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21/01/2021

As the son of the company founder Hans Zehetmaier, Jürgen Zehetmaier was born with a passion for IT, figures and business. For the past year, the holder of a degree in business economics has been helping to guide msg’s fortunes as a member of the board of directors and has set many different trends into motion. In this interview, he talks about his turbulent start at the helm of the company and which topics are discussed at his parents’ dinner table. The FC Bayern fan also gives his prediction on where msg will be in the year 2061.

Mr. Zehetmaier, you have now been a member of msg’s board of directors for a year - a year that could hardly have been more turbulent. From your point of view, how did it go?

Jürgen Zehetmaier: Yes “turbulent” describes it well. Actually, the year started normally, if you can say that when you take on such a role (laughs). There was much to do, right from the start. I’m not new to msg as I’d already been working for the company group. Consequently, I had to hand over previous tasks as well. So, the workload was already high in the first quarter. And then corona happened.

Which may not have reduced the workload...

Since I’m responsible for finance and controlling, among other things, there was lots to do in the beginning. We went through different scenarios and asked ourselves: What does it mean to us, as a company whose activities promote sustainability, if sales are lost? We gave a lot of thought to how we would manage such an extreme situation. In retrospect, we are very satisfied with last year's development. Personally, I’m glad that we invested so heavily in our own IT at an early stage. This made the switch to working from home so seamless. I keep hearing from other companies that this wasn't always the case for them.

Then came the summer, which was a bit more relaxing.

That’s right. In the months that followed, the situation eased again somewhat and we could see that our business model is very resilient. I had some concerns at the beginning. In the meantime, I can say that we had good year from a financial point of view. Even a very good one, taking corona into account. We will continue to grow. By about seven percent. To continue to grow in a year like this and to be profitable as well, is quite amazing. Although we had to deal with many additional issues as a result of crisis management, we were also able to initiate some strategic topics from our roadmap 2025.

Does this mean that you can see something positive in this crisis?

Changes always produce winners and losers. And changes happen all the time. Some are gradual, so that you don’t realize that they are taking place. Corona, on the other hand, has acted as a catalyst and accelerated upheavals. What does this mean for us? We are fortunate to be operating in a sector that is relatively well-suited to remote working compared to manufacturing companies. Many of our employees are used to this. They are at the customer from Monday to Thursday and then do home office on Friday. The only thing that has changed for them is that they don’t travel to the customer, but work from home the entire week.

But it also has to be said that our colleagues have responded incredibly well and are working very productively from home. And that’s despite the fact that for many of them this called for an enormous effort associated with a variety of extra burdens. I am fully aware of this. Not all of us have the best conditions for working from home. Many colleagues have to look after their children because the nurseries and schools are closed. Others have to take care of their parents, who are more vulnerable because they are at higher risk. And to combine this with work is a challenge. I am very proud and it makes me happy to see how everyone has pulled together. Our people are so incredibly dedicated. I would like to thank everyone for that.

What does this mean for the future?

I am convinced that work will become more hybrid in the future. I also believe that work will return to the office - but only as part of a combination. I see that as positive. We have learned that it is not always necessary to be on site at all times. At the same time, personal contact must not be lost. But what I really miss is our events. At msg, we like to celebrate and to have a good time together. This is something that I am longing for.

May we ask something personal? You are the son of the company founder Hans Zehetmaier. Is this a burden or a major advantage?

After my studies and once I graduated, I spent some time working at PwC and not directly at msg. This helped me to get different perspectives. I naturally asked myself if I would make the switch to msg at some point. The crucial thing for me is that my father and I have a good relationship. It was always important to me that we have a joint transition period. The fact that I am compared with my father cannot be avoided and is probably normal. But I tend to see the advantages: I got and still get numerous insights and have a sparring partner with my father. You simply have to deal with certain disadvantages. And you have to live with the fact that you don’t get to hear about some things because people are afraid that topics will be positioned elsewhere (laughs).

When did it became clear that you wanted to follow in your father's footsteps?

One day, my father asked me whether I was available for a vacant position in a small start-up in the company group. I gave this a good deal of thought and accepted the challenge. The task was interesting and it was a good way to get to know the msg group. It was always clear to me that I wanted to make a sustainable impression when joining the company. Doing a one-year trial and then deciding “it’s not for me” was never an option for me. But this wasn’t something that I anticipated because msg wasn't new to me and I was familiar with the company culture and many of my colleagues.

Do you also discuss msg at your parents’ dinner table?

The funny thing is that this tends to be overestimated. In the meantime, we have to schedule meetings and we don't meet privately that often. And when we do, we don’t actually want to talk about the company. There are other family members who aren’t that interested (laughs).

Can you imagine a life without IT?

I cannot imagine a world without IT. But I could also do something else. Of course, I’m passionate about what I am doing. And I do know a thing or two (laughs).

What fascinates you as a private person?

I’m a communicative person and like to meet with friends. Which, unfortunately at present, is mainly done virtually. Apart from that, I’m keen on sports and am a huge fan of FC Bayern, which probably annoys some people at my parents’ dinner table more than talking business (laughs). I’m also fascinated by the stock market, finance and, above all, my family life as the most beautiful contrast.

What is near and dear to you for msg’s future?

There are several things. It is important to me that we continue to develop successfully as a group. We are working on that very meticulously. I also want us to be able to maintain the human element in our teamwork. Enjoying working together and enjoying coming to work are a huge incentive and enable maximum performance. Another key issue for the future is sustainability. I’m not just referring to ecology, but also sound business operations. We are 100% self-financed and have no liabilities. We want to maintain this independence. Other companies first had to talk to their bank during the corona crisis. We have much more freedom here, which we want to retain.

In 2020, msg celebrated its 40th anniversary. Where do you see the company in 40 years?

We have a very concrete roadmap 2025, but no planning for the next 40 years. Times are fast-moving. While our goal is long-term, it is not for four decades. We will continue to work to ensure that the msg group remains a successful market player, with an even higher profile than today and as a profitable company with significantly more turnover than today. I believe that growth will continue to be important in the future because we as msg group do not want to lose to the competition and because it also creates many opportunities for all employees.

And where do you see yourself?

(Laughs) I’ll be 77 years old then. I’ll likely still be connected to msg – but probably in less active roles than today. But if people are still interested in my opinion, I’ll be glad to help.