Ilka Horstmeier, Director of Labor Relations at BMW and the only woman on the board, assures that the company’s goal is to reach 50% electric cars by 2030 and that the challenges facing the automobile sector are attracting young people interested in the technology.
Ilka Horstmeier (Duisburg, Germany, 1969) is Director of Labor Relations, People and Real Estate at BMW and the only woman to sit on the automotive firm’s global management board (equivalent to the management committee). With a With a career of almost 30 years in the German giant, he has worked for a good part of his career in the group’s factories, which has given him in-depth knowledge not only of the product but of the profiles that the company needs to face the challenges it faces. in front.
Despite being a very masculine sector, Horstmeier joined the group as an intern in 1995 because since her youth she has felt attracted by the world of mobility, remember. Many years later, she is still fascinated by the brand because “innovation is at the heart of BMW”.
The German group hires more than 10,000 people every year. “We are looking for people with passion to make BMW an electric, digital and circular company,” explains the board in an interview with EXPANSIÓN held in Paris. The advances made in the field of the autonomous car, the electric car and other revolutions that the sector is experiencing have made this industry a place where many professionals are once again interested. “Developing a career in the automotive world is very attractive to young people,” he explains. “Digital natives who could work at Google or Apple are now coming to BMW,” he says.
Electric revolution
One of the sector’s strong points is the great commitment to the electric car, a field in which the German group is betting decisively. “We want 50% of BMW cars to be electric by 2030”says Horstmeier.
In 2023, BMW sold 2.5 million vehicles of its BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands worldwide, 6.5% more, registering a record number in its history. Just over 376,000 cars were electric, 74% more than a year before. In Spain, the data also showed strong business growth: BMW was the third best-selling premium brand with 35,000 units, while Mini (part of the group) sold 8,700 units.
Horstmeier warns, however, that the commitment to electric mobility is not a fad or a trend that can be adopted temporarily. “Selling electric cars does not make a company sustainable. The entire value chain must be,” he says.
Faced with the threat of Chinese cars, which with their very competitive prices are beginning to be an option for many families, the directive is blunt: “At this time, the relevance of the Chinese car in Europe is small. Entering the European car market is not so easy because it is not just selling, it is also after-sales service and trust in the brand.”
Horstmeier is convinced that all changes aimed at improving electrification are well received by investors. “In the past, companies were measured by economic impact. Now, it is also by their sustainability and what they give back to society.”
The interview with Horstmeier takes place during the presentation of the Art Car project, one of the most important for the group in the cultural field. This initiative, which BMW launched in 1975, allows an artist to design the racing car with which the firm competes on the Le Mans circuit. Figures like Andy Warhol and spanish Cesar Manrique have participated in past editions. On this occasion, the artist Julie Mehretu, born in Ethiopia but raised in the United States, has been chosen to develop this work of art on wheels. Horstmeier is excited about the opportunities to support artistic projects in Africa, where BMW has a major innovation center in South Africa. “Culture and art are increasingly important to fight polarization,” says the directive. In his opinion, companies have the obligation to be a model for society and, for this reason, BMW has taken part in rare initiatives such as being part of the consortium of large German companies that warned about the rise of the extreme right in the days prior to the European elections in May.
The group, in which 140 nationalities work, is promoting diversity with specific programs for women. The objective is that in 2025, 22% of all positions of responsibility in the group will be occupied by managers. “Diversity is inviting someone to the party. Inclusion is inviting them to dance,” she says.
