As part of our annual INVERTO charity event, we want to raffle a canoe tour along the Alster – that’s always great fun. But Hamburg has just so much to offer that you really don’t need that much. Apart from an umbrella – that’s probably something you don’t want to be without here. //
INVERTO Office Hamburg „A dream team in every which way“
Dr. Gökhan Yüzgülec was appointed Managing Director of INVERTO at the start of the year and heads up our newly opened office in Hamburg. In this interview, he shares with us his plans for the office and talks about the key issues currently affecting him and his clients.
Can you briefly sum up your professional background and how you came to INVERTO?
After graduating with an Engineering degree, I carried out research into SCM topics in the automotive industry at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, before switching to consulting. Following a “foray” into the lighting sector, where I was responsible for all global product launch projects, an INVERTO colleague whom I had become friends with led me to join our Employee Referral Program as a Principal at INVERTO Munich.
What has your role at INVERTO involved since you joined?
I lead major procurement transformations and cost optimization programs for direct and indirect spend categories, primarily clients in the automotive and medical technology sectors, as well as industrial goods manufacturers and mechanical engineering companies. In our Healthcare practice area, I head up the MedTech sector and am responsible for projects relating to supply chain finance. At the end of last year, I took on the management of our Hamburg office.
What do you especially value at INVERTO?
Quite simply, how distinctive the company is. On the one hand, there is a unique symbiosis between BCG and INVERTO – we complement each other perfectly: strategic consultancy combined with delivery-oriented, hands-on procurement consultancy. On the other hand, there is a great spirit of cooperation at INVERTO. I have worked for various companies in the past but have never come across this kind of corporate culture before. At INVERTO, we work with – not against – each other. Everyone wants to grow as a team and achieve the best for the company and, above all, for our clients.
This also includes the opportunity to help shape the company in any number of ways. Every individual has the chance to initiate a topic or play a part in ongoing initiatives irrespective of hierarchy, location, or technical background. The new Hamburg office is a prime example of this: Exactly one year ago we had only dreamed about opening a third INVERTO office in Germany. Thanks to the involvement of many dedicated colleagues, we celebrated the opening of our new office at the end of last year. We are now actively helping INVERTO to grow.
This also includes the opportunity to help shape the company in any number of ways. Every individual has the chance to initiate a topic or play a part in ongoing initiatives irrespective of hierarchy, location, or technical background. The new Hamburg office is a prime example of this: Exactly one year ago we had only dreamed about opening a third INVERTO office in Germany. Thanks to the involvement of many dedicated colleagues, we celebrated the opening of our new office at the end of last year. We are now actively helping INVERTO to grow.
As a “freshly minted” MD and head of our new Hamburg office, which areas are you especially keen to focus on?
Our Hamburg office is the first OneBCG office in the DACH region – that means we share the workspace with our colleagues at BCG and Platinion. So, it’s very important to me to truly live and experience life as OneBCG. Any collaboration is a win-win-win situation – for us, for BCG, and most of all for our clients.
I want to develop new offerings for our clients and expand the product portfolio, so we can offer them optimal support in their quest to succeed in a dynamic business environment. Our clients’ needs have changed enormously in recent years: The focus is increasingly on procurement and supply chain management; cutting costs is no longer the only item on the agenda in today’s world. Guaranteeing availability and smart supplier management have also become significantly more relevant, so we always need to stay two steps ahead!
What is your vision for the team in Hamburg?
First, I have to say that Hamburg is a dream team – in every which way. Everyone from Hamburg is full of enthusiasm and a desire to proactively help develop a great office culture, which we can already see evidence of. We work closely with our colleagues at BCG and Platinion to promote the growth of the team as a whole. Our on-site team has an ideal mix, with 60 % female employees and a healthy distribution across all ranks of the company. And it will remain like this as we increase the team to 25 – 30 employees over the next 2 to 3 years. I think this is absolutely realistic, because there is genuinely significant demand and we can hardly keep up with the interviews. Moreover, we have one of the finest INVERTO offices in the world, of course – anyone who has been here is bound to agree.
Which challenges do your teams encounter most often when it comes to client work?
Material shortages and ensuring availability are still right at the top of the agenda. Our clients are also facing a variety of different challenges. Alongside new sustainable procurement requirements, we are mainly noticing increased existing cost pressures due to demands from suppliers. Generally speaking, supply chains are currently experiencing a power shift. Unlike just a couple of years ago, today it is the Tier 1 and 2 suppliers that dictate the prices, delivery times, and the allocation of scarce materials. This is on top of a shortage of skilled buyers – the situation is certainly challenging.
What do you do to relax and unwind?
I generally spend my time with my wife and two boys – my youngest was only born earlier this year. When I get some time to myself, I do sport. I also like to dust off my acting skills as part of an amateur theatre group whenever I can. Traveling remains important to me, as a means of broadening my horizons.
What’s an absolute must on a visit to Hamburg?
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