How can an established company systematically create new market/technology opportunities for future business? That is the challenge which Schaeffler successfully tackled together with the management consultancy venture.idea. To transform from a global supplier of mechanical components and systems to a leading technology company, Schaeffler set some clearly defined goals for innovation: value creation for customers, securing of profitable growth, and transformation towards sustainability.

The session will provide an overview of how Schaeffler achieves these goals with its new innovation-to-business approach, which includes an agile portfolio management, an efficient end-to-end process, and an empowering organization of the people.

Tomas Smetana: Mechanical Engineering at TU Prague, PHD at TU Chemnitz.
Since 2001 at Schaeffler AG in Herzogenaurach Germany. Different leadership positions in Automotive and Industrial Divisions in Regions Europe, Asia Pacific and in China, responsible for eMobility, Chassis Systems, Robotics, IoT and Digitalization, Renewables and Green Hydrogen.

Since September 2022 responsibility for the Innovation Strategy and Roadmap of the Schaeffler Group and Member of the Schaeffler R&D Executive Board. Married, 2 kids, hobbies: innovative technology, history, arts (Chinese calligraphy), traveling, endurance sport.

Lysander Weiss: As partner at the award-winning management consultancy venture.idea, academic researcher at the leading German business school HHL, bestselling author, lecturer, and keynote speaker, Lysander Weiss offers forward-thinking research and advisory for strategic renewal in established companies