Guest Speaker from Hilti: Tobias Wollinger Enriched Our Negotiations Course

Tobias Wollinger, Global Procurement Manager in the Global Procurement Indirect Materials Team at Hilti, delivered an outstanding guest lecture in our Master-level course „OPM 593 Negotiation“. His presentation provided students with valuable insights into the complexities of real-world procurement negotiations.

During the session, Tobias explored the critical factors that make negotiations particularly challenging and emphasized how proper preparation serves as the foundation for successful outcomes and helps negotiators avoid pitfalls at the bargaining table. He began by addressing how negotiation targets are established in a corporate context, introducing the concept of obtaining your „License to Negotiate“ within organizational structures. The discussion then moved to analyzing power imbalances between negotiating parties and strategies for influencing these dynamics to achieve more favorable positions. Drawing on his extensive experience at Hilti, Tobias shared applied negotiation strategies, including specific cases and playbooks used within the company.

As one of our alumni, Tobias exemplifies the successful careers our graduates pursue in leading global companies. We are grateful for his willingness to share his expertise with the next generation of procurement professionals.