Four areas of expertise. One objective: results that can be implemented.
Not PowerPoint — measurable impact. Seen from three perspectives: OEM, Tier 1, and top-tier consulting.
Strategy & Transformation
Corporate Strategy & Planning
We support companies in developing and executing integrated corporate strategies. Our scope covers growth strategy development, forecasting and scenario planning, technology strategy derived from market and competitive dynamics, and strategic portfolio planning. We also develop customer strategies and identify concrete action areas to achieve your growth objectives. Our approach is fact-based, pragmatic, and built for execution.
References: Business unit and regional strategy for a Tier 1 supplier; business planning and forecasting / market modeling for the Tier 1 and industrial goods sector
Growth Strategies and M&A
Strategic partnerships are a key accelerator of growth — whether for technology access, customer access, or market entry. We accompany the full process: from market screening and shortlisting of potential partners and acquisition targets, through outreach and negotiation, to due diligence, operating model definition, and business plan development. Post-close, we support the ramp-up and post-merger integration to ensure sustainable value creation.
References: Tier 1 joint venture through M&A (including business planning, due diligence, negotiations, setup, and ramp-up); M&A strategy for Tier 1 partners through to termsheet stage; automotive partnership strategy with contract manufacturers
Vision / Mission and Cultural Change
A compelling vision and mission are the foundation of every successful transformation. In a collaborative process with your leadership team, we develop an inspiring vision that provides direction and a mission that translates strategic priorities into concrete action. We support cultural change from status-quo analysis through definition of target values to anchoring in leadership behavior and organizational structures.
References: Strategic priorities and developing a vision and mission statement for a Tier 1 manufacturer; assessment of the current state of employee satisfaction, including the Net Promoter Score; agility program
Transformation
Whether organic evolution or radical restructuring — we support companies through all forms of transformation. Our focus areas include restoring competitiveness in international markets and against Chinese challengers, cost optimization across the full value chain, and digital transformation. We combine strategic ambition with operational excellence, drawing on experience from numerous transformation projects in the automotive and supplier industries.
References: Transformation and realignment of an automotive joint venture in China; Transformation of a Tier 1 supplier in China
Digital & AI Strategy
Digital transformation is fundamentally reshaping business models. We support companies in developing and executing digital transformation processes, building strategies for generative and agentic AI deployment, and designing new digital business models. We connect technological understanding with strategic foresight and operational feasibility.
References: Design and rollout of a Sales & Marketing KPI dashboard for a leading OEM; design and rollout of a social media monitoring platform for an OEM; design of a sales KPI dashboard for an OEM; design and piloting of a new e-learning platform for international markets for an automotive OEM; piloting of a controlling calculation tool for an OEM; strategic design of a new business model for Future Mobility for an OEM; generative and agentic AI; local hosting of large language models (LLMs)
Brand, Product & Customer
Produkt Strategy and Management
Products are the cornerstone of business success. We support customer-centric product definition, project management, and oversight of the development process, as well as facilitation and resolution of conflicts between market requirements, engineering, and economics. We also guide portfolio and lifecycle planning to ensure your product portfolio remains competitive and profitable over the long term.
References: Product Strategy Team Lead (China), Development of more than 10 OEM vehicle concepts (full-size, China), portfolio strategy for China for OEMs, facilitation of conflict resolution for OEMs, studies on the interior and exterior of the future, strategy paper on future mobility business models and robotaxis
Consumer Insights and Positioning
Without understanding your customers, you cannot build winning products. We combine robust market research, co-creation, and design-thinking methodologies to generate deep customer insights. From this foundation, we develop strategic positioning and market strategy that differentiates in the competitive landscape. Our pricing expertise ensures the positioning is also commercially compelling.
References: Head of OEM Market Research Team; experience with secondary market research, clinics, qualitative studies, online research, and co-creation—including product market research, brand insights, ad effectiveness, and satisfaction and quality market research; development of a vehicle concept through co-creation; positioning of over 20 vehicle concepts
Brand Management & Communication
Strong brands are not built by chance. We guide the full process of brand positioning and brand building — from strategic brand architecture and communication planning through to ad-spend efficiency optimization. Our goal: maximum brand impact at optimal resource deployment.
References: Development of a brand strategy for a new OEM sub-brand; support for the new OEM brand strategy
Competitiveness, Resilience & Operational Excellence
Product Value Management & Cost-Down
More than 70 percent of product costs are determined by design decisions long before the first part is ever produced. We combine systematic value analysis with rigorous cost reduction: from teardown benchmarking and functional cost allocation through lean design and DFMA optimization to specification adjustment and variant reduction — identifying savings potential across the entire value chain. Our cost-down programs are built on clear targets, disciplined action tracking, and sustainable results — using technical levers (materials, design, manufacturing), commercial instruments (negotiation, bundling, supplier development), and anchoring a cost culture within the organization.
References: Cost reduction programs at Tier 1 and OEM level; proprietary Phoenix and PVEM (Product Value Efficiency Model) approach
Procurement Optimization & Supplier Management
Procurement is one of the most powerful performance levers in any organization — and one of the most consistently underestimated. We support the strategic realignment of procurement organizations: from spend analysis and category strategy through supplier consolidation and best-cost-country sourcing to well-founded make-or-buy decisions. We also guide systematic supplier development — with scorecards, performance reviews, factory audits, and targeted development programs to sustainably raise the capability of existing suppliers.
References: Procurement optimization at Tier 1 JV; electronics procurement optimization; development of strategic supplier partnerships; make-or-buy analysis at Tier 1
Supply Risk Management & Crisis Prevention
Supply chain risks are no longer a theoretical construct — they are a daily reality. We develop holistic risk frameworks: from governance structures and early-warning systems through risk analytics and scenario planning to concrete contingency action plans. Our goal: moving from reactive crisis management to a proactive resilience strategy that protects your organization against geopolitical disruptions, raw material shortages, and supplier failures.
References: Supply risk management study and optimization at Tier 1; crisis management / task force during the chip crisis
Supply Chain Crisis Management & Ramp-Up Management
When a crisis hits, speed and experience are everything. We support active bottleneck management — from allocation steering and escalation through to alternative qualification — and guide the ramp-up of new products and production sites: launch planning, supplier qualification, and securing production readiness, all from a single source.
References: Quality and ramp-up task force
Process Optimization & Lean Management
Complexity and organizational overhead are the silent cost drivers in many organizations. We identify bottlenecks, eliminate non-value-adding process steps, and implement lean principles across development, production, and administration. Our approach: simplify radically, reduce coordination overhead, increase decision speed — without compromising quality standards.
References: JV realignment in China; Tier 1 transformation
Automation & Smart Factory
From lights-out manufacturing to intelligent cobots — automation is fundamentally reshaping industrial value creation. We develop automation strategies and Industry 4.0 concepts to increase flexibility and reduce production costs. We bring direct experience from China, where leading manufacturers are already demonstrating how robotics and AI-driven production can lift productivity to a new level — and we translate these insights into pragmatic recommendations for European companies.
References: Network with leading Chinese providers including Foxconn Industrial Internet and contract manufacturers; hands-on exposure to Chinese manufacturing at OEM, Tier 1, and electronics level
Go-to-Market, Relocation & Cross-Cultural Management
Go-to-Market Strategies & Business Development
New markets require tailored strategies. We develop sales strategies and market entry concepts for Asian and European target markets, drive market development and business development, and implement targeted capability-building programs for sales organizations. Our approach combines first-hand market knowledge with proven strategy consulting methodology.
References: Consulting on localization strategies for China and go-to-market strategies for the EU for Chinese providers
Footprint-Verlagerung und Make-or-Buy
Die Frage „Make or Buy?“ ist oft entscheidend für die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit. Wir erstellen fundierte Make-or-Buy-Analysen, begleiten die Verlagerung von Produktionsumfängen an Best-Cost-Standorte, erarbeiten detaillierte Kostenanalysen und unterstützen bei Planung, Mitarbeitertraining und Ramp-up. Unsere Erfahrung reicht vom Brownfield-Aufbau in China bis zum Krisenmanagement an europäischen Fertigungsstandorten.
Referenzen: Produktgruppenlokalisierung in China, MOB Strategie Tier1
Interkulturelles Management & Training
Interkulturelle Kompetenz ist kein „Soft Skill“ – sie ist ein entscheidender Erfolgsfaktor im internationalen Geschäft. Mit acht Jahren Erfahrung in China und umfangreicher Zusammenarbeit in Asien, dem Nahen Osten und Europa bereiten wir Führungskräfte und Teams auf Auslandsentsendungen vor, entwickeln praxisnahe Trainingsformate für interkulturelle Verhandlungsführung und begleiten den Aufbau effektiver internationaler Teams.
Referenzen: Kulturelle Training Indien, Studienschwerpunkt Interkulturelles Management
PMO, Foresight & Interim Management
Projektmanagement / PMO
Successful projects require clear structures and experienced leadership. We take on project management or PMO leadership for your strategic initiatives — from planning through execution to close. We apply agile methods where they add value, and are equally at home on the critical path in classical project environments. Our goal: deliver results, not slide decks.
Experience: Over 10 years of project management experience in product, sales & marketing, IT, corporate strategy, and M&A
Interim & Crisis Management
In bottleneck or crisis situations, companies need fast, experienced support. We step in as interim managers, take on leadership responsibility in crisis situations, and support overwhelmed teams with immediately effective measures. Our experience ranges from JV transformation in China to crisis management in Europe.
References: Ramp-up stabilization and joint venture transformation in China, crisis management and risk audit for Tier 1
Facilitation & Moderation
Good outcomes emerge from well-facilitated processes. We facilitate workshops, strategy sessions, and large-scale events. Our facilitation approach is structured, results-oriented, and creates the conditions for productive collaboration — whether in a small leadership circle or a company-wide transformation process.
References: Workshop Facilitation for OEMs and Tier 1 Suppliers
Foresight and Keynotes
Steffen Edlinger is available as a keynote speaker for conferences, corporate events, and industry gatherings. His presentations combine provocative theses with data-driven insights and concrete recommendations.
Top Topics for 2026: Total Loss? The Automotive Crisis and the Road to Recovery | China’s Innovation Machine | Mobility 2.0 and 3.0 | Negotiating and Leading in China | Radical Cost-Down Innovation
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