Oliver Zipse
{{short description|German manager (born 1964)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Oliver Zipse
| image = Oliver Zipse (2018).jpg
| caption = Zipse in 2018
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1964|2|7}}
| birth_place = Heidelberg, West Germany
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| education = Diplom in mechanical engineering
| alma_mater = Technische Universität Darmstadt
| occupation = Chairman of the Board of Management BMW Group
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Oliver Zipse (born 7 February 1964){{Cite web |url=https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/news/was-geschah-am-7-februar-li.2184515 |title=Was geschah am 7. Februar? |trans-title=What happened on February 7th? |date=6 February 2024 |work=Berliner Zeitung |language=de}} is a German business executive who has been the chairman of the board of management (CEO) of BMW since 16 August 2019.
Early life and education
Zipse graduated from high school in Bensheim in 1983. He studied computer science and mathematics at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City from 1983 to 1985 without obtaining a degree. In 1985 he switched to mechanical engineering at the Technische Universität Darmstadt and graduated in 1991 with a degree in mechanical engineering.{{Cite web|url=https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/deutschland/article/attachment/T0207828DE/405564|title=Oliver Zipse|website=BMW AG|access-date=2018-10-29}}[https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/attachment/T0207828EN/436094 Curriculum vitae of Oliver Zipse]{{Cite web|url=https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/bmw-taps-factory-man-zipse-ceo|title=BMW taps factory man Zipse as CEO|date=2019-07-18|website=Automotive News|language=en|access-date=2019-07-27}} In 1999, he also graduated from the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program, which is a joint MBA degree from Kellogg School of Management, US and WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany.{{Cite web|url=http://www.7-forum.com/news/2006///news/BMW-Group-Oliver-Zipse-wird-neuer-Produk-6477.html|title=Oliver Zipse|access-date=2019-07-23}}
Career
Zipse has spent his entire professional life at BMW AG. He joined the company in 1991{{Cite news|url=https://www.focus.de/regional/muenchen/auto-bmw-macht-oliver-zipse-zum-neuen-produktionsvorstand_id_4539265.html|title=BMW macht Oliver Zipse zum neuen Produktionsvorstand|work=FOCUS Online|access-date=2018-10-29|language=de}} as a trainee in development, technical planning and production. From 1992 to 1994, he worked as a project engineer in technology development. From 1994 to 2006, he held various leadership positions in development, production and production planning in Munich and South Africa.{{Cite web|url=http://www.autonews.com/article/20150312/COPY01/303129953/bmw-names-ex-mini-plant-boss-zipse-as-production-chief|title=BMW names ex-Mini plant boss Zipse as production chief|date=2015-03-15|website=Automotive News|access-date=2018-10-29}} From 2007 to 2008 he was the plant manager at the Mini-plant in Oxford.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/1218273.New_boss_has_plans_for_BMW_plant_/|title=New boss has plans for BMW plant|website=Oxford Mail|date=26 February 2007 |language=en|access-date=2018-10-29}} From 2009 to 2012, he was head of technical planning before becoming head of group planning and production strategy from 2012 to May 2015.
In May 2015, he was appointed to the board of management of BMW AG, succeeding former chairman Harald Krüger; Zipse moved up to that position from a management role in product strategy and running the Mini assembly plant in England.{{Cite web|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2019/07/21/bmw-new-ceo-oliver-zipse-charts-electric-vehicle-course/39706711/|title=BMW's new CEO brings steeliness to chart electric-car course|website=The Detroit News|language=en|access-date=2019-07-22}} His primary responsibility in that board role was for production.{{Cite web|url=https://www.autonews.com/executives/factory-strategist-oliver-zipse-offers-bmw-bold-way-forward|title=Factory strategist Oliver Zipse offers BMW a bold way forward|website=Auto News|date=19 July 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-07-22}} One news report summarized his achievement as follows: "Under Zipse's watch, BMW's efficient production network, which he expanded in Hungary, China and the US, has helped the company deliver industry-leading profit margins despite its relatively small scale".{{Cite web|url=https://europe.autonews.com/move/bmw-picks-decisive-zipse-ceo|title=BMW picks 'decisive' Zipse as CEO|website=Automotive News Europe|date=18 July 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-07-22}}
In July 2019, Zipse was appointed chairman of the board (CEO), effective 16 August 2019 replacing Harald Krüger. He was described by Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the supervisory board, as "a decisive strategic and analytical leader".{{Cite web|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2019/07/21/bmw-new-ceo-oliver-zipse-charts-electric-vehicle-course/39706711/|title=BMW's new CEO brings steeliness to chart electric-car course|website=The Detroit News|language=en|access-date=2019-07-22}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bmw-succession-ceo-idUSKCN1UD2QY|title=BMW promotes Oliver Zipse to CEO|website=Reuters|date=18 July 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-07-22}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/usa/article/detail/T0298911EN_US/oliver-zipse-appointed-new-chairman-of-the-board-of-management-of-bmw-ag?language=en_US|title=Oliver Zipse appointed new Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG|website=www.press.bmwgroup.com|access-date=2019-07-18}}
File:Oliver Zipse Chong Qing 2024.jpg, China, 2024]]
In his capacity as CEO, Zipse accompanied Chancellor Olaf Scholz on a state visit to China in 2024.Victoria Waldersee, Christoph Steitz, Alexander Huebner and Ludwig Burger (4 April 2024), [https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/top-german-ceos-join-scholzs-china-trip-despite-de-risking-push-2024-04-04/ Top German CEOs join Scholz's China trip despite 'de-risking' push] Reuters.
Other activities
- Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG), Member of the Board (since 2019)[https://www.bbug.de/de/ueber-uns/der-verein.php Board] Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG).
- European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), Member of the Board of Directors (since 2019)[http://www.acea.be/about-acea/how-we-are-organised/board-of-directors Board of Directors] European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
- European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), Member (since 2019)[https://www.ert.eu/members Members] European Round Table of Industrialists.
- Fraunhofer Society, Member of the Senate[https://www.fraunhofer.de/en/about-fraunhofer/profile-structure/structure-organization/fraunhofer-senate.html#2 Senate] Fraunhofer Society.
- German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), Member of the Managing Board (since 2019)[https://www.vda.de/en/association/organization/managing-board-presiding-board Managing Board & Presiding Board] German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA).
Positions
Zipse has announced BMW's increase in their joint venture with BMW Brilliance in China.{{Cite news|url=https://ecomento.de/2018/05/29/bmw-brilliance-automotive-erhoeht-batteriekapazitaeten-in-china-deutlich/|title=BMW erhöht Batteriekapazitäten in China "deutlich" - ecomento.de|date=2018-05-29|work=ecomento.de|access-date=2018-11-11|language=de-DE}} He supports BMW's expansions towards e-mobility production capacities, stating: "In the future, every BMW Group plant in Europe will be equipped to produce electrified as well as conventional vehicles."{{Cite news|url=http://www.thedrive.com/news/22529/bmw-announces-construction-of-1-17-billion-factory-in-hungary|title=BMW Announces Construction of $1.17 Billion Factory in Hungary|last=Gilboy|first=James|work=The Drive|access-date=2018-11-11|language=en-US}}
In regard to electromobility, Zipse has been an advocate of as many in-house competencies as possible, in order to reduce the risk of job losses with the expected future production fluctuations during the transition time from petrol and diesel vehicles towards electric model lines.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ovb-online.de/weltspiegel/wirtschaft/zukunft-niederbayern-8242172.html|title=Der BMW der Zukunft aus Niederbayern|date=2017-05-03|work=ovb-online.de|access-date=2018-11-11|language=de}}
Zipse is an advocate of experimenting with and pioneering new technologies within the BMW group. Supporting the use of exoskeleton vests for workers at BMW's plant in Spartanburg, he stated: "We take out all opportunities to try something new, which we haven’t done so far. If the idea works in Spartanburg, we go somewhere else."{{Cite news|url=http://www.levitatetech.com/2017/10/28/iron-man-vests-aid-bmw-assembly-workers/|title='Iron Man' vests aid BMW assembly workers - Levitate|date=2017-10-28|work=Levitate|access-date=2018-11-11|language=en-US}}
Personal life
Zipse is married to Kaori Zipse, who is Japanese.{{Cite web |title=BMW-Chef Oliver Zipse: 5 Dinge, die Sie über ihn wissen sollten |url=https://www.bild.de/geld/wirtschaft/wirtschaft/bmw-chef-oliver-zipse-5-dinge-die-sie-ueber-ihn-wissen-sollten-63992690.bild.html |website=BILD.de |date=16 August 2019 |language=de}} Zipse is the brother of the chemist Hendrik Zipse, who researches and teaches at the LMU Munich as a Professor of Organic Chemistry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cup.lmu.de/en/departments/chemistry/people/prof-dr-hendrik-zipse/|title=Prof. Dr. Hendrik Zipse|website=LMU|language=en|access-date=2019-07-22}}
References
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Category:Businesspeople from Heidelberg
Category:University of Utah alumni