Cathleen Möbius

For Franz A. Wenzel, Managing Director USA, the last five months in Anderson, South Carolina have felt like an entire year. Born, raised, and educated in the US, our consultant has returned to the US after nearly two decades abroad in both Germany and Europe, at large—as a consultant for German SMEs in the Upstate boom. What are his impressions after five months in the southeastern US? Has his focus shifted? And what questions does he frequently encounter from German companies expanding into the US? From risks to future prospects: an honest, personal, and practical insight.

In phases with high decision-making and time pressure, every minute counts. When key roles in finance, operations, or project management are vacant, implementation becomes a risk—in times of crisis, but also during growth, transformation, or transition phases. In such situations, tailor-made interim and executive search solutions bring targeted leadership experience and implementation expertise to the company. They create additional certainty by clearly anchoring responsibility, driving decisions forward, and confidently involving relevant stakeholders. The decisive factor here is not only the speed of recruitment, but also the ability to actually make an impact in challenging phases. In this interview, Anne Rienecker, head of enomyc's new People Advisory business unit, and managing director Julia Hammer explain how they support medium-sized companies with their services and why even the best interim manager is not a “jack of all trades.

Impending double dip, pressing transformation, slowing banks: “Outdated financing concepts are of little help now,” says Ralf Ehret, partner and head of debt advisory at enomyc. They are often suboptimal, unstable, and not designed for the current risks or future needs of German SMEs. It is no surprise that alternative sources of financing are now booming. But what do companies need to anticipate now in order to act early, honestly, and smartly? A look at worst-case scenarios and dream scenarios from a debt advisor.

Is this impression misleading, or are strikes becoming more common? Which industries are hardest hit? And how well prepared are medium-sized companies? “In my experience, not well at all,” reports Thomas Wahlig, specialist lawyer for labor law, “but the unions are just as bad.” This could make companies vulnerable to blackmail very suddenly. And this at a time when German SMEs are in the midst of an unprecedented wave of restructuring. Thomas Wahlig is a partner at Pusch Wahlig Workplace Law and specializes in collective bargaining and works constitution law, particularly restructuring. He says that companies planning restructuring should check their strike resistance very carefully in advance. How? With due diligence. We interviewed him.

At first glance, the German MedTech industry seems to be doing well. It appears resilient in crises, innovative, strong in exports, and optimistic. However, on a global scale, its business growth seems to have slowed. What’s troubling the MedTech industry? How is its innovative strength holding up? And what about its future? enomyc, in collaboration with the German industry association SPECTARIS, which focuses on optics, photonics, analytical, and medical technology, surveyed over 40 companies in the industry. In this expert interview with Christian Zeller, we explore the sentiment, strengths, and levers of the German MedTech industry.

The obsession with a long and healthy life is fueling boom after boom in the healthcare industry. Vitamins, supplements, and nootropics. Dietary foods for muscle building and weight loss. Herbal medicines for prevention and recovery—all available over-the-counter (OTC) in pharmacies and drugstores. While some pharmaceutical manufacturers are thriving in this market, others struggle to remain relevant. Where do they fall short? "I've never seen an OTC company in crisis due to a lack of pharmaceutical or product expertise," says marketing and sales expert Peter Klein. "What most lack is digital know-how and digital marketing expertise." Klein holds a degree in business administration with a focus on marketing and sales. He studied in Cologne and Trier and has held executive positions in consumer goods and pharmaceutical companies. Today, he advises OTC producers as a consultant and interim manager. What makes OTC products truly relevant? Why should pharmaceutical manufacturers view themselves as customer-centric companies? And how is "Insta Health" transforming the OTC industry? Fresh insights and actionable recommendations—read the full interview below.

What effect does the family factor have on change processes in family businesses? Our partner Dr. Tim Bauer researched this topic years ago. In 2012, he completed his PhD on "Innovation Processes in Family Businesses." Prior to that, he worked at the Chair for Family Businesses, advised young founders, and studied renowned family businesses from the German Mittelstand. That he now advises family businesses in transformation processes is partly because he himself comes from a family business and managed the company for a decade with his brother. How can family businesses respond to the current pressure to transform? What are their pain points? And what is essential in consulting for family businesses? Here are insights from his entrepreneurial and consulting practice.

Relocation, reshoring, offshoring, and rebuilding: The geographical shifts of internationally producing companies resemble a busy puzzle. While BASF closes facilities at its German headquarters and invests $10 billion in constructing a mega factory off the coast of southern China, Tesla explores alternatives to production sites in China and Taiwan. Meanwhile, Stellantis plans to scale down its electric vehicle production in China, and Neura Robotics is returning to its German headquarters from China this year. The reasons for these production relocations vary by industry, from high factor costs and geopolitical risks to tariff avoidance. Moving away from Germany, where are manufacturing companies heading? Will factory relocations increase? And what are the dos and don’ts in the relocation process itself? An expert discussion with Christian Zeller and Thorsten Holl.