Philipp Polterauer and Mohamad Kaivan have been Managing Directors at Inverto since the beginning of the year. Both were previously responsible for large client projects as Principals at Inverto. In this interview, they talk about their motivation and the plans they want to pursue in their new roles.
What are your current areas of responsibility?
Philipp: The most important thing is still my clients. I am responsible for transformation and cost management programs across all industries. I mainly support multinational companies from the pharmaceutical, consumer goods, automotive and high-tech industries. I also head the “Digitalization & Procurement Excellence” Center of Excellence, where we set up digital strategies and further develop our services in the areas of data analytics, AI and process optimization.
Mohamad: In addition to my day-to-day work as Managing Director with project delivery and acquisition responsibility, I am also the lead for all PIPE activities in the UK, Benelux and France and support with my expertise in the energy sector. In the London office, I am also responsible for the people workstream. My job is to make our Inverto home in the UK the best possible place to work and thrive, including, for example, methods for knowledge exchange, the well-being of our team, and promoting diversity.
What challenges you personally in your daily work and what fascinates you about it?
Mohamad: The biggest challenge at the moment is capacity, the demand on the market is huge and it is really hard to find top talents who complement our team in the best possible way. I am particularly fascinated by the environment in which we work – the diversity of industries Philipp: I couldn‘t agree more, I think it‘s great to work with so many talented people. I would love to be in more than one location at a time to interact with all the teams in person. I‘m also passionate about new technologies and excited to keep exploring new digital opportunities and methods. In doing so, the exchange with BCG and my international clients is also very valuable to me. and the outstanding quality of the clients, as well as the highly qualified teams from across Inverto and BCG. We benefit greatly from being flexible as a boutique consultancy and at the same time being able to draw on a global “powerhouse” of strategy consulting.
In your role as Managing Director – what topics do you want to drive forward? What is your vision for Inverto for the next five years?
Philipp: For me, quite clearly “Make Procurement Digital”. I want to further expand our leading position in the market for digital supply chain and procurement consulting, drive our digital strategy and enable every single Mohamad: I want to be particularly involved in people development and promote diversity. In five years, we will have built upon the environment that we have created which encourages free thinking and innovation, and challenges the current status quo and ways of working. team member to use the latest technologies in our projects.
And in terms of your clients, what are the biggest challenges right now?
Mohamad: Key challenges facing clients include mitigating the impact of inflation and ensuring business viability and future supply chain resilience.
Philipp: Exactly, volatility on the global procurement markets is extremely high at the moment, and we believe that uncertainty will continue for some time. That‘s why we need to enable our clients to make the right decisions better and faster. We also want to help with this with our digital tools.
When you’re not taking care of your clients and teams, what’s your favorite way to spend your free time?
Mohamad: I then use the time to take care of my “junior stakeholders”, that is, my twin toddlers and my wonderful daughter who constantly keep me on my toes.
Philipp: Family, friends and sports. I especially love adventure travel, running and skiing.
When we visit you in your home town, what should definitely be on our "bucket list"?
Philipp: Vienna has so much to offer. I would suggest having a drink at Roberto‘s Bar, eating a Wiener Schnitzel at Gasthaus zur Oper or sushi with a view at Onyx Restaurant. Also, don‘t miss the typical activities, like a morning run in the Prater, attending a Rapid Wien game, and a horse-drawn carriage ride along the Ringstrasse.
Mohamad: We can easily keep up with that in London, there is so much to discover and experience, I can‘t even list it all. For me personally, however, there is nothing better than sitting in Seven Dials, taking in the surroundings and enjoying a good coffee from Monmouth Coffee. //
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