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Bang & Olufsen Automotive introduces new
organisational setup
Bang & Olufsen announces its new Sales, Marketing & PR organisational
structure; effective from June 1st 2014.
Pullach, August 2014
Built on its long-established tradition of pioneering research, development and
superior Danish craftsmanship, Bang & Olufsen, founded in 1925, has remained
at the forefront of domestic technology, producing high-end video and audio
solutions that are celebrated around the world.
In 2005 Bang & Olufsen took its iconic emotional appeal and audio performance,
derived from its distinct aesthetic and technological excellence, and applied it to
the automotive industry; with its first high-end in-car system: the Bang & Olufsen
Advanced Sound System for the Audi A8. The Automotive business segment of
Bang & Olufsen was born, and its systems have since enhanced some of the
world’s most sought-after luxury cars. Today Bang & Olufsen sound systems are
available in a wide range of Audi, Aston Martin, BMW and Mercedes-Benz car
models. This year marks another landmark change in the company’s journey.
A corporate gear change
In September 2013 Olaf Nothhelfer joined
Bang & Olufsen, as the company’s new Sales
Director for Automotive. Olaf Nothhelfer’s
appointment continues his successful career
within Germany’s automotive industry: with
prior roles in Jaguar Land Rover, heading its
German Sales division, and dealer
development across Europe as well as
Business Process Reengineering for Ford
Germany. Olaf holds a degree in Business Administration. Since his arrival, and
with a clear focus on continuing the growth of Bang & Olufsen Automotive, Olaf
has initiated the development of a new corporate setup for Automotive`s Sales,
Marketing and PR divisions.
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To match the requirements of growing markets within the EMEA-region, US and
China, Automotive has updated its brand team structure; now opting for a
strategic blended structure of consolidated global teams and focussed regional
teams. Previously independent brand-assigned Marketing, PR and Sales
Strategy have now been consolidated into global teams, operating from Pullach,
near Munich, Germany. Global Marketing is lead by Johannes Schüler, with
Global PR activities being steered by Gunhild Ehrhardt-Kruft. The imminent
appointment of a newly established head of Global Sales Strategy, covering
concept development of sales incentives, training concepts and market
intelligence, will be announced shortly.
The global teams support three focussed regional teams, covering sales,
marketing, training and press activities. Heading the EMEA region is Philipp Graf,
based in Pullach, Germany; Philipp is also responsible for the OEM liaison in
terms of sales. Crystal Xu, based in Shanghai, China, heads the APAC region,
while the American region is lead by Michael Cory in Chicago, IL, US. All global
and regional team-heads report directly to Olaf Nothhelfer, who in turn reports to
Jens Peter Zinck, Vice President and Head of Automotive at Bang & Olufsen. All
changes were made effective from June 1st 2014.
“This new setup is the result of our continuously growing automotive business for
Bang & Olufsen, as well as our fast developing expansion within US and Chinese
markets. It has come out of our united desire to see Bang & Olufsen Automotive
reach even higher levels of success. This new organisational structure is integral
to that goal and will allow us to be better positioned to address any new
challenges moving forward, and to focus on our strategy for stronger and faster
business development,” says Jens Peter Zinck.
For more information please contact:
Global Public Relations Automotive
Ms. Gunhild Ehrhardt-Kruft
E-Mail: automotive_press@bang-olufsen.dk
Tel.: +49 (0)89 75905 -129
Fax: +49 (0)89 75905 -280
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Bang & Olufsen was founded in Struer, Denmark, in 1925 by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen,
two innovative, young engineers devoted to high quality audio reproduction. Since then, the
brand has become an icon of performance and design excellence through its long-standing
craftsmanship tradition and the strongest possible commitment to high-tech research and
development. Still at the forefront of domestic technology, Bang & Olufsen has extended its
comprehensive experience with integrated audio and video solutions for the home to other areas
such as the hospitality and automotive industries in recent years. Consequently, its current
product range epitomizes seamless media experiences in the home as well as in the car and on
the move. For more information on Bang & Olufsen, please visit
www.bang-olufsen.com
Bang & Olufsen Automotive offers its partners car audio systems with unprecedented sound
quality and listening pleasure for the driver and passengers. In addition to the company’s
traditional craft skills within manufacturing and aluminium finishing, the systems incorporate the
radical synthesis of emotional appeal and technological performance that has long been the
hallmark of Bang & Olufsen. Bang & Olufsen Automotive launched its first car audio system in
2005, and will continue to innovate and refine together with its partners within the automotive
industry. For more information on Bang & Olufsen, please visit
www.bang-olufsen.com/en/car-audio
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