​At the end of the month, Dr. Rolf Breidenbach will step down as HELLA CEO. He has held the post for 18 years. In this interview, he looks back on that time, talks about successes, mistakes and his time after HELLA.

Monday 2022-06-20

Dr. Breidenbach, you have been CEO of HELLA for more than 18 years. Now, this period is coming to an end. Are you sad or relieved?

Sad would probably be the wrong word, wistful is closer to it; especially because I was able to work with so many wonderful colleagues for such a long time. I will miss that. At the same time, I also feel that the burden associated with the position of CEO is now slowly but surely falling away from me. Deadlines, time pressure, constant availability – I was happy to accept all that for HELLA and take it into the bargain. But now I am indeed looking forward to having more freedom and to enjoying more flexibility in the future.

When you took office in 2004, did you think you would be at the helm for almost two decades?

Something like this could not and cannot be planned. The automotive industry is subject to high pressure to change. Changes at the top of companies are therefore increasingly the order of the day. Looking back, I feel all the more privileged to have been able to experience the trust of shareholders, committees and employees, but also of our customers and business partners over such a long period of time.

As CEO, you have been responsible for the company and its more than 36,000 employees for many years. Which qualities are needed for such a responsible task?

Firstly, one must not overestimate one's own skills, tasks should always be approached with humility. From my perspective, this is the most important thing. Even as a CEO, you are always part of a team; only together can you be successful. Secondly, one must be able to listen properly, to take in and consider different opinions and sensitivities. And thirdly, one must also be prepared to take the lead and to make clear, definite decisions.

Which success pleased you most during your time at HELLA?

HELLA has developed extraordinarily well in recent years. This is not due to the achievement of one individual; all employees worldwide have contributed to such a development. It is therefore difficult for me to single out specific points. But if I had to settle on one aspect, then I would say it is the development of the electronics business. HELLA is now also a leading electronics supplier, which was not the case 20 years ago. Together with our strong lighting business and our successful non-automotive activities, we are thus well positioned for the future.

Are there also mistakes that you regret?

Of course, I have also made mistakes. During my time at HELLA there were things that I would certainly approach differently today. For example, I did not make the right personnel decisions here and there. Sometimes I gave colleagues too much responsibility too soon and then did not support them enough in their role. In retrospect, this is something I wish I had done better.

During your time at HELLA, you had to steer the company through several crises: the financial crisis in 2008/2009, the corona pandemic, semiconductor bottlenecks, the Ukraine war. Which crisis was the biggest challenge for you?

In general, every crisis is different, each has its own challenges. The war of aggression on Ukraine is undoubtedly horrific, I find the suffering of the people in the country shocking. With regard to HELLA, however, I would say that overcoming the semiconductor crisis has been one of the most challenging tasks so far. Many things came together here: the massive shortages occurred quite unexpectedly. These suddenly unsteadied a lot of things and they were associated with great risks. At the same time, as a company our hands were largely tied. We had only limited possibilities to effectively counteract this situation; we were heavily dependent on the support of our customers and suppliers. Not being able to have your hands on the steering wheel yourself is not an optimal situation from a management perspective. Nevertheless, so far we have also mastered this crisis well. And the reason is that it is precisely in such phases that HELLA's employees always rise above themselves. That is what sets us apart.

How do you keep a company on track in such difficult times?

I would highlight three aspects in particular that are important from my point of view. Firstly, it is vital to communicate clearly: what are the basic conditions that prevail, what challenge do we face, how do we have to react? Secondly, the measures have to be implemented consistently. Thirdly, you have to lead the way and you should not just act in the background but be centre stage. You have to be there in person when important crisis meetings are convened or decisive escalation talks are held with customers or suppliers. To put it in a nutshell: you have to show that you are taking responsibility, even if it's stormy.

You were once called a "cost specialist" by a German business magazine, also because of your handling of crises. Do you live up to this reputation?

This view may be somewhat exaggerated. At least I hope that I have been able to highlight and shape the one or the other facet of technological issues or other management aspects. But it is a fact: particularly in difficult situations, we as the HELLA team have always managed to position the company in the best possible way from a cost perspective. In this respect, my reputation may not be entirely coincidental.

Do you already know what you will be doing on July 1, your personal Day ONE after HELLA?

Even though it is not really typical of me: I haven't planned anything in detail for that day yet. After all, I still have a few days left at HELLA. In the future, however, I will certainly spend time doing many things that have been neglected in recent years: first and foremost enjoying a fuller family life, but also pursuing sports and playing chess, for example.

What will you especially miss after you leave?

Above all, the many colleagues with whom I have worked, whose development I have been able to follow and accompany, and who have continuously grown with their tasks. The collaboration between the different teams, exchanging ideas, finding solutions, being joyful about joint successes – I will definitely miss all that.

And your future: time out or a new CEO post?

I will certainly not become a CEO again, I can rule that out here and now. From my point of view, now is the right time for me to withdraw from operational responsibility for a company. But I could well imagine taking on one or the other supervisory or advisory board positions in the future. The first few things have already been settled, everything else lies in the future.