Wilo goes beyond the obvious – Global, digital top management meeting at Wilo

Dortmund. As every year, the Executive Board of the Wilo Group invites to an international top management meeting. For the first time in Wilo’s history, this is taking place as a hybrid event due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are pleased that we are now connected via live stream to over 100 colleagues from 35 countries across different time zones,” says Oliver Hermes, President and CEO of the Wilo Group.

As every year, the global Wilo top management meets to review the past year and to set the strategic course for the coming months and years, but this year under changed conditions. In order to make the two-day strategic exchange interactive despite the compulsory masks and distance regulations, participants present in the new Wilopark under strict coronavirus regulations are connected live to colleagues from all over the world.

Lessons of the Wilo Group from the coronavirus crisis

A central element of the Executive Board presentations is the impact of the pandemic on global megatrends and thus the strategic orientation of the Wilo Group for the coming years.

Oliver Hermes, President and CEO of the Wilo Group, is convinced that the coronavirus crisis will change the old world of globally networked value creation. “Forward-looking companies will be scrutinising their strategies. Risk aspects will become increasingly important. We want to remain an independent group of companies, and this also means that we must not be dependent on individual customers or suppliers.”

To this end, the Wilo Group is preparing itself for a changing “Globalisation 2.0” in future. In the future, supply chains and production processes will be organised more regionally in the three economic centres of Europe, Asia, and the USA. “This will lead to more resilience, but this will certainly also be at the expense of profitability and return on investment,” explains Oliver Hermes.

In times of the coronavirus pandemic, entrepreneurial role models are needed more than ever before, who can meet the still current challenges such as climate change with technological innovations and pragmatic solutions. The Wilo Group sees the Corona crisis as an opportunity. Companies are currently undergoing a kind of “forced digital transformation”. “Sustainable investment and innovation in the digital transformation will ease the path towards a climate-neutral economy and make companies stronger than they were before the crisis. We therefore see the digital transformation as a key factor and not just a megatrend,” emphasizes Oliver Hermes.

Wilo is one of 50 “Sustainability & Climate Leaders” worldwide

In addition, the crisis has made it particularly clear that the Wilo Group, as an industrial and technology group, makes a significant contribution to keeping sectors of systemic importance running, and is thus a fundamental component of critical infrastructures.

As a leading technology company in the pump industry, Wilo is committed to achieving better living standards worldwide and improving the efficiency of water management systems in the face of climate change. By 2025, for example, 100 million people are to have better access to clean water. “Our products, systems and solutions contribute to supplying people all over the world with water in an intelligent, efficient and climate-friendly way,” emphasises Oliver Hermes.

“We are therefore proud that the Wilo Group, together with 49 other globally operating companies, was selected this year to participate in the global sustainability and climate protection initiative called ‘50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders’ of the United Nations and Bloomberg. Together with our global network partners, we drive forward future-oriented, climate-friendly solutions and proactively promote dialogue with politics, business and NGOs. Corporate political responsibility as part of sustainable action is part of our everyday practice,” explains the Wilo boss.

Alternative event format is a complete success

The entire Wilo Executive Board considers the digital event a complete success: “This year, we would have liked to have presented the new Wilopark to our colleagues during the event, but this was not possible due to the current circumstances. The health of our employees is always a top priority for the Wilo Group,” says Oliver Hermes.

Such an event format is no challenge for the digital pioneer of the pumps industry. On the contrary, this offers many advantages: “This means that our annual top management meeting can take place despite the coronavirus pandemic – digitally, globally, regardless of location and, above all, safely. Nevertheless, such formats can never completely replace personal encounters and we are very much looking forward to the Wilo family coming together again completely,” Oliver Hermes concludes the hybrid event.