Roland Berger Strategy Consultants: Change at the Top - Burkhard Schwenker is New and Old CEO

AsiaNet 52917

FRANKFURT and MUNICH, Germany, May 4/PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

    - Martin C. Wittig steps down as CEO for health reasons

    - Burkhard Schwenker assumes responsibilities

    - Semiannual International Partner Meeting held in Frankfurt

    Picture is available via epa european pressphoto agency

( http://www.epa.eu/ ) and can be downloaded free of charge at:

http://ots.de/MGnXP

    At today's International Partner Meeting of Roland Berger Strategy

Consultants, Dr. Martin C. Wittig stepped down as CEO for health reasons. "It's

not an easy step for me to take," says Wittig. "But I urgently need some time

off for medical treatment that I simply can't postpone any longer." He will

therefore be withdrawing from all business activities for some months. "But I'm

confident to be back in perfect health afterwards," states Wittig.

    Dr. Martin C. Wittig (born in 1964) joined Roland Berger Strategy

Consultants in 1995. He was elected Partner as early as 1999. Wittig has made a

significant contribution to the firm's restructuring business, developing the

initially very small Swiss office into number three in the market. He has been

a member of the Global Executive Committee since July 2003 and CFO since 2004.

In July 2010, the Partners appointed him CEO of the global Executive Committee.

    "We deeply regret Martin Wittig's decision," says Professor Dr. Burkhard

Schwenker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. His move means the company will

have to do without an excellent consultant and successful manager for some time

now. "Not only is he a true entrepreneur, but he's also become a close friend

of mine over the past few years." Since taking over as CEO of the company in

July 2010, Wittig has steadily expanded the firm's international footprint.

"Today, our company has 51 offices in 36 countries," explains

Schwenker. "We are very strong in Asia, especially in China, have further

expanded our key position in Europe and are growing successfully in the US."

    Prof. Dr. h.c. Roland Berger, founder and Honorary Chairman of the

consultancy, says: "I respect Martin's courageous step and wish him a speedy

and complete recovery. I am glad that he will continue to play a key role in

our company and that I can stay in touch with him personally through our work

together for the Roland Berger Foundation."

    After his break, Wittig will continue to contribute his experience and

contacts for Roland Berger Strategy Consultants and serve as Chairman of the

Supervisory Board for the Swiss office. Founder Roland Berger has also asked

him to join his Foundation's Board of Trustees.

    Professor Dr. Burkhard Schwenker, the current Supervisory Board Chairman,

will take over from Wittig as CEO. Schwenker is already familiar with this job

because he had been CEO from 2003 to 2010 before moving to the top of the

Supervisory Board. Previous Deputy Chairman, Vincent Mercier from the Paris

office, will now take over as Chairman of that body.

    At their semiannual meeting in Frankfurt this Saturday, the approx. 250

Partners of the company agreed to this move. They also discussed the business

situation and future strategic alignment of the largest strategy consulting

firm of European origin. The Partners also adopted the cornerstones of the

firm's future strategy and assigned management with the task of examining

external options. The next Partner meeting will be held in summer 2013.

    Prof. Dr. Burkhard Schwenker/Members of the Executive Committee

    At their meeting, the Partners of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants

elected their former Chairman of the Supervisory Board as their new CEO:

Burkhard Schwenker (55) had been a member of Roland Berger Strategy

Consultants' Executive Committee (EC) since 1998. He was appointed CEO by the

Partners in 2003 and was reelected for another term in 2006. In July 2010 he

was appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Having studied business

administration and mathematics, Schwenker started his professional career in

industry before completing his Ph.D. He joined Roland Berger Strategy

Consultants in 1989, and was elected Partner in 1992. Schwenker is an expert in

strategy, organization and corporate transformation. He regularly lectures at

and sits on the boards of several business schools and universities.

Furthermore, he is active in various sociopolitical institutions, e.g. as

Deputy Chairman of Atlantik-Bruecke e.V. and as Chairman of the Executive Board

of the Roland Berger Foundation.

    Asia head Charles Edouard Bouee (Shanghai), restructuring expert Bernd

Brunke (Berlin), automotive expert Ralf Kalmbach (Munich) and Tijo Collot

d'Escury (Amsterdam) remain members of the global Executive Committee.

    Vincent Mercier/Members of the Supervisory Board

    The Partners further appointed Vincent Mercier (64) new Chairman of the

Supervisory Board. He graduated from the Ecole des Mines, France, and holds a

master's degree in economics and an MBA from Johnson School of Cornell

University, USA. Mercier joined Roland Berger in 2003 as Managing Partner of

the Paris office. A year later, he also assumed responsibility for the Belgian

office. His regional responsibilities further included China, Morocco and the

Netherlands. Mercier was elected to the EC in 2004 and to the Supervisory Board

in July 2010. Ever since, he has been Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory

Board.

    Antonio Bernardo (Lisbon), Stefan Schaible (Hamburg) and Wu Qi (Beijing)

remain members of the Supervisory Board.

    Subscribe to our free newsletter at:

    http://www.rolandberger.com/press-newsletter

    Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, founded in 1967, is one of the world's

leading strategy consultancies. With 2,700 employees working in 51 offices in

36 countries worldwide, we have successful operations in all major

international markets. The strategy consultancy is an independent partnership

exclusively owned by about 250 Partners.

    For further information, please contact:

    Susanne Horstmann

    Roland Berger Strategy Consultants

    Tel.: +49-89-9230-8483

    E-Mail: susanne.horstmann@rolandberger.com

    http://www.rolandberger.com

    SOURCE: Roland Berger Strategy Consultants