ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°148 - Mai/Juin 2013 - 22

FoCus

By Ulrich MARTIN (99 MA)

Efficience and
performance
Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) is a global technology leader in banknote
production and processing, mobile security and government solutions.
Ulrich MARTIN is at G&D de Mexico in charge of Finance and Administration
which includes the Finance, Purchasing and HR functions. He tells us about
his responsabilities.
G&D is an internationally leading
technology provider with its headquarters in Munich, Germany and
58 subsidiaries, joint ventures, and
associated companies in 32 countries worldwide. G&D had around
10,500 employees as of the end
of 2011 and generated 1,6 billion
euros in sales in fiscal 2011; of
which 87 percent was earned outside Germany.
Broad area of responsabilities
This is a relatively broad area yet
allows for a maximum alignment of
the subsidiary towards achieving its
goals in terms of growth and profitability. The finance function nowadays is characterized by the need
to secure efficient core processes
(reporting, controlling, treasury and
taxes) through standardization and automation
while generating the maximum business insight
in order to accompany the organization towards
achieving its strategic goals. The latter entails
defining, reviewing and communicating Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs) with the rest of the
organization in order to focus the company towards value creation. Working for a family-owned
business in a highly specialized industry means
that companies can focus towards long term
goals while not being at the mercy of quarterly
earnings calls with analysts and investors. To give
you an example, G&D’s high-volume banknote
processing systems, where the company is a
world market leader take several years in development. Successful developments might have been
sacrificed by the financial markets for the benefit
of short term profits.

- ESCP Europe Magazine N° 148 - Mai/Juin 2013

Good training
After I graduated from ESCP Europe in Paris
in 1999, I joined a major US investment bank
to form part of their analyst program in London.
The three and a half years were a very valuable
learning period in order to become proficient in
capital markets and to get a solid understanding
of the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) process. The
latter allowed me in 2004 to make the move to the
corporate world taking on the responsibility for
M&A at G&D’s headquarters in Munich, Germany.
The experience during my three and a half years in
this position, together with the international background in my studies, gave me the opportunity to
work on global projects in four different continents
while having an ongoing exposure to the management board of the company. When in 2008 the
company looked for a new Finance Director for its
Mexican subsidiary, the fit was perfect.
Great ambition for the future…
I believe that my current position is a very beneficiary assignment both to the company and my
personal and professional development. Due to
the very dynamic nature of our markets an attitude
of openness, observation and ongoing learning
is critical. Therefore in 2010 I took a qualification
to become a certified coach in order to develop
broader leadership skills and to become an organizational change agent. At the moment I am
very focused on building the regional presence of
the company in Latin America. In parallel, we are
adapting our ERP platform to cope with the new
market realities and to streamline processes. The
wealth of experience I was able to gather in the
last years equips me well for a possible return in
the future to the headquarters in order to take on a
senior management position.
●

Table des matières de la publication ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°148 - Mai/Juin 2013

Couverture
Zapping
Sommaire
BUSINESS
Personnalités du mois Gilles BOGAERT (91) : Acteur de la performance
Focus
Sur tous les fronts
Au coeur de la création de valeur
Soigner sa communication
Transformer la fonction
Piloter la performance
The navigator
Efficience and performance
Chef de choeur
Des défis à revendre
De l’audace, toujours de l’audace
Itinéraires
Le goût de l’aventure
Créer sa « boutique »
Entretiens
Promo 78 : 35 ans après
Promo 88 : 25 ans après
Tourisme & loisirs
Agro-alimentaire
Banque/finance
Développement durable
Innovation
BTP
Avocat
NEWS
Vie du réseau
Alain PROST (83), Président de Maison Lejaby
Nominations
Groupe Automobile : La stratégie de Renault en Chine
La 57 pleure…
Groupe RH : du système D au système CO
Carnet
London Gala
Agenda
À lire
Carrière Le DAF du 21ème siècle
Voyages Maroc-Martinique à la rame
CAMPUS
École
Start@Europe 2013
Crise de l’euro : les craintes sont-elles dissipées ?
Le MS Finance fête ses 25 ans
Fondation 2013 : une action renforcée !
Vie étudiante
Au grand galop !
Noisy week-end

ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°148 - Mai/Juin 2013