This is a profile image of Martin Linder

Martin Linder

Senior PartnerMunich

Leads our manufacturing and capital productivity work for the automotive sector and advises automotive OEMs and suppliers on operations performance transformation programs, leveraging his broad experience in conventional and new powertrain technologies including batteries, hydrogen, and fuel cells across the entire value chain

Martin has been with the firm for the past decade, and brings in-depth knowledge of all facets of the automotive sector. He is a member of the leadership teams of McKinsey’s European Automotive & Assembly and Operations practices. In this capacity, he serves a variety of automakers and automotive suppliers in both the EU and the US, helping them tackle operations and performance-transformation issues. Martin also leads our manufacturing and capital productivity work for the automotive sector.

Examples of Martin’s recent client engagements include the following:

  • managing several large-scale operational-excellence programs for automotive OEMs in Europe and the US
  • designing and implementing a target-setting and performance-management system for an OEM's operations area—including manufacturing, supply chain, and production planning
  • leading several cross-functional EBIT improvement programs for passenger car OEMs in Germany and the US
  • helping optimize manufacturing for a passenger-car OEM’s vehicle and powertrain plants
  • benchmarking and sizing the direct and indirect functions of automotive production networks, including functional target operating models
  • optimizing the material costs of chassis components for a tier-one automotive supplier
  • optimizing the material cost of an OEM’s vehicle platform—including technical and commercial approaches
  • led more than 50 projects in conventional and new powertrain technologies in Europe, the United States and Asia including batteries, hydrogen, and fuel cells across the entire value chain from raw materials and upstream to end user applications

Prior to joining McKinsey, Martin had consulting roles for Bosch and BMW Group Financial Services.

Martin is fluent in German and English, and he also speaks French.

Published work

Battery recycling takes the driver’s seat,” McKinsey & Company, March 2023

The race to decarbonize electric-vehicle batteries,” McKinsey & Company, February 2023

Battery 2030: Resilient, sustainable, and circular,” McKinsey & Company, January 2023

Net-zero heat: Long-duration energy storage to accelerate energy system decarbonization, McKinsey & Company, November 2022

Decarbonizing the grid with 24/7 clean power purchase agreements,” McKinsey & Company, May 2022

Delivering the climate technologies needed for net zero,” McKinsey & Company, April 2022

Net-zero power: Long-duration energy storage for a renewable grid,” McKinsey & Company, November 2021

Education

Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich
PhD, business administration
Masters, economic research
MBA
MBR

Bournemouth University
BA, international business administration

Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich
Undergraduate, business administration