Ulrich Spiesshofer vs Olivier Blum

Ulrich Spiesshofer

CEO of ABB Ltd

BIO: Mr. Ulrich Spiesshofer has been the Chief Executive Officer and President of ABB Ltd since September 15, 2013. Mr. Spiesshofer served as the Head of Discrete Automation & Motion Division at ABB Ltd from January 1, 2010 to September 16, 2013. He served as the Head of Corporate Development at ABB Ltd from November 2005 to January 1, 2010. From 2001 to 2002, he served as the Managing Director of A.T. Kearney International AG, Switzerland. He served as Senior Partner and Global Head Operations Practice at Roland Berger & Partners GmbH from 2002 to 2005. From 1999 to 2001, he was a Leader Asian Operations Practice ??? A.T. Kearney Pty. Ltd., Australia. From 1996 to 1999, he was Member Australian Leadership Team ??? A.T. Kearney Pty. Ltd., Australia. From 1991 to 1996, he was Associate/Manager/Principal ??? A.T. Kearney GmbH. From 1989 to 1992, he was Lecturer in business management, University of Stuttgart and Berufsakademie, Stuttgart, Germany. He has been a Director of Baldor Electric Company, Inc since January 27, 2011. He served as Director of ABB Ltd from September 27, 2005 to February 23, 2007. He joined ABB's Executive Committee in 2005 and became responsible for the Discrete Automation and Motion division or DM in 2009. He led a doubling of the division's revenues by organic and inorganic means. He also helped integrate Baldor Electric Co., He also initiated other business expansion activities in the division based on organic growth and acquisitions. His actions helped the division grow faster than the market and expand into new business areas like e-mobility and uninterruptible power supplies. He has increased profit margins through a turnaround in Robotics. He had been responsible for Corporate Development, leading strategy development and implementation across the power and automation businesses, including ABB's roadmap for mergers and acquisitions and the formation of its technology venture arm. He strengthened ABB's operational excellence and procurement processes in this role, laying the groundwork for the cost savings program. Mr. Spiesshofer spent three years at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants and 11 years at A.T. Kearney management consultants, where he built successful consulting businesses in industries such as oil and gas, utilities, telecoms and automotive. From 1984 to 1989, Mr. Spiesshofer holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration and Engineering, University of Stuttgart, Germany and from 1989 to 1991 PhD in Economics, University of Stuttgart, Germany.

Olivier Blum

CEO of Schneider Electric

BIO: Olivier Blum is the Chief Executive Officer of Schneider Electric, effective November 4, 2024. Olivier has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2014. In his most recent role, he successfully led the company's fast-growing and world-class Energy Management business across all end markets, including data centers. Prior to that, he served as Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer from 2020 to 2022, where he led the development of corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, sustainability, and quality assurance. From 2014 to 2020, Olivier held the position of Chief Human Resources Officer at Schneider Electric, driving the company’s people strategy and earning recognition as France’s Chief Human Resources Officer of the Year in 2019 by Cadremploi, Morgan Phillips Hudson, Le Figaro Décideurs, and Fyte for his transformative leadership and cultural impact. Olivier began his career at Schneider Electric in 1993 in his home country of France. Over the past two decades, he has gained extensive international experience, holding key leadership roles in Asia including Regional Head of Strategy for China, Regional Managing Director for India, and a global role as Executive Vice President of the Home & Distribution division, based in Hong Kong. He has also been an independent director of Keppel Corporation and a member of its Sustainability and Safety Committees since May 2022. His commitment to sustainability has been instrumental in Schneider Electric's success, culminating in the company being named the World's Most Sustainable Corporation by Corporate Knights in 2021. Olivier holds a degree from Grenoble Business School, France.