Ulf is a leading expert in the biopharmaceuticals, medtech, and healthcare industries. He helps companies improve quality, service, and costs in their production networks, supply chains, and purchasing.
Ulf helped lead the first detailed benchmarking in the pharmaceutical industry for operations costs and productivity—POBOS—which supports over 80 companies and 900 plants globally in providing benchmarking solutions and services.
Ulf also advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing solutions aimed at helping companies adapt to Industry 4.0 technologies, including overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), yield optimization, the use of digital twins to optimize plant and lab scheduling, smart digitization, and shop floor operations. Ulf is a recognized leader in Industry 4.0 technologies for pharma manufacturing. To date, this role has included establishing three digital lighthouses on pharma manufacturing included in the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network.
Ulf joined McKinsey in 1999 and has led the firm’s Hamburg office since 2016. He earned a degree in industrial engineering with a focus on applied chemistry from the Technical University of Berlin as well as a Master’s degree in modern history from the same institution. In addition, he has a Master’s degree in business administration from emlyon business school.
Published Work
“Operations can launch the next blockbuster in pharmaceuticals,” McKinsey & Company, February 2021
“Pharma operations: The path to recovery and the next normal,” McKinsey & Company, May 2020
“Pharma operations: Creating the workforce of the future,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020
“Rapid growth in biopharma: Challenges and opportunities,” McKinsey & Company, December 2014
“Outlook on pharma operations” McKinsey & Company, 2010
Books
From Science to Operations, March 2014
Operations for the Executive Suite, August 2012
Education
Emlyon Business School
MBA
Technical University of Berlin
BE, chemical engineering
MA, history