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Oliver Zipse

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Oliver Zipse
Born(1964-02-07)7 February 1964(age 60)
Heidelberg,West Germany
NationalityGerman
EducationDiplominmechanical engineering
Alma materTechnische Universität Darmstadt
OccupationChairman of the Board of ManagementBMW Group

Oliver Zipse(born 7 February 1964)[1]is a German business executive who has been the chairman of the board of management (CEO) ofBMWsince 16 August 2019.

Early life and education[edit]

Zipse graduated from high school inBensheimin 1983. He studied computer science and mathematics at theUniversity of UtahinSalt Lake Cityfrom 1983 to 1985 without obtaining a degree. In 1985 he switched to mechanical engineering at theTechnische Universität Darmstadtand graduated in 1991 with a degree in mechanical engineering.[2][3][4]In 1999, he also graduated from the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program, which is a joint MBA degree fromKellogg School of Management,US andWHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management,Germany.[5]

Career[edit]

Zipse has spent his entire professional life at BMW AG. He joined the company in 1991[6]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 inMunichandSouth Africa.[7]From 2007 to 2008 he was the plant manager at theMini-plant inOxford.[8]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 chairmanHarald Krüger;Zipse moved up to that position from a management role in product strategy and running the Mini assembly plant in England.[9]His primary responsibility in that board role was for production.[10]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".[11]

In July 2019, Zipse was appointed chairman of the board (CEO), effective 16 August 2019 replacingHarald Krüger.He was described byNorbert Reithofer,chairman of the supervisory board, as "a decisive strategic and analytical leader".[12][13][14]

Zipse visitChongqing,China,2024

In his capacity as CEO, Zipse accompaniedChancellorOlaf Scholzon a state visit to China in 2024.[15]

Other activities[edit]

Positions[edit]

Zipse has announced BMW's increase in their joint venture withBMW BrillianceinChina.[21]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."[22]

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.[23]

Zipse is an advocate of experimenting with and pioneering new technologies within the BMW group. Supporting the use ofexoskeletonvests for workers at BMW's plant inSpartanburg,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."[24]

Personal life[edit]

Zipse is the brother of thechemistHendrik Zipse, who researches and teaches at theLMU Munichas a Professor of Organic Chemistry.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Was geschah am 7. Februar?"[What happened on February 7th?].Berliner Zeitung(in German). 6 February 2024.
  2. ^"Oliver Zipse".BMW AG.Retrieved2018-10-29.
  3. ^Curriculum vitae of Oliver Zipse
  4. ^"BMW taps factory man Zipse as CEO".Automotive News.2019-07-18.Retrieved2019-07-27.
  5. ^"Oliver Zipse".Retrieved2019-07-23.
  6. ^"BMW macht Oliver Zipse zum neuen Produktionsvorstand".FOCUS Online(in German).Retrieved2018-10-29.
  7. ^"BMW names ex-Mini plant boss Zipse as production chief".Automotive News.2015-03-15.Retrieved2018-10-29.
  8. ^"New boss has plans for BMW plant".Oxford Mail.26 February 2007.Retrieved2018-10-29.
  9. ^"BMW's new CEO brings steeliness to chart electric-car course".The Detroit News.Retrieved2019-07-22.
  10. ^"Factory strategist Oliver Zipse offers BMW a bold way forward".Auto News.19 July 2019.Retrieved2019-07-22.
  11. ^"BMW picks 'decisive' Zipse as CEO".Automotive News Europe.18 July 2019.Retrieved2019-07-22.
  12. ^"BMW's new CEO brings steeliness to chart electric-car course".The Detroit News.Retrieved2019-07-22.
  13. ^"BMW promotes Oliver Zipse to CEO".Reuters.18 July 2019.Retrieved2019-07-22.
  14. ^"Oliver Zipse appointed new Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG".www.press.bmwgroup.com.Retrieved2019-07-18.
  15. ^Victoria Waldersee, Christoph Steitz, Alexander Huebner and Ludwig Burger (4 April 2024),Top German CEOs join Scholz's China trip despite 'de-risking' pushReuters.
  16. ^BoardBaden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG).
  17. ^Board of DirectorsEuropean Automobile Manufacturers Association(ACEA).
  18. ^MembersEuropean Round Table of Industrialists.
  19. ^SenateFraunhofer Society.
  20. ^Managing Board & Presiding BoardGerman Association of the Automotive Industry(VDA).
  21. ^"BMW erhöht Batteriekapazitäten in China" deutlich "- ecomento.de".ecomento.de(in German). 2018-05-29.Retrieved2018-11-11.
  22. ^Gilboy, James."BMW Announces Construction of $1.17 Billion Factory in Hungary".The Drive.Retrieved2018-11-11.
  23. ^"Der BMW der Zukunft aus Niederbayern".ovb-online.de(in German). 2017-05-03.Retrieved2018-11-11.
  24. ^"'Iron Man' vests aid BMW assembly workers - Levitate ".Levitate.2017-10-28.Retrieved2018-11-11.
  25. ^"Prof. Dr. Hendrik Zipse".LMU.Retrieved2019-07-22.
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