Dr. Ralf Drauz

Managing Director | Enabling Forvia to thrive with electronics, software and systems integration

Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

About

Enabling organizations to thrive through electronics, software, and systems integration is my current focus. Me professionally in 3 bullet points? - Executive with strong background in Sales and Operations - 18+ years of Automotive and Consulting experience - Strategic & transformative leader driving global business success I bring a unique combination of strategic foresight and results-oriented execution: - Business Transformation: I have repeatedly built up, restructured, and led business units to sustainable profitability. This includes successfully unifying formerly independent entities into a profitable division and spearheading global restructuring and growth programs that delivered significant improvements and strategic footprint realignments. - Commercial Growth: Successfully establishing and scaling global business with major OEMs, generating substantial order intakes and driving revenue expansion. My focus is always on commercial excellence and ensuring structures translate strategy into measurable results. - Innovation & Digitalization: A formative experience has been transforming the business with new technologies, including establishing and developing Automotive Software capabilities and creating a new software-driven division that achieved industry-leading performance in the Software-Defined Vehicle space. Launch management, program delivery, and industrial optimizations keep me grounded in operational reality. I maintain a commitment to staying current on the latest trends and best practices through executive education and participation in industry advisory boards and respected juries (such as the Wirtschaftswoche Best of Consulting Jury and Autotech advisory board). This continuous learning ensures I leverage the most current insights to drive innovation and success.

Experience

  • FORVIA (11 yrs 6 mos)
    • Managing Director Clarion Europe | Electronics
      2020 - Present · 6 yrs 6 mos

      Leading Clarion consequent to restructuring and integration after takeover

    • Global Account German OEMs / Division Board | Electronics
      2018 - Present · 8 yrs 6 mos

      Establishment of a business group, global sales VW, MB, BMW, Ford of Europe; first ever Forvia software sales established with new business models, revenue share with multiple OEMs

    • Software Solutions and Ecosystems Board | Electronics
      2024 - Present · 2 yrs 6 mos

      Global Business Development, CTO-mandate software-defined vehicle since 2022

  • STAUFEN. (3 yrs 1 mo)
    • Restructuring Mandate (Automotive supplier in the US)
      2014 - 2015 · 1 yr

      Fully-fledged restructuring including finance, sales, operations, coaching C-level (EBIT improvement from -10 to >2% FYE within one year)

    • Management Consultant & Project Manager
      2012 - 2015 · 3 yrs

      Turnaround, Organization and Strategy - various global footprint, restructuring and strategy consulting as well as international interim management mandates (mainly Automotive, Industrial, Aerospace)

    • Head of Operational Excellence - Interim Management Mandate Automotive Supplier in Mexico
      2012 - 2013 · 1 yr

      Responsible for teams of three plants in Mexico with lead time focus for sales increase (Shortened lead time >30% with related sales increase)

  • RWTH Aachen University (2 yrs 1 mo)
    • Research Associate, Program Manager & Co-Founder Center for International Automobile Management
      2010 - 2012 · 2 yrs

      Development of a competence center in the area of automobile management; project management of projects with automotive companies; steering of research projects in cooperation with technological institutions; realization of / International Economics lectures such as Organizational Design, Market Entry Strategies

    • Research Associate Chair of Electromagnetic Theory
      2010 - 2012 · 2 yrs

      Creation of a branch office for the development- and application-center ‘Organic electronics and opto-electronics (OE2)’, preparation and formulation of initiatives for European Union and ASEAN projects

    • Lecturer German University of Technology in Oman
      2010 - 2011 · 1 yr

      Course ‘Organization and Human Resources‘ in the program ‘Applied Information Technology’

  • Management Consultant at Mercedes-Benz Technology Consulting
    2008 - 2010 · 2 yrs

    Strategy, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management - several consulting mandates focused on logistics and production as well as product cost optimization (profit improvement from 8 to >10%)

  • Project Manager at BERU Electronics Ireland
    2006 - 2007 · 1 yr

    Lean and Supply Chain Management - Implementation SAP ERP Kanban module; responsible for the introduction of lean management and supply chain management tools (stock reduction for two production lines >40%)