A native of Germany, Gernot has worked out of Cleveland, Hong Kong, and Munich and currently leads the Capital Projects & Infrastructure Practice in Europe. He has served clients in more than 30 countries across various industry sectors, with recent work focused on digital transformation and operational strategy in infrastructure, aerospace, rail, machinery, and transportation. He also coleads the firm’s work in industrial-engineering and construction services and the Operations Practice.
Gernot’s recent work includes defining a perspective on the strategic implications of digitization in the construction and construction-equipment industries and establishing a capability center for the application of five-dimensional building-information-modeling technology.
Examples of his recent client projects include the following:
- leading the digital transformation of a global industrial-engineering, procurement, and construction company
- developing the digital strategy for an engineering, procurement, and construction company in the Middle East
- designing the technical, financial, and governance approach for a greenfield metro megaproject
- developing the sales strategy for an integrated construction-technology provider
- executing due diligence for a supplier of modular, prefabricated hotels
- assessing and preselecting modular, residential real-estate-construction suppliers for a leading European real-estate developer
- supporting the successful bid for a megaproject in commercial real estate in the Middle East
- framing the perspectives on digital construction for a regional engineering and construction company
- leading the turnaround of integrated hardware and software megaprojects for a global leader in defense technology
Before joining McKinsey, Gernot spent five years as a scientific researcher in the field of applied laser diagnostics in combustion engineering, working under international government contracts and for leading automotive and aerospace companies.
Published work
“How construction can emerge stronger after coronavirus,” McKinsey & Company, May 2020
“Decoding digital transformation in construction,” McKinsey & Company, August 2019
“Modular construction: From projects to products,” McKinsey & Company, June 2019
“How innovation is reshaping Europe’s urban environment,” McKinsey & Company, July 2018
“Smart Cities: Digital Solutions for a More Livable Future,” McKinsey Global Institute, June 2018
“Navigating the digital future: The disruption of capital projects,” McKinsey & Company, October 2017
“Twin-track training,” McKinsey Quarterly, July 2013
“Capability building in China,” McKinsey Quarterly, July 2013
“Manufacturing the future: The next era of global growth and innovation,” McKinsey Quarterly, November 2012
“Global production: A handbook for strategy and implementation,” Springer, February 2008
“Unternehmen Lean,” (German edition “Journey to Lean”), Campus, February 2005
“Optical measurements: techniques and applications,” Springer, September 2001
Past experience
University of Technology Munich
Scientific researcher
Education
Technical University of Munich
PhD, mechanical engineering
MA, aeronautical engineering
Technical University of Kaiserslautern
BA, mechanical engineering