turned it into a profession over 12 years ago.
After an exciting first internship semester in corporate development and my diploma thesis on the (then) envisaged direct marketing of renewable energies, I had a very good start in one of the TOP energy groups. As a generalist, I was initially responsible for the introduction of process management in the distribution network and in metering point operation, and as a young employee I was already able to accompany many exciting projects. Subsequently, I was a senior consultant in an IT consultancy for three years, which enabled me to supplement my technical and process knowledge with IT skills.
I have been with 4M since 2016 and am primarily responsible for consulting mandates in the network and metering point environment. Over the years, topics such as energy supply, digitalization, and sustainability have increasingly come into political and social focus. I am also increasingly motivated to make my personal contribution to the energy transition in my private and professional life. I succeed in doing so in varied projects at small municipal utilities, large energy companies, grid, and metering point operators, as well as start-ups.
At 4M, I am an expert in strategy development, process consulting as well as digitalization and innovation management for grid and metering point operators.
What else is there about me?
- Greatest strength: Empathy and the will to change things for the better.
- Favourite city: I tend to be happy in the mountains, but Barcelona is also quite nice.
- Specialist for: Socializing and delicious food
- Special characteristics: A lot of main hair and tidiness
- Most important equipment: Good shoes
- Best anecdote or fact about me: After more than 30 years of life, I have finally arrived in a scenic region that celebrates my birthday excessively
In my first year as a consultant more than 24 years ago, I had a project with a large municipal utility. Since then, I have been a “repeat offender” and have remained loyal to the energy industry as a management consultant. An industry with constantly new challenges, strong regulatory influence, and great innovative power.
The transformation of the energy industry towards a climate-neutral industry, the demands of mobility and heating, the goals of decarbonisation and the establishment of smart cities are challenging infrastructure service providers to respond with intelligent and economic solutions.
This is how I would like to continue contributing to the development of appropriate solutions.
At 4M, I am an expert on the current challenges facing the energy industry — especially strategic issues, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence, as well as hydrogen and decarbonisation.
What else is there about me?
- Greatest strength: getting to the heart of things and bringing together different views.
- Favourite city: always Düsseldorf, very much like places on the Belgian North Sea coast and Vienna once a year
- Specialist for: pruning bushes, snooker strategy and racing bike technique
- Special characteristics: reliable partner with prudence, even in difficult situations
- Most important equipment: the key to the beach cabin on Belgium’s coast
- Best anecdote or fact about me: I don’t take everything so seriously unless I have to. This is especially true for myself.
Our Advisory Board
I am a long-standing expert in strategy, innovation, innovation implementation and transformation in the automotive and engineering industries. Having been involved in at least seven vehicle development projects and in the standardization of vehicle factories around the world, as well as in various transformation projects that have been carried out very successfully, I have in-depth expert knowledge.
In addition, my core competence lies in benchmarking product costs along the entire value chain: from metal, glass, plastics, electronics, and software to a complete vehicle.
The implementation of new product concepts into globally competitive products and services with the scaling of business concepts is a process that has been successfully carried out many times. I have been responsible for this process for OEMs, suppliers, and machine manufacturers on a global level.
At 4M, I support the management in strategic business development as an advisory board member. Based on my experience from management roles in three globally active strategy consultancies, I can address almost all questions regarding the business development of a consulting company.
What else is there about me?
- After 40 years in industry and consulting, my curiosity for business challenges is fresher than ever. Especially when using digital technologies in traditional business models, enormous opportunities open up.
- In order to implement successful business ideas and solutions, I bring together many years of management experience with the possibilities of new technologies. Because I am convinced that this is the only way to master the challenges of the global changes of our time.
- Based on my previous, very successful project collaborations, I benefit from a global, stable network of confidants in industry and associations.
My industries are services — from management consulting to gastronomy to social services — and wholesale. There, I have over 30 years of professional experience, including around 20 years in management and board positions. The theoretical foundation for this was laid with my studies in technically oriented business administration at the University of Stuttgart and my doctorate as Dr. rer.pol. laid.
I am enthusiastic about dealing with people and achieving exceptional performance as part of a team. Changes and further developments are the engine of economic success — this always requires people who think ahead, drive forward, and implement.
I like to get involved in situations of change, which is why FourManagement, with its focus on change projects and energy supply, is a matter close to my heart.
At 4M, as an advisory board member, I am an expert on all issues related to change projects and leadership topics, as well as a sparring partner for FourManagement’s leadership team.
What else is there about me?
- Greatest strength: finding something good in everything
- Favourite city: there are many places that fascinate me and with which I have a special connection
- Specialist for: Windsurfing and skiing
- Special characteristics: patchwork family with five children, a wife, and a dog — therefore organizational talent in challenging situations
- Most important equipment: my iPhone
- Best anecdote or fact about me: forgot to board the plane at the gate because I was so busy talking on the phone and missed my flight
I am an engineer and energy technician at heart with a soft spot for all topics related to electricity, gas, and water networks, be it planning issues or challenges in operation. This includes, in particular, the automation of processes and comprehensive digitalization. I am particularly passionate about innovation topics for aligning networks with future supply tasks.
I studied “Electrical Power Engineering” at the TH Darmstadt and then earned my doctorate in the field of energy economics / electrical grids at the RWTH Aachen.
For more than 10 years, I held various management positions in industry at an international electrical engineering company and a large service company for electricity, gas, and telecommunications networks. This experience is complemented by extensive knowledge in energy economics and regulation. I was responsible for both topics for a European energy supplier for many years.
I have over 30 years of professional experience in all these areas, including around 15 years in management and board positions in the energy industry. For many years, I have also been active in national and international technical committees, supervisory boards and associations and can thus draw on an extensive network of personal contacts.
At 4M, I support the management team as an advisory board member in all matters relating to the planning and operation of energy supply networks, innovation, and the digitalization of business processes.
What else is there about me?
- Greatest strength: never getting loud and always looking for a solution
- Favorite city: there are many fascinating cities in the world, and I have always loved to travel
- Specialist in: new technologies and innovations in electrical networks
- Special characteristics: Family man and love for good books
- Most important equipment: my Apple devices
- Best anecdote or fact about me: engineer is still my dream job
Our Senior Advisors
As a passionate entrepreneur and consultant, I have been moving between start-up and corporate worlds for over twenty years. Entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, innovation and new business planning are my most frequent playing fields As a founder, managing director and partner, I have been involved in many projects in Europe, America, and Asia, implementing new ideas: from the founding of an association for an international competition, to the founding of a start-up centre, to the development of a pan-European online marketplace. My consulting projects have focused on business development, the introduction and integration of new technologies and the successful implementation of change and knowledge management.
I am as enthusiastic about developing and implementing business ideas in a challenging environment as I am about working as part of a team to find solutions to clients’ challenges. At the end of the day, it is always the entrepreneurial heart that ensures feasibility.
In addition to e‑commerce and digitalisation strategies in general, I have been passionate about the energy and IT sectors and mechanical engineering for many years.
At 4M, I am mainly an expert on issues related to innovation, digitalisation, and e‑commerce.
What else is there about me?
- Greatest strength: Motivating people
- Favorite city: Rome
- Specialist for: Tennis and skiing
- Special features: Italian jacket with American accent
- Most important equipment: my head
- Best anecdote or fact about me: Founded my first business at 15, unfortunately illegally as I was not yet legally competent.
After completing my PhD in surface physics and studying business administration at the same time, I went straight into consulting. There I learned a lot about corporate finance from a very experienced former bank manager. Equipped with this in-depth knowledge, over the years I have built up a wealth of experience in consulting and operational responsibility that I am happy to pass on.
My stations were:
- Eight years as a consultant, including as a partner with a focus on corporate finance, M&A and restructuring in family-run medium-sized businesses.
- Three years at Swiss Post, where I was responsible for the international M&A business.
- Over ten years in commercial responsibility, including as CFO and managing director in medium-sized family businesses with up to € 350 million turnover and up to 14 production sites worldwide.
- CFO of a leasing company supervised by BaFin and Bundesbank for a good two years.
At 4M, I am an expert in the financing of medium-sized companies and the execution of M&A transactions (buy- and sell-side) as well as the subsequent integration.
What else is there about me?
- Greatest strength: analytical thinking and solution-oriented work
- Favorite city: Düsseldorf
- Specialist for: good espresso
- Special characteristics: Wife, two children and a dachshund who, when he looks in the mirror, is more likely to see a hippo than a dachshund.
- Most important equipment: head
- Best anecdote or fact about me: skilled in handicrafts. After the sauna, pool, and wine cellar, it’s time for the attic.
As a mechanical engineer specializing in production technology, my professional experience of more than 30 years is in the manufacturing industry with a focus on the automotive and automotive supply industries as well as the construction supply industry. As a member of the management and executive board, I was able to work for 17 years in international, listed high-tech corporations as well as in large, medium-sized family-owned companies, shaping companies both strategically and operationally.
The focus of my expertise extends to strategy development and implementation, restructuring, production and logistics, M & A, and human resources and organizational development.
I have by no means mastered professional challenges single-handedly. Without the support of great teams, this would never have been possible. As a passionate team player, I attach great importance to good cooperation and to this end I live a working relationship characterized by loyalty, self-motivation and creativity.
At 4M, I support the management team on all issues related to strategy development and implementation, operational excellence, and human resources and organizational development.
What else is there about me?
- After more than 30 years of experience in the industry, I would now like to share my professional expertise in a consulting capacity and actively serve as a sparring partner.
- I have always enjoyed working with people and in teams — that’s why I support 4M and its clients as part of this team. This is my passion.
- In order not to exploit the world at the expense of the next generation, solutions for sustainable action based on intelligent technical principles as well as innovative ideas are needed. I am committed to this and try to make my contribution.
