Interview

3 AI myths from the SME sector

This is how our new partner and Head of Digital Strategy prompts

What do you think: What impact will artificial intelligence have on your life? Do you follow developments with risk appetite or skepticism? One thing is clear: AI is a pioneering technology. It triggers noticeable changes. And it provokes. Even myths. We spoke to Mario Trapp, Partner in Restructuring & Transformation and Head of Digital Strategy, about this. How does he himself use AI in professional practice? Should companies already be hiring Chief AI Officers? And which AI developments make even him uneasy?

Transformation & Restructuring

Production - a sure instinct is requiredural change

If no investor can be found for an insolvent industrial company, the decision is made to close it down. In this case, however, "shutdown" does not mean an immediate standstill at the plant. Rather, it means a carefully managed phase-out of production. In order to achieve the best possible result for everyone involved - employees, customers, creditors and suppliers alike.

Transformation & Restructuring

Insolvency as a way out of the crisis

When an insolvency administrator comes to the company, it is usually already ablaze. The employees have already noticed weeks or months ago that something is going wrong and fear for their future. But no company gets into insolvency without a reason. Often, performance-related problems have not been eliminated for years.For the insolvency administrator, the task now is to mobilize forces and motivate employees.

Strategy & Corporate Performance

The New Demand: Talent Acquisition and Recruiting Today

Distance Leadership and the skills that can now make it easier for managers and remote teams: We recently talked about this with our Head of Human Resources Dr. Axel Hermeier. But what are the skills that hiring managers are paying more attention to than ever before? After all, the changes in the world of business and work have opened new job profiles and changed old ones. The focus on the fitting talents seems to have sharpened.What is increasingly important to companies in the search for talent and in the hiring process? And - vice versa: What new demands are increasingly being made of jobseekers? A look at the new challenges in talent acquisition and recruiting with Dr. Axel Hermeier.

Strategy & Corporate Performance

No small buns: Four success factors for the professional reorganization of bakeries

Baking is en vogue: since the lockdowns, when mainly flour and yeast were sold out in supermarkets, another habit has been established: People are buying more from their friendly baker next door, whereas the bakery-restaurant sector has declined.The "culprit" is the home office and resulting less crowded city centers, train stations and airports. The figures speak a clear language. And the signs? The signs are still clearly pointing to change.What opportunities should bakeries seize now, and how do they succeed in reorganizing operations professionally? Dr. Tim Bauer, Managing Consultant at enomyc, reports on four proven success factors.

Strategy & Corporate Performance

We do not want to drive a company into insolvency

As one of the world's leading credit insurers, how does Coface assess the impact of the Corona pandemic? Should we be prepared for a major wave of bankruptcies? Was now the right time for the supply chain bailout to expire? What is in store for companies now?We asked Jochen Böhm, Risk Underwriting Director and Member of the Management Board for the Northern Europe region at Coface. He is responsible for risk and commercial underwriting at the international credit insurer and specialist in receivables management. He knows exactly what companies need to pay attention to in order to operate successfully in the long term, to what extent risks can be taken and how the risk situation is developing for companies worldwide.

Strategy & Corporate Performance

Distance leadership: the skills it needs are now a must for leaders

Now that the supposed normality is returning due to the progress of the vaccination, we are hearing more and more often about cases in which employees would prefer to continue working in the home office, even post-pandemic. What are the opportunities and what are the limitations of remote management? Can a hybrid between New Work and presence culture succeed? And if so, which distance leadership skills are a must? An interview with Dr. Axel Hermeier, our Head of HR.

Strategy & Corporate Performance

The expanded role of trade credit insurers

Burkhard Wittgen is a credit insurance specialist and member of the Executive Board at Aon Credit Solutions. In this interview, he talks about the dissolution of the protective shield on June 30, 2021, and the consequences for companies. What should companies do now? Which consulting services are currently more in demand than ever? What does the "average in the Suez Canal" case stand for and why should trade credit insurers urgently create a digital connection to their clients? Learn more!

Transformation & Restructuring

StaRUG: What entrepreneurs should know now

The German Corporate Stabilization and Restructuring Act, or StaRUG for short, has been in force since the beginning of the year. It enables companies that are not yet insolvent or heavily indebted, but threatened with insolvency, to carry out pre-insolvency restructuring as part of an independently managed process. For many companies, this could well be an increased chance of sustainable and value-retaining restructuring.

Strategy & Corporate Performance

Outdated: The Star Salesman as a Guarantor of Success

What do top performers in marketing and sales do differently than other companies? How do they succeed in generating more sales and margins even under pandemic conditions? The first part of our series of topics focused on the paradigm shift in the procurement behavior of purchasing organizations. Based on discussions with managers from purchasing and sales departments as well as our project work, four central success patterns could be identified across all industries.

Strategy & Corporate Performance

Out of the Crisis with an Improved Cost Position

When a recession of almost historic proportions hit many industries following the financial crisis over 12 years ago, most companies were utterly unprepared. The same happened again to many companies last year. While the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis was marked by pure economic survival instinct, companies are now faced with the challenge of finding the right strategic position to emerge from the crisis. What is important in that context?

Transformation & Restructuring

What’s keeping you going, Mr. Rabelt?

This year will make it clear just how well banks are able to cope with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to some estimates, their most severe stress test since the global banking and financial crisis of 2007 still looms ahead of them. Against this background, we interviewed Holger Rabelt, Managing Director of Commerzbank AG. What does his new position as Divisional Manager for Corporate Reorganization and Restructuring entail? What has been a particularly decisive experience in his career so far? What developments does he expect for the economy and the banking sector and what measures does he recommend for companies and banks in the current situation? Read on to find out more.

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