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Ralf Mohrschladt,
Director, IBU Chemicals, APA/Japan
Solution Management Process Industries, SAP
Ralf Mohrschladt recollects the day when he gave a presentation in India, clueless about the differences in body language. “The way the audience behaved made me think they did not agree with what I said. I had a very ‘interesting’ time until I realized that I was wrong,” he confesses. “Cultural differences are a good source of long-lasting impressions!”
As the head of SAP’s Industry Business Unit for Chemicals in APA / Japan, Mohrschladt looks after SAP’s chemical industry solution management business in Asia out of his Tokyo office. His engagement with India is a recent one. “Consequently, my experiences and impressions are restricted to Mumbai, Delhi and Gurgaon,” he admits.
Mohrschladt is fascinated by the “openness” of Indians toward other cultures, in particular toward new technologies. “In India I felt more than the usual interest. I saw curiosity about innovative ideas as well as a willingness to understand and adapt to the latest technology. I think this is a big differentiator and advantage for India and its companies.”
Hailing from northern Germany and living next to the North Sea, Mohrschladt cultivated sailing as a hobby, but his busy job schedule leaves with him little free time to indulge in sailing. However, he hasn’t entirely given up on other hobbies like running and reading, and his tight schedule doesn’t keep him from enjoying every free minute with his family. “They really keep me grounded since kids have this wonderful way of making adults aware of what is really important in life.”
For someone in a business function, the ‘Dr’ tag he carries is quite unusual. The answer lies in the doctoral degree awarded by the University of Goettingen and also his post-doctoral research at Harvard University.
His first big exposure to IT took place during those days. “My doctoral thesis as well as research at Harvard dealt with physical chemistry which also called for comprehensive data processing and programming skills,” he explains.
A career stint in the operating division of a leading chemical MNC, exposed him to the importance of business-oriented IT solutions for operational excellence. “As my interest shifted more and more towards the IT side of business, I decided to pursue it full time and joined SAP as a consultant for the chemical industry,” he stated.
According to him, the challenge for the chemical industry is to make the huge benefits it provides more visible and understandable. “Fortunately, in the past decade, the chemical community could successfully remove many fears through a massive knowledge transfer to the public,” he notes with satisfaction.
What he wants to change is the hesitation of young people in opting for careers in engineering or science. “I wish more students would study chemistry, chemical engineering or physics. There are wonderful job opportunities in these areas,” he says.
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