Positioning:

Software has become the differentiating factor for modern vehicles, industrial production, and consumer products. Data-driven business models, continuous development, and customer interaction are transforming product and service portfolios. New intelligent and connected technologies, collaborative revenue generation, and (cloud-based) platforms require differentiating talent and new agile operating models in development, production, operation, sales, and monetization. Traditionally with a strong focus on production and supply chain excellence, the automotive industry is undergoing a massive and complex transformation to adapt to this software revolution.

I advise key automotive and technology clients in their digital transformation and apply my differentiating assets: Deep technical background in automotive, communication, and software, experience from founding and managing own companies, strong interim/ task force management skills, work in different cultures on four continents, and experience in industry and strategy consulting.

Summary:

Claus Gruber is Senior Director and part of the Automotive leadership team at PwC Strategy&, formerly Booz & Company, a leading global management and strategy consulting firm. He has 23 years of experience in the telecommunication, IT, and automotive industry including 15 years in strategy and management consulting. His main specialisations are technology and business strategy, software innovation and digital/business transformation. He advises leading automotive and technology clients in their digital transformation.

In 1999 he started the development of a multi-layer network modelling and optimization program 'GRAPH' and co-founded a software and consultancy company in 2005. In 2020 he founded Contaction GmbH, which focuses on mobile application development. Prior to his work at Strategy&, Claus was Managing Consultant at Detecon Consulting and team head for services, strategy and migration within the competence practice telecommunication. Prior to his work at Detecon, he was Technology Manager at Nokia Siemens Networks and responsible for Internet and Ethernet products.

Claus received Dipl.-Ing. and Dr.-Ing. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology from Munich Universtity of Technology (TUM) and was a member of the teaching staff at the Institute for Communication Networks. He published about 30 articles in journals and conference proceedings and holds about 15 patents in the area of routing, resilience, energy reduction, network planning, optimization and management in the EU, the US and South Korea.

Besides work Claus loves to travel the world (100+ countries visited), enjoys scuba diving, sailing, and coffee.

Key qualifications:

• 15 years strategy and management consulting experience on four continents
• 8 years industry experience in telecommunication and technology
• 70+ projects for leading automotive, telecom, and technology companies
• Head of Strategy& Automotive Software and co-lead of Strategy& Task Force/ Enterprise Transformation Team
• Profound expertise in digital innovation, strategy definition, R&D excellence, and operating model transformation
• Deep technical background in software, electronics, and information technology
• Founder and Managing Director of two software companies with customers such as BMW, Siemens, and Nokia
• Strong interim/ task force management skills and ability to lead from shopfloor to topfloor
• Track record of successful projects, string financials, and leading/ growing teams