Volker Scholz

What do you like about being a part of valantic?

I find it incredibly fulfilling to be part of valantic’s growth story. We have the ambition to become Europe’s most respected digitalization company and I want to champion this aspiration as an entrepreneur from inside the valantic Group.

How would you best describe valantic?

When we first engaged with valantic, it immediately became clear that their corporate culture closely aligns with mm1’s: implementation-driven, entrepreneurially minded, and deeply passionate about digitalization and technology. These qualities, combined with valantic’s potent Digital Strategy & Analytics (DSA) division and its robust competence centers, facilitate collaboration within the group. As such, we live by valantic’s “one-firm” philosophy while fostering a culture of cultures that celebrates diversity and individuality.

What are the qualities of a “respected” digitalization company?

A respected digitalization company earns recognition in two key dimensions. The first of these is market orientation. Here, our reputation grows when the strategic goals we formulate with our customers are successfully implemented and deliver impactful results. The second quality is corporate culture: How do colleagues engage with each other and what does the company do to foster a good work atmosphere? Embracing diversity, enabling flexible work arrangements, valuing individuality, granting autonomy, and handling mistakes constructively are all pivotal in attaining a high standing. Each day we must put ourselves to the test and reconfirm we are living up to these aspirations.

What motivates you?

I get a buzz out of working with smart, committed, and creative people, and collectively shaping our future with them. That’s the beauty of being a consultant: engaging with topics and people aspiring to shape the world. I am also passionate about technology and its transformative potential.

Volker, what are the most enjoyable moments in your day-to-day work?

What I find particularly rewarding is that much of what we do directly impacts many people’s lives. Optimized information services for enhancing the travel experience of rail passengers is just one example; or integrating innovative digital services into cars to improve the user experience en route. And, naturally, we also improve many people’s work processes and day-to-day work routines by replacing outdated IT applications with cutting-edge solutions with optimized user interfaces.

What is the main focus of your work at valantic?

My market-oriented tasks involve working alongside Gabriel Mertens as a co-partner of our “Connected Mobility” business area. I also manage our “Digital Innovation” service line, providing methodological and practical expertise for developing and implementing innovative digital business models. Internally, I am additionally responsible for “People & Culture” at mm1 and in the DSA division. Here, I help attract outstanding talent for our company, nurture our corporate culture, and support our colleagues in their personal and professional development. And last but not least, I oversee our sustainability initiatives, encompassing environmental stewardship and promoting diversity.

What did you do before joining valantic?

Even while still studying, I embarked on an entrepreneurial journey with a friend and financed my education through our startup. Because capital raising was more complicated in the mid-1990s than it is today, we decided to close the company after graduating. I then joined a medium-sized management consultancy where, over time, I found that the topics, though fascinating, became too far removed from the rapid advancements in Internet technologies emerging at that time. This led me to reorient and, together with Rainer Lindenau, co-found mm1 as the consultancy for connected business. After many successful years of steady growth, we joined the valantic family in 2022.