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Kai-Oliver Zander

Principal

Kai-Oliver is an experienced transformation expert supporting clients on their journey to radical and sustainable performance improvements

Areas of Focus

Education

Texas Tech University, Lubbock (TX), USA
Ph.D. and M.S. in Industrial Engineering
Jade University of Applied Sciences, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
M.Eng. in Engineering and Management

Past Experience

Lumics (JV between McKinsey and Lufthansa Technik)
Senior Consultant

Kai-Oliver is a Principal based in the Frankfurt office and part of the Operations Strategy & Transformation Practice in Central Europe.

A major focus of Kai-Oliver’s consulting work is the client’s radical but sustainable transformation to highly productive organizations. He has a strong functional focus on process improvement via lean management, business process digitization, or radical simplification. Further, Kai-Oliver supported several clients in solving complex supply chain management issues by successfully linking supply chain strategy to efficient operations. He has strong experience in advising clients in the aviation and the consumer goods industry.

Kai-Oliver developed and published several thought-pieces on topics such as lean management or supply chain optimization and design underlining his strong functional expertise in these areas.

He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Texas Tech University. In his private time, he is passionate about traveling, bike riding, and skiing in the mountains.
 

Recent Publications

Building a sustainable and highly productive supply chain
Building a sustainable & highly productive supply chain
Bernd Schreiber, Kai-Oliver Zander, Naoya Furuta
Supply chains are under unprecedented strain, impacting productivity and leading to shortages for consumers and manufacturers alike. At the same time, companies face growing pressure from society and regulators to become more sustainable, which opens up new opportunities with customers increasingly willing to pay a premium for more sustainable products. Meeting these conflicting objectives requires a comprehensive approach that future-proofs supply chains by delivering both greater sustainability and higher productivity.
Find out more
Achieving resilience and sustainability for the EV battery supply chain
Energy & Utilities
Achieving resilience and sustainability for the EV battery supply chain
Bernd Schreiber, Dr. Philipp Seidel, Alexander Krug, Rodrigo P. Navarro, Kai-Oliver Zander, Shinichi Akayama
However, battery supply chains remain complex, global, and fragile, with many still evolving from scratch. Their resilience is impacted by a growing number of factors, from rising raw material costs to geopolitical disruption. Average battery pack prices have risen in 2022, the first increase since 2013. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns, greater regulation, and governments’ desire to localize battery production add to pressure on already-stretched global supply chains. All of these factors lead to potential bottlenecks that affect production.
Find out more
The sustainable and highly productive supply chain
Bernd Schreiber, Lokesh Dadhich, Naoya Furuta, Kai-Oliver Zander
At the same time, national and international sustainability laws and initiatives require a fundamental shift within global supply chains. It is clear that organizations require a strategic framework that supports decision makers in creating supply chain value by synchronizing supply chain layers beyond short-term and reactive crisis management.
Find out more

Kai-Oliver is a Principal based in the Frankfurt office and part of the Operations Strategy & Transformation Practice in Central Europe.

A major focus of Kai-Oliver’s consulting work is the client’s radical but sustainable transformation to highly productive organizations. He has a strong functional focus on process improvement via lean management, business process digitization, or radical simplification. Further, Kai-Oliver supported several clients in solving complex supply chain management issues by successfully linking supply chain strategy to efficient operations. He has strong experience in advising clients in the aviation and the consumer goods industry.

Kai-Oliver developed and published several thought-pieces on topics such as lean management or supply chain optimization and design underlining his strong functional expertise in these areas.

He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Texas Tech University. In his private time, he is passionate about traveling, bike riding, and skiing in the mountains.
 

Recent Publications

Building a sustainable and highly productive supply chain
Building a sustainable & highly productive supply chain
Bernd Schreiber, Kai-Oliver Zander, Naoya Furuta
Supply chains are under unprecedented strain, impacting productivity and leading to shortages for consumers and manufacturers alike. At the same time, companies face growing pressure from society and regulators to become more sustainable, which opens up new opportunities with customers increasingly willing to pay a premium for more sustainable products. Meeting these conflicting objectives requires a comprehensive approach that future-proofs supply chains by delivering both greater sustainability and higher productivity.
Find out more
Achieving resilience and sustainability for the EV battery supply chain
Energy & Utilities
Achieving resilience and sustainability for the EV battery supply chain
Bernd Schreiber, Dr. Philipp Seidel, Alexander Krug, Rodrigo P. Navarro, Kai-Oliver Zander, Shinichi Akayama
However, battery supply chains remain complex, global, and fragile, with many still evolving from scratch. Their resilience is impacted by a growing number of factors, from rising raw material costs to geopolitical disruption. Average battery pack prices have risen in 2022, the first increase since 2013. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns, greater regulation, and governments’ desire to localize battery production add to pressure on already-stretched global supply chains. All of these factors lead to potential bottlenecks that affect production.
Find out more
The sustainable and highly productive supply chain
Bernd Schreiber, Lokesh Dadhich, Naoya Furuta, Kai-Oliver Zander
At the same time, national and international sustainability laws and initiatives require a fundamental shift within global supply chains. It is clear that organizations require a strategic framework that supports decision makers in creating supply chain value by synchronizing supply chain layers beyond short-term and reactive crisis management.
Find out more

More About Kai-Oliver
  • Texas Tech University, Lubbock (TX), USA
    Ph.D. and M.S. in Industrial Engineering
  • Jade University of Applied Sciences, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
    M.Eng. in Engineering and Management
  • Lumics (JV between McKinsey and Lufthansa Technik)
    Senior Consultant