Success with a Grounded Approach: Andrea Niggli’s Rise to CEO

Andrea, congratulations on your promotion to CEO of Thomann Nutzfahrzeuge AG. Your career path is truly impressive. You originally trained as an HGV mechanic and have now been in your role as CEO for just over a month. How does that feel?

I have often been asked this question since my promotion to CEO. Naturally, I have given it some thought, and I always come to the same conclusion: in terms of how it feels, it is no different from when I was an apprentice, when I worked as a mechanic, or when I held other management positions. Every morning, as I arrive at the company, I consider how best to approach the day and how I can contribute to the success of the organisation. I have never really thought about the fact that I am now the managing director or CEO, or that I have many employees reporting to me, or what that might feel like.

For me, the priority is always to be there for employees, clients and suppliers, and to achieve success together. I am proud of the achievements of the entire team.

After 18 years with the company, I am proud of everything we have achieved together and the successes we have been able to celebrate. What I value even more is that we acknowledge our mistakes, are aware of them, and strive every day to improve, or, even in difficult times, do not simply give up but instead try to get back on track for success. This too is not the achievement of any one individual, but only possible as a team, and it is a great pleasure to be part of it. Of course, taking on the new role of CEO also makes me a little proud, and I hope that my career path can serve as an example for young professionals—to recognise and seize opportunities. It is also about not shying away from effort and hard work, perhaps following a similar path, and realising that vocational training and skilled trades can offer great opportunities.

After completing your training as a lorry mechanic, you continued to further your education, first qualifying as an automotive diagnostician and then as a technical business manager. You are currently undertaking the Executive MBA in General Management at HWZ. Why did you choose to pursue an EMBA?

To be completely honest, up until the Technical Sales Specialist qualification, everything was driven purely by my own motivation, and I would not want to be without either of these courses today. They have provided me with a solid foundation for my leadership roles to date and have been a great help to me.

Incidentally, I am still very proud today that I trained as a lorry mechanic, and when I am asked what my profession is, my answer is usually: lorry mechanic.

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  Executive MBA – General Management HWZ

  Start Each October

  Duration 3 semesters

At the time, I was personally convinced that these qualifications would be sufficient for the rest of my career. However, my supervisor and mentor, Luzi Thomann, held a different view and encouraged me to continue my education. By way of detours and on the advice of a friend, I eventually found myself on the Executive MBA in General Management at HWZ. My decision to study at HWZ was therefore more extrinsically motivated and shaped by a series of fortunate coincidences. What I can say with certainty, however, is that after just the first week I was convinced and incredibly grateful that things turned out this way.

The EMBA offers an enormous range of new perspectives, motivation, approaches, courage, and a wealth of resources for the future. Faced with the same starting point, I would definitely make the same decision again. I have rarely felt so motivated to learn.

And how did you come across the EMBA at HWZ?Please provide the text you would like translated.

Originally, I was interested in a different EMBA. Then I came across HWZ because my first choice did not accept me, and I was keen to have block courses, meaning classes only once a month. HWZ offered exactly that. After my first conversation with the programme director, Peter Statz, HWZ had won me over. Now, three-quarters of the way through the programme, I can say that this turn of events was probably a stroke of luck. What I particularly appreciate at HWZ is the block teaching format. Not all topics are crammed into a single week; instead, they are covered over several semesters, and you then prepare for the semester exams. It is a great mix that really encourages students to learn and be actively engaged. In the end, it is about gaining as much as possible from the experience, not just obtaining a qualification. A fantastic model—congratulations.

Thank you! What do you benefit from most in this degree programme?

Difficult to say. We benefit from so much. We are a great class, we have excellent lecturers, and we gain a great deal from the experience.

I believe the greatest benefit is that the programme directors and lecturers have succeeded in coordinating the topics so well that there is a clear thread running through every subject at all times, and in the end, everything fits together.

In the end, instead of having 20 separate subjects and topics, you are provided with a comprehensive roadmap that is exceptionally well integrated.

How does what you have learned during your studies help you to meet the new challenges of being a CEO?

It simply offers entirely new perspectives that you do not, or only rarely, encounter in a technical business management qualification or a postgraduate diploma in business administration. Of course, both of these provide an excellent foundation, and without them an EMBA would probably be “too much”, but it really is a completely different experience. It has helped me greatly to gain a broader outlook. Immersing myself in completely new topics, studies, approaches and techniques, and, as the icing on the cake, the excellent exchange with fellow students and, of course, the lecturers.

What have been your highlights on the programme so far?

Listening to podcasts at the Burgermeister ;-) That’s an inside joke, of course. Joking aside: for me, the real highlight is the topic of VUCA, which runs like a common thread through everything, as well as the extremely interesting HR topics that are particularly relevant in today’s world. I realise that the interview might sound like an advert to readers. But I am an open and very direct person, and I think it’s clear that the EMBA General Management at HWZ has been a real success for me, making almost every day a highlight. Even my daughters don’t understand why I enjoy going to university so much. In future, I’ll refer them to this interview so they can see that learning really can be enjoyable...