Stefan Sommer and memories of a meeting

Stefan Sommer called it a day at ZF on December 7, precisely a month before his 55th birthday.

Having met him for an interview earlier this year, it was a bit of a shock, especially when there was no indication that he would leave. His colleagues liked Sommer immensely with one of them saying that he was the best boss one could hope for.

Even while institutions outlive individuals, there is always a void when a heavyweight quits, especially when he has gone all out to bring in change. Sommer played a big role in the acquisition of TRW Automotive and was very keen on ushering in a new era for ZF. After all, the automotive landscape was changing dramatically and it was important for ancillary suppliers to keep pace with this transition.

Sommer had visited India in March this year to inaugurate the technical centre in Hyderabad, a project he was passionate about. It was also a reflection of India’s competencies, which would be put to optimal use across ZF globally.

It was during this visit that Sommer told this writer that this was an exciting world of mobility emerging where companies such as ZF could play a big role in providing solutions. “We are thinking about serving mobility of the last mile, which could be a two-wheeler or any new concept but not something like a car,” he added. The solutions he hinted at included people movers or delivery robots.

This also put in perspective why ZF had created think-tanks within its headquarters at Friedrichshafen in Germany to come up with ideas on safety and last mile connectivity. According to Sommer, this group needed a new environment and the space to create and follow up on ideas.

He also acknowledged that mobility needs would vary across the world right from North America, India and China to Japan and Europe. “To have the right solutions for these regions, we need to be stronger in the region and have better understanding in the process,” he said.

Despite this foray into mobility, ZF intended to stay true to its core qualities in mechanical engineering while embracing the digital world and new competencies. The idea by the end of the day was to be versatile enough to take on challenges. “We will still stay as a company that delivers mechanical products, which we call intelligent mechanical products that are ready for the future world,” he said.

As for the Hyderabad tech centre, Sommer reiterated that the need of the hour was “fruitful ideas”, which could be exported from India to the world. “When we have the centre fully running and give people the freedom to think about their products, who knows what will come out of it,” he added.

Sommer was also candid on the new wave of protectionism spreading across the world, which were clearly areas of concern. “There are a lot of dark clouds right now but there is no rain from them yet,” he said. “So long as they give a shadow, it is fine but if it starts to rain then we will need some umbrellas.”

A visit to Friedrichshafen some weeks later for the company’s annual press conference gave a better perspective of ZF Forum, which had been set up to usher in a new work environment and boost creativity. The new office concept was intended to foster greater team spirit and make the work place more flexible. “This building has the latest digital infrastructure and is ready for the modern world of working,” said Sommer.

It was here that the top of a new world order cropped up and the ZF chief was categorical about the fact that protectionism would only hurt nations eventually. He spoke of Germany’s own experience with the Berlin Wall, which was brought down in November 1989 and marked an end to decades of human oppression.

As Sommer reiterated, people who built walls would finally be the losers, a clear reference to US President Donald Trump’s intention to build one demarcating Mexico. Fortunately, nothing of the kind has happened to date.

It is hard to size up people after just a couple of meetings but listening to voices within ZF showed that employees liked Sommer for his drive and candour. He had a vision for the company and it is only natural to expect his successor to take this forward. It will be pity if this does not happen.

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