Pedersen & Partners Names Automotive Practice Head
October 21, 2016 – Executive search firm Pedersen & Partners has appointed Thorsten Otremba as a client partner and head of its automotive practice.
Mr. Otremba has over 15 years of global in-depth expertise in executive search, with a particular focus on the automotive, manufacturing and engineering sectors. Over the course of his career he has held key management and operational roles at local and international executive search firms, ranging from executive vice president and senior equity partner to managing partner, and has served as the main knowledge manager for their industrial & automotive practices. He advised world-leading clients such as Daimler, BMW, JCI, Faurecia, Delphi, TRW, BorgWarner, Bosch, Rogers Corporation, and SGL ACF, on complex leadership assessment, executive coaching and management consulting aspects. Previously, Mr. Otremba served as executive vice president for DHR International.
Before transitioning to executive search, he gained several years of automotive and industrial supply chain experience in strategic purchasing roles for BMW and Siemens. His additional fields of experience include the setup of effective compliance organizations, as well as advising modern security organizations on the recruitment of consultants and risk advisors for the board.
“I am delighted to lead this automotive practice at a time when technological disruptors – digitization, increasing automation, mobility, and new business models – have become an intrinsic part of the industry development,” said Mr. Otremba. “Industry players across the globe seek expert talent to harness these opportunities and Pedersen & Partners is exceptionally well-positioned to be their partner of choice.”
“Thorsten will add tremendous value to both our global and DACH clients. He is uniquely familiar with the challenges faced by the industry in its on-going transformation, making him the best-prepared expert to lead and develop our practice in the field,” said Guido Bormann, country manager for Germany at Pedersen & Partners.
Expanding Footprint
Pedersen & Partners has recently expanded its footprint in various parts of the globe:
In June, the firm named Jan Großmann to its German team as a client partner and head of consumer products and retail. Mr. Großmann has a wealth of expertise to the firm, with more than three decades of substantial management and leadership experience in the executive search, FMCG, retail, and media industries, and numerous completed cross-border assignments in executive search, executive assessment and board services.
Just recently, the firm added Paola Gutierrez Velandia to its Madrid team as head of board services for Iberia and Latin America. She has over 16 years of market leading expertise in working with a wide range of clients and key stakeholders in the areas of corporate governance, board services, shareholder engagement, and public affairs across Latin America, U.S., MENA and Central Europe.
The firm also named Frank Behrendt as a principal and head of its financial services practice group in Africa. Mr. Behrendt is an emerging markets specialist and has originated and executed senior level searches for banks and financial institutions across Asia Pacific while based in Singapore, and Pan-Africa from London and Johannesburg.
Pedersen & Partners also opened a new office in Lisbon, Portugal. Margarita Hernández now serves as the firm’s country manager for Portugal and also oversees executive search engagements in Angola. She joined the firm from Accenture.
The firm also opened a new office in Mexico City. Luis Miguel Vilatela joined the firm as the country manager for Mexico and head the Mexico City office. This became Pedersen & Partners’ seventh established office in the Americas, following the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru.
Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media
