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 01 February 2006
The chances that occurred...
André Thönes, Managing Director of Otto Kuhmann Sonepar Deutschland
Effective October 1st, André Thönes has been appointed General Manager of Otto Kuhmann GmbH & Co. KG, a subsidiary of Sonepar Deutschland. But André is no unknown person within Sonepar – he managed to benefit from the chances of Sonepar as an international Group.
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Sonepar: André, tell us about your development.
André Thönes: I joined Sonepar Deutschland in January 1999 as assistant to the Board. Before I entered the Group I had served an apprenticeship with a German Bank, studied business administration in Germany and Great Britain and worked as consultant with Anderson consulting. As assistance to the Board I supported a lot of national and some international projects, e. g. the establishment of an international key account Team (SIKA). However, after two years in this position a new challenge came up with the acquisition of Treu/Erlbacher in the south of Germany. From 2001 on I supported on site the integration of the new companies into the Sonepar world.
Sonepar: And then you went for holiday…
A.T.: No, but my stay in Canada with Lumen had been named so with a smile. But in turn, after the integration of Treu and Erlbacher had been finished I looked for some new challenges. At that time, the central warehouse concept has been starting to grow within Sonepar, and Lumen in Canada also intended to build up a new central warehouse. I again grasped the opportunity and with my gained experience I asked for an international assignment in Canada. As a member of the steering committee which were set in place for the building up of the new central warehouse and to introduce the - in that respect necessary - changes in logistics and processes, I learned a lot about especially about management and motivation of people.
Sonepar: And then you were ready for a new game?
A.T.: After the successful start-up of the central warehouse at Lumen my time in Canada was over and I came back to Germany. About one year ago I joined the management team of Otto Kuhmann and I held responsible for key account, e-business and partially sales. Effective October 2005, I have been appointed as General Manager of Otto Kuhmann.
Sonepar: Why is Otto Kuhmann such a big challenge?
A.T.: You mean beside the fact to be responsible for about 80 million Euro Turnover, 250 people and 15 branches? It is the respect for the heritage of Otto Kuhmann. In 2006 the company will celebrate its 90th anniversary and the challenge for me is to combine what is traditionally good with new, innovative and sometime provocative ideas. It is a question of sustainability, that means a continuous management and the wish to learn from the good but to implement innovations with respect for the existing – and that is what Sonepar is made of.
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