For around 30 WHU students from the MSc course 'Sustainability & Marketing' taught by Junior Professor Dr. Anna-Karina Schmitz, there was a lot on the agenda during their visit to Henkel. As part of a case study on the Perwoll brand, they worked on a continuation of the "Rethink Fashion" campaign. The aim here was to combine the appeal of the brand with the benefits of sustainability. The students' results were presented to and then discussed with those responsible for the brand, Ana Mota (Corporate VP International Marketing), Jan Kruse (Global Director Fabric Care), Nora Tank (Director Global Category - Consumer Brands), Louis Markus (Key Account Lead) and Patrick Weigel (Regional Brand Manager).
Followed by a joint lunch, the group visited the two Henkel Consumer Brands Innovation Centers and learned more about the latest product innovations and technologies. The final highlight of the day was the "Henkel GuRu's" talk with the Executive Board member for Henkel Consumer Brands, Wolfgang König. Here, in a relaxed atmosphere, the students had time to ask all their questions about careers, brand portfolio, sustainability and innovation. Wolfgang König was able to share his experiences of more than 25 years in the FMCG industry with stations in the U.S., Mexico and Ireland and what it needs to convince consumers with strong brands.
An exciting day with a great program! Many thanks to the entire Henkel team for the organization, and see you next time.