I have been working for KPMG in the field of auditing since 2002 after completing my studies in economics at the University of Witten/Herdecke. My focus is on auditing and process-oriented consulting for national and international companies in accordance with HGB and IFRS. My experience also includes auditing subsidiaries of international groups and private equity companies in the industrial, retail and logistics sectors.
As branch manager of the Bielefeld office, my regional focus is on northern Westphalia with the regions of Ostwestfalen-Lippe, Münsterland and Osnabrück. I grew up in a rural environment in Münsterland and after various positions in Germany and abroad, I now feel at home again.
What connects you with the Westphalia region, especially with East Westphalia and the Münsterland?
I have always remained loyal to the Westphalia region: I grew up in Münsterland, in the countryside on a farm. And although I worked at KPMG in Düsseldorf for thirteen years, I never really left Westphalia and continued to spend most of my weekends there. Now I've been working in Bielefeld in East Westphalia since 2016.
What do you like about the region, what makes Westphalia special for you?
There is a special kind of commitment that prevails here; people stand by what they say. This is certainly a very important factor, especially in consulting and auditing. This commitment goes hand in hand with a certain down-to-earth attitude; Westphalians don't necessarily like being aloof. As someone who worked in the Rhineland for a long time, I have to smile today at a saying that I have come across several times: "The Westphalian delivers what the Rhinelander promises." Even if this is of course meant humorously, it sums up the special nature of the Westphalians quite well.
What makes the region interesting for you professionally?
There are three things that make the region particularly exciting for me:
Firstly, East Westphalia is a region of larger family businesses, many of which are so-called hidden champions: the companies may not necessarily be familiar to everyone, but they are among the global market leaders in their sector. Some of these are also family-run companies with a capital market orientation that are definitely at MDAX level. I think there are only a few regions in Germany that have such a high density of hidden champions.
Secondly, there are many scientific institutions in the region, such as the universities and universities of applied sciences in Münster, Bielefeld and Paderborn with a total of more than 100,000 students. And last but not least, the healthcare sector is also very strongly represented here. For example, we have the medical colleges in Münster and Bielefeld as well as the Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel, one of the largest employers in the region.
These are all very good reasons why we have expanded our presence in the region with the opening of our new branch in Münster in 2021, in addition to our location in Bielefeld.
What specialist topic do you stand for and what relevance does it have for companies in the region?
I grew up in traditional auditing. In the past, I have not only advised a wide range of industries, but also companies of all sizes - from large, capital market-oriented, globally active groups that prepare their accounts in accordance with IFRS to small, locally based family businesses. This spectrum is still my core business. At the same time, I have expanded my portfolio in recent years to include ICS process consulting. I worked in forensics at KPMG for three years, where I specialized in fraud prevention and ICS optimization.
Which target group do you address?
All companies and public institutions that want professional, high-quality advice.
What challenges do companies face and how can KPMG support them?
I see two main tasks that companies here in the region are facing. The first is internationalization, which is the next logical step after globalization. This is about integrating companies in the international arena, for example in the areas of transfer pricing, sustainability (keyword "ESG"), optimizing supply chains or defending against cyber attacks. And the second major topic is, of course, digitalization through to the first approaches in AI. This no longer only includes the production sector, but increasingly also finance and accounting.
KPMG is the ideal partner here. We can address the topic of internationality across the board - together in our global KPMG network. We also provide support in the digital transformation - whether SAP integration, optimization of a business intelligence platform, implementation of ESG requirements or in the traditional audit of financial statements, where we carry out digital audits and extensive data analyses.
What other exciting developments are you observing in the region and at companies?
We are currently experiencing a strong resurgence of the start-up scene in East Westphalia and Münsterland. As one media report said some time ago: "Berlin is dead, long live Bielefeld." That caused quite a stir (laughs). A lot of start-ups are being promoted here and a number of established companies are now involved in this area or are even founding their own venture companies. This development is very exciting to observe.
Why is KPMG the clear choice for companies in your region?
KPMG offers the right mix of professional, high-quality and international advice paired with a healthy dose of pragmatism and down-to-earthness.