Ulrich Spiesshofer
{{Infobox person
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| name = Ulrich Spiesshofer
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| image = TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin 2017 (27073399049).jpg
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| caption = Spiesshofer speaks at TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin in 2017
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|03|26|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Aalen, Germany
| nationality = German, Swiss{{Cite news|url=http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/wirtschaft/unternehmen-und-konjunktur/schneiderammann-ueberreicht-abbchef-den-schweizer-pass/story/29226698|title=Schneider-Ammann überreicht ABB-Chef den Schweizer Pass|newspaper=Tages-Anzeiger}}
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| education = University of Stuttgart (MBA, PhD){{cite web |title=Wayback Machine has not archived that URL. |access-date=2023-04-06 |format=PDF |url=http://new.abb.com/docs/default-source/top-management-cvs/executive-committee/cv-ulrich-spiesshofer.pdf}}
| occupation = business executive
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| title = CEO, ABB
| term = September 2013–April 2019
| predecessor = Joseph Hogan
| successor = Morten Wierød
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| children = 2
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Ulrich Spiesshofer (born 26 March 1964) is a German-Swiss business executive who was the former chief executive officer of the ABB Group, a power and automation technology company, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. He took up the role on 15 September 2013, succeeding Joe Hogan. Previously, Spiesshofer had headed ABB's Discrete Automation and Motion division, which includes the company's robotics, power conversion, motors and drives businesses.[https://web.archive.org/web/20140111034856/http://www.forbes.com/profile/ulrich-spiesshofer/ Forbes profile] Spiesshofer stepped down 17 April 2019.https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/abb-chef-ulrich-spiesshofer-tritt-zurueck-ld.1475890
Early life and education
Spiesshofer was born in Aalen, in the southwestern German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.{{Cite news |last=Busse |first=Caspar |date=20 November 2015 |title=Wie der Obstbauer |trans-title=Like the fruit farmer |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/richtig-managen-wie-der-obstbauer-1.2746409 |work=Süddeutsche Zeitung |language=de}} He holds a PhD in economics as well as a master's degree in business administration and engineering from the University of Stuttgart.{{Cite news |url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/der-neue-abb-chef-heisst-ulrich-spiesshofer-323651310948 |title=Der neue ABB-Chef heisst Ulrich Spiesshofer |trans-title=The new ABB CEO is Ulrich Spiesshofer |date=17 June 2013 |work=Tages-Anzeiger |language=de-ch}}
Career
From 1991 to 2002, Spiesshofer worked for AT Kearney management consultants, rising to become the managing director of AT Kearney International, during which time he ran consulting businesses in industries including oil and gas, utilities, telecommunications and automotive, in Europe, Asia and the Americas. He then spent three years as a senior partner and global head of the operations practice at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in Switzerland.{{cite web|url=https://www02.abb.com/global/abbzh/abbzh252.nsf/0/c25829c33ffdfe524125724b00533bde/$file/CV+Ulrich+Spiesshofer.pdf|title=Ulrich Spiesshofer profile|work=abb.com}}
Spiesshofer joined ABB in 2005 as Executive Committee member responsible for strategy development. In 2010, he was appointed Head of Discrete Automation and Motion, one of ABB's five divisions. There, he led the acquisition of Baldor Electric, the largest maker of industrial motors in North America. It was ABB's biggest acquisition to date with a purchase price of $4.2 billion.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-25/spiesshofer-draws-on-student-career-studies-for-abb-job.html|title=Spiesshofer Draws on Student Career Studies for ABB Job|date=26 June 2013|work=Bloomberg.com}} In 2013, Spiesshofer was appointed CEO of ABB, a position he held until 2019.
As CEO, he led the ABB acquisition of GE Industrial Systems, which was announced in 2017.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/business/dealbook/general-electric-abb.html|title = Swiss Firm ABB to Buy G.E.'s Industrial Solutions Business for $2.6 Billion|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 25 September 2017|last1 = Bray|first1 = Chad}}
In 2020, he joined American investment company Blackstone Inc. as senior advisor.{{Cite news |last1=Höpner |first1=Axel |last2=Siebenhaar |first2=Hans-Peter |date=23 June 2020 |title=Früherer ABB-Chef heuert beim US-Investor Blackstone an |trans-title=Former ABB boss joins US investor Blackstone |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/management/ulrich-spiesshofer-frueherer-abb-chef-heuert-beim-us-investor-blackstone-an/25941458.html |work=Handelsblatt |language=de}} In 2022, he registered a new company called Thirdphase AG, his private investment vehicle.{{Cite news |url=https://www.derbund.ch/wawrinka-verlagert-sein-spiel-in-den-virtuellen-raum-und-wirbt-fuer-nft-687464623318 |title=Bürohr – Wirtschaftsnews der Woche |trans-title=Business News of the Week |date=16 January 2022 |work=Der Bund |language=de}}
Other activities
- European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), Member[https://www.ert.eu/members Members] European Round Table of Industrialists.
- Infineon, member of supervisory board (since 2020){{Cite news |last=Hofer |first=Joachim |date=13 January 2020 |title=Aufsichtsrat von Infineon bekommt gleich vier neue Mitglieder |trans-title=Infineon's Supervisory Board gets four new members |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/technik/it-internet/halbleiterhersteller-aufsichtsrat-von-infineon-bekommt-gleich-vier-neue-mitglieder/25426416.html |work=Handelsblatt |language=de}}
- Schlumberger, board member{{Cite news |last=Fischer |first=Bernhard |date=14 August 2023 |title=Der ehemalige ABB-Chef ist wieder aktiv im Schweizer Markt |trans-title=The former ABB boss is active again in the Swiss market |url=https://www.handelszeitung.ch/unternehmen/der-ehemalige-abb-chef-ist-wieder-aktiv-im-schweizer-markt-627690 |work=Handelszeitung |language=de}}
Personal life
Spiesshofer is an avid skier, sailor and amateur musician, accomplished at the clarinet, saxophone and accordion.{{Cite web|date=2018-03-09|title=ABB boss talks up musical talents of company's YuMi collaborative robot|url=https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2018/03/09/abb-boss-brags-about-musical-talents-of-companys-yumi-collaborative-robot/16367/|access-date=2020-11-25|website=Robotics & Automation News|language=en-US}} He lives with his wife Natalie and two sons, in Zug.{{Cite news |last=Maier |first=Angela |date=16 April 2014 |title=Der perfekte Rivale |trans-title=The perfect rival |url=https://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/der-perfekte-rivale-a-d6ad0f86-0002-0001-0000-000126583871 |work=Manager Magazin |language=de}}{{Cite news |last=Lea Landolt |first=Noemi |date=9 April 2021 |title=Wettiger Kantischüler löchern ABB-Chef Ulrich Spiesshofer mit Fragen |trans-title=Wettiger high school students bombard ABB boss Ulrich Spiesshofer with questions |url=https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/aargau/baden/wettiger-kantischuler-lochern-abb-chef-ulrich-spiesshofer-mit-fragen-ld.1685361 |work=Aargauer Zeitung |language=de}}
References
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Category:German corporate directors
Category:Businesspeople in technology