Hans-Werner Kaas

Hans-Werner Kaas is a senior partner in the Detroit Office of McKinsey & Company. He joined McKinsey & Company as a business analyst in the Duesseldorf office. He is the leader of the Americas automotive and assembly industry practice and co-leader of the global advanced industries practice. Before transferring to the Detroit Office, Hans-Werner also worked in the Vienna, Frankfurt and the Cleveland Offices of McKinsey & Company. His knowledge development and research interest is centered on large scale performance transformations, defining growth strategies and the industry dynamics in the automotive industry.  He has co-authored publications on the topics of product development transformation, quality management, integrated cost reduction, and profitable growth in the automotive industry, and more recently on the future of the auto supply industry. Hans-Werner worked as an investment analyst at Imperical Chemical Industries in Durban/South Africa and as strategic planning analyst at Daimler-Benz AG/Stuttgart. He holds a master’s degree in mechanical engi-neering and business administration from the Technical University of Kaiserslautern/Germany. Before he started his university studies, he served in the German Air Force on the staff of the wing commander of Jet Fighter Wing 33. He is a board of trustee member of the Academy of Sacred Heart/Michigan. He is also a board member of Business Leaders for Michigan, the non-profit organization for CEOs in Michigan, which focuses on the acceleration of economic development and growth in Michigan.