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The big challenges of the automobile sector
There was a lot of commotion in the automobile industry in Belgium in 2007 and the next years will certainly not lead to a period of peace and serenity.
Indeed, major challenges appear at the horizon: the price increase of fossil fuels and the fast decrease of supply sources, the drastic and necessary reduction of CO2 emissions, the competition of new producing countries (China, Brazil, India, Russia). These challenges and many others were underlined at the Solvay Business School, on December 17th 2007 by two important experts of the sector: Lars Holmqvist, CEO of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) and Juan José Diaz Ruiz, former European commercial director of major brands (Ford, Seat, Audi, Fiat, Toyota).
This event gave a foretaste of the subjects and of the high level of the lectures of the new cycle organized by Solvay Business School for an industry branch which employs 12 % of Europeans.
The cycle will be animated by internationally renowned academicians, by experts of the sector and also by significant observers.
Ask around you in which areas the automotive industry excels, and most will answer ‘engineering, design or logistics’, and right so!
Now ask the same question for other leading industries like banking, fast moving or IT, and you will get more standard answers like ‘finance, marketing, product strategy, distribution, etc.’. These answers clearly highlight what the key competencies of the car industry are, but also which ones are lacking.
The car industry indeed never managed to attract the best & brightest, except in the engineering world. Yet, economic reality is quickly catching up. Shareholders are demanding a better return from the car industry, regulators are about to abolish its protective distribution system and above all, global competition including from new emerging markets is making the car industry more complex and competitive every day. The industry is indeed in bad need of the best & brightest, or at least a specific education tool which provides such management excellence.
Belgium will continue to play a leading role in the car industry, no longer through its factories, but for instance, as the capital of Europe, where policy decisions are being made for transport, mobility, environment, competition, distribution etc. Belgium therefore needs a solid post graduate education program in automotive management. No better partner to set up such a program than the leading business school. The car industry needs the best & brightest managers. To get there, managers need a top notch education.
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