Monocle’s editorial director Tyler Brûlé is joined by the chairman of Siemens AG, Jim Hagemann Snabe, at the company’s Munich HQ. They discuss where a firm so intertwined in the critical infrastructure of our daily lives is heading next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After a healthy break, the Chiefs is kicking off 2022's proceedings at the headquarters of one of Europe's largest industrial manufacturing companies.
In this episode, we head to the Bavarian HQ of Siemens AG to sit down with its chairman, Jim Hageman.
Snappe.
To get a sense of where a company so integrated into the critical infrastructure of our daily lives is heading next.
From healthcare to energy, urban infrastructure and beyond.
Siemens are often the invisible helping hand that gets us from A to B.
But that doesn't mean they're a brand that goes unrecognized.
So how does a company of such scale retain brand loyalty and ensure it drives digital transformation in an authentic and tangible way?
Plus, as companies tussle to promote their sustainable credentials, how does the Danish business leader ensure his messaging stays fresh?
I'm Tyler and you're listening to the Chiefs on Monocle 24.
I wanted to start on a bit of a personal note because it's something that's been nagging me.
Oftentimes when I speak to management consultants and you speak to other captains of industry, you always hear people talk about whenever they look at businesses, they need to focus and they need to rationalize and they need to spin off divisions, etc.
Siemens.
I think back to my childhood.
It's been a company which has touched every part of my life.
And of course you've sold off parts of the business.
You're less B2C than you were, but you still have quite a disparate set of businesses.
Is there still room for this type of conglomerate today, when everyone wants to be so focused and so linear?
Well, I actually believe in focus but not focus to become smaller.
Actually, I believe that what you focus on should expand.