PERSONAL SPACE:
Wendelin Wiedeking on Mental Space and Cubic Capacity
CEO of the F. Porsche AG, Wendelin Wiedeking manages a company associated with big dreams and fast cars. He often wonders why feature articles praise him as a particularly modest and frugal person.
His personal environment is largely free of status symbols.
In his office, the CEO prefers "rather a sober style which doesn’t distract. A comfortable desk chair, a large desk with a computer and a telephone, a small conference table for brief meetings as well as a few filing cabinets and a book shelf – no more. On a more personal note, photos of my wife and children, and a piece or two of my private model car collection. Nor does the office have to be particularly big: People who enter this room immediately arrive in front of my desk – and don’t have to run half a mile over Persian carpets to arrive within call from me. I don’t believe in symbolising power by the size of my office."
His very self-confident, unpretentious manner – indeed, his awareness of playing in the upper league, where obvious manifestations of status are clearly beyond him – allows him to express his guiding principles in a most simplistic way.
"I have always aimed to be absolutely independent, both in thought and action. Therefore it is very important for me to have a lot of room for entrepreneurial decisions and their materialisation."
A mechanical engineer with a doctoral degree, he unites specialised subject knowledge and managerial skills. The 1952-born Westphalian had acquired both qualities in early years when playing a car quartet game with his friends. "The point was that the five litre model would always excel over the just 2.7 litre one. In those days engine size meant higher performance. Today cubic capacity plays a less vital role. Now engineers get maximum performance even out of small engines".
Lilli Hollein
