Gerhard Cromme turns 80 No peace of mind for retirement

Essen - Gerhard Cromme is now doing in start-ups: Young companies with cool business ideas and high cash requirements The former head of Krupp and former chief supervisor at Siemens is currently involved in a “dozen” companies, mainly related to technology.

"I'm on the supervisory board or advisory board of many of them, simply to have the opportunity to discuss their concerns with them and then to say from my experience what I would do in their place," says Cromme before his 80th birthday this Saturday (February 25) of the German Press Agency Five years ago, Cromme resigned as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Siemens.

Even then it was clear that the tall manager would continue as the top supervisor at the used car broker Auto1 Group He is now on the advisory board of the Berlin crystal battery developer Theion and the real estate company Aroundtown.

He says he wants to give back the experience he has gained over the course of his life “But what is at least as important: I really enjoy sitting with the young people.

And when I see the fire in their eyes, how they fight, how they work, how they suffer for their ideas, I feel 50 years younger And then I say: goodness, you want to help them to be successful now.

” Two years of dual leadership at Thyssenkrupp The lawyer from Vechta in Lower Saxony became known to a larger public in 1987 At that time, as head of the Krupp steel division, he announced the closure of the long-established iron and steel works in Duisburg-Rheinhausen, drawing the ire of many steel workers.

A long industrial dispute ensued, which ended with the closure of the plant As Krupp CEO, he was later one of the architects of the merger with competitor Thyssen.

After two years of dual leadership at Thyssenkrupp, Cromme became chairman of the group's supervisory board After the company had lost billions, mainly due to failed foreign business, Cromme came under pressure.

In 2013 he resigned He always rejected complicity in the billion dollar debacle.

At Siemens, he took over the chairmanship of the supervisory board in 2007 at the height of the multi-billion dollar bribery scandal Cromme made a significant contribution to bringing calm back to the company.

Cromme also sat on the supervisory board of other heavyweights in the German economy, such as the insurance group Allianz, the energy supplier Eon or Lufthansa In France, he was temporarily a member of the supervisory boards of the Saint-Gobain, Suez and BNP Paribas groups.

Honored with the Order of Merit of the French Legion of Honor Cromme has had a lot in common with France since he studied at the Sorbonne in Paris at a young age In 2015 he was awarded a high level of the Order of Merit of the French Legion of Honor for his services to Franco-German friendship.

Cromme is also involved outside of companies Cromme was the head of the founding supervisory board at the ESMT business school in Berlin.

He is also connected to the management forge: Every few weeks, he brings students together with successful founders “who have already gone through life's shambles,” as he puts it An important experience that he wants to pass on is: “Even disappointments or defeats always have something good.

Sometimes the best thing that happened to me was what didn't work out because it opened up opportunities that you wouldn't otherwise have had " No book in sight After 40 years in Essen, he and his wife now have their main residence in Essen relocated to the Chiemgau, as he says.

He hikes a lot in the Alps, also with grandchildren - he has 14 "When you're with everyone, you have to be careful to keep your head above water," he says with a wink.

As CEO of Krupp or before, the family - Cromme has four daughters - "of course suffered because dad was rarely at home and also did things that made the headlines for months and were not only commented on uncritically," he says "I am now in the process of making amends for my grandchildren.

" Although he would certainly have a lot to tell - Cromme does not want to write a book "I don't have the peace of mind for that.

Too Much Is Happening For That I Want To Do

I Want To Design I Want To Help

I want to be active, that's my zest for life ” dpa Although he would certainly have a lot to tell - Cromme does not want to write a book.

"I don't have the peace of mind for that Too much is happening for that.

I Want To Do I Want To Design

I want to help I want to be active, that's my zest for life.

” dpa Although he would certainly have a lot to tell - Cromme does not want to write a book "I don't have the peace of mind for that.

Too Much Is Happening For That I Want To Do

I Want To Design I Want To Help

I want to be active, that's my zest for life ” dpa.