“We make our opinion about a brand in 10 seconds,” former CEO of Porsche, Lamborghini and BMW Kevin Gaskell tells audience in Bucharest
Kevin Gaskell, a former CEO of well-known carmakers like Porsche, Lamborghini, and BMW, was the star speaker of GoTech World 2024, an event dedicated to companies applying cutting-edge technology in various sectors, held in Bucharest at Romexpo between November 12-13.
The business executive is known for taking the reins of luxury carmaker Porsche when the company was facing imminent bankruptcy and taking it to a significantly stronger market position in less than five years. He then drove BMW to a 500% profitability increase and propelled Lamborghini to new heights with 80% sales growth.
Also an author, Kevin Gaskell penned a formula for rescuing struggling businesses in 100 days and turning them into market leaders in 1,000 in his 2022 book Catching Giants. The British business leader was the star speaker at the event held in Bucharest, taking the main stage before an audience of over 300 people, many of whom were standing the entire time.
Porsche: From Brink of Bankruptcy to Profit
During his presentation, Gaskell recounted his first days at Porsche. At that time, the brand targeting high-net worth individuals was in the middle of economic troubles. It had lost 90% of its sales and had 3 years' worth of cars in stock. Porsche was number 32 among carmakers in terms of customer experience - out of 32. It could not go lower.
Gaskell, made managing director at that point, began a 100-day program to change the company, and fired half the staff two weeks in. “We make our opinion about a brand in 10 seconds. If we started with a negative one, it takes a long time to turn it into a positive one,” he says.
He implemented a customer-centric strategy and changed the company’s logistics, marketing, and products. “We asked ourselves ‘what does this do for the customer?’ If we couldn't answer that we didn't do it. Online, offline, the experience has to be world-class,” he added. Gaskell trained his staff with the famous London hotel, the Ritz Carlton, for 4 days, learning customer experience. By the end of his term, Porsche was number 1 in the same ranking.
Being at the helm of Porsche between 1992 and 1997 transformed how Gaskell saw the business. “We thought we were selling cars. If you want a car, buy a Golf, it’s a fantastic car. What we were selling was the Porsche experience. People started buying our cars when they were 10 years old, and they had posters on their walls,” he said.
The Structure of Change
BMW, another global brand that Gaskell was put in charge of, was already doing well. He was asked to grow it by only 4% per annum. In 4 years, BMW grew profit by 500% and turnover by 80% - with the same people.
“This stuff doesn't just happen. You have to have a structure. First, commit. Second, connect. Third, create. Those three together create inspiration,” Gaskell told the audience.
A company’s staff must be committed to the brand and connected to it, he says. To strengthen these ties, Gaskell took members of the Porsche team out to drive some of the company’s cars.
While more technical analysis has to happen in the background, including the use of AI and other new tools, solutions have to start simple. “The big word of the day is AI. But tomorrow is not today plus a bit. Tomorrow is today plus a lot of change. Let's acknowledge it, but you have to move quickly. Move fast, learn fast, make mistakes fast,” he says.
Gaskell, who rowed 3,000 miles from Spain to the Caribbean with a team of 4 others, including his son, turned losing companies into profit champions without new products or a vastly different team. He says that the lack of focus stops companies from implementing the right changes. “Stop doing some stuff. If it doesn't bring value, stop doing it. Focus on the top 25% of priorities,” he argued.
Tickets at GoTech World ranged from EUR 189 to EUR 429. Organizers announced around 15,000 visitors and exhibitors.
(Photo source: GoTech World on Facebook)
The 13th edition of GoTech World, the largest B2B IT and digital solutions expo-conference in Central and Eastern Europe, showcased the latest technological innovations and business solutions to approximately 14,500 visitors. The event hosted 91 partner companies, 125 international speakers, and over 60 hours of specialized content, marking an edition dedicated to exploring emerging technologies and their impact on society. Additionally, The Smart Home Summit—hosted this year by GoTech World—held its first edition as a regional event focused on home and building automation, featuring 14 partner companies and 19 industry speakers, contributing to the development of the smart home sector in Central and Eastern Europe.
"In a constantly changing technological landscape, this year’s edition aimed to bring together renowned professionals and groundbreaking companies to explore key themes related to innovation, digitalization, and the impact of new technologies on contemporary society. GoTech World reflects the scale of ongoing technological transformations, and the challenges encountered along the path to innovation, serving as an essential platform for the exchange of ideas and the identification of future trends over two days," said Alexandru Măxineanu, Managing Partner of Universum Expo.
Opening Ceremony: Romania's Digital Future in Focus
The opening ceremony featured guests such as Bogdan Dumea, State Secretary at the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization; Valeriu Ștefan Zgonea, President of ANCOM; Andrei Niculae, Vice President of the Authority for Digitalization in Romania; and Florin Popa, Director of Orange Business. The discussion, moderated by Alexandru Măxineanu, centered on the prospects of digitalization in business and public institutions, highlighting opportunities and challenges for Romania's digital future.
According to officials at GoTech World 2024, Romania is at a pivotal moment in its digital transformation, with the potential to grow its digital economy to €50 billion by 2030, as stated by Bogdan Dumea. He noted that 40% of current work tasks can be automated, with the percentage rising to 70% for government administrative work. Andrei Niculae announced that his institution has programs worth €36 million to invest in the human capital of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Romania, preparing their workforce for new technologies. He emphasized Romania's potential to become a regional leader in emerging technologies such as IoT, Blockchain, and Cloud Computing.
Thematic Stages and Renowned International Speakers
GoTech World 2024 transformed Romexpo into an innovation hub, with 11 thematic stages covering the entire spectrum of modern technology: from the Main Stage and Digital Marketing & E-commerce Stage to specialized areas such as the Sustainability Stage, Cybersecurity Stage, and AI Stage. Tech professionals benefited from dedicated content on stages like Software Architecture, DevOps, Product & UX Design, and Build.AI, while digital transformation aspects were addressed on the Business Transformation Stage and Smart City Stage.
Prominent industry figures shared their experiences and visions on these stages. For example, Kevin Gaskell, former CEO of Porsche, Lamborghini, and BMW, captivated the audience with his transformational leadership strategies. Archie O’Brien, CEO of CudaJet, demonstrated his revolutionary underwater jetpack, while Dave Segal presented NAQI, a brain-computer interface redefining human-machine interaction.
Innovative Partners and Solutions Driving Digital Transformation
As the main partner, Orange Business showcased excellence in integrated cybersecurity and artificial intelligence solutions, setting new standards for sustainable business practices. Dahua Technology impressed with its intelligent firefighting robot and smart city solutions, while Accenture made waves with its demonstrations of GenAI. Veruvis highlighted its Brain-Computer Interface technology. Additionally, top companies like Mercedes-Benz, certSIGN, BCR, Hidroelectrica, SAP, Google, TikTok, Electronic Arts Romania, and DSV Global Transport & Logistics enriched the innovation mosaic with cutting-edge solutions and technologies.
This year’s edition of GoTech World recorded impressive numbers. The event gathered 14,482 business participants, confirming its status as the largest B2B expo-conference in the region. Over two days, visitors had access to presentations and demonstrations by 125 international and local speakers, delivering 60 hours of valuable content across the 11 thematic stages.
The Smart Home Summit – A Premiere Event for Home Automation
The Smart Home Summit, the largest regional event dedicated to home and building automation, debuted at GoTech World 2024. It brought together industry leaders, smart technology developers, and professionals, offering a comprehensive platform to explore the future of smart homes. Topics like cybersecurity in smart home ecosystems, energy efficiency, and the integration of IoT solutions in future homes and buildings were addressed, showcasing the enormous potential of this growing sector.
The first edition of the event was a resounding success, bringing together 700 participants, 14 partner companies, and 19 international and local speakers. It provided access to innovative solutions for smart homes and buildings to all GoTech World visitors. Exhibitors included notable names like TP-Link, Aqara, Salus Controls, Tech Cuisine, Tado, Omajin, Netatmo, Bticino, Meross, Nuki, and Smart Home Depot, demonstrating the maturity and potential of the home automation market in the region.
- Main Partner: Orange Business
- Inspired by: Mercedes-Benz
- Smart City & Mobility Stage Partner: Dahua Technology
- Cybersecurity Stage Partner: certSIGN
- Digital Marketing & e-Commerce Stage Partner: BCR
- Sustainability Stage Partner: Hidroelectrica
- Software Architecture Stage Partner: SAP
- DevOps Stage Partner: AD/01
- Product & UX Design Stage Partner: Google
- Build.AI Stage Partner: Accenture
- Business Transformation Networking Partner: Măgurele Science Park Association
- Digital Marketing & e-Commerce Networking Partner: TikTok
- Sustainability Networking Partner: DSV Global Transport & Logistics
- Gaming Networking Partner: Electronic Arts Romania
- Sponsors: PPC; Schwarz IT; Deloitte Technology Delivery Center; M247; VERUVIS; cyber_Folks; Happy Advertising; ASUS Business; White Image
- Communication Partner: SMSO
- Coffee Partner: L’OR
- Food Partner: Domino’s Pizza
- Internet Partner: VIVA Telecom
- Refresh partner: AQUA Carpatica
*This is a Press release.
