Birgit Behrendt

n her presentation "Sustainable Supplier Structure", Birgit Behrendt spoke about value creation optimization in the international automotive industry.

The Purchasing department at Ford Europe plays a key role in cost efficiency and sustainability. Worldwide, the Purchasing department is responsible for a purchasing volume of around 90 billion US dollars, which is divided between production and non-production-related components and services. Approximately 80 % of this is accounted for by production parts. With a purchasing volume of around 20 billion US dollars, Ford Europe is the second largest region after North America. The new 'Sustainable Business' model is intended to ensure greater stability in the relationships between Ford Europe and its suppliers.

Birgit Behrendt was appointed Vice President Purchasing, Ford Europe in February 2004. She was previously Director of Global Body&Exterior Purchasing in Dearborn, USA. Prior to that, she worked as Program Manager for Vehicle Procurement and as Strategy Manager for the Purchasing Business Office of Ford Motor Company. Birgit Behrendt joined Ford in Cologne in 1978 as a commercial trainee and has held numerous management positions in the areas of Materials Planning & Logistics, Powertrain and Purchasing in both Europe and the United States. She studied at the Academy of Administration and Economics in Cologne and holds a degree in business administration.

Status: Beginning of 2007