Bain & Company adds partners in Germany and Switzerland

Bain & Company has hired three new partners externally in Germany and Switzerland. 

Munich-based partner Oliver Gertz is a leader in Bain’s FRWD@Bain practice, which provides digital marketing services. The unit supports clients with creative, media optimisation, data science, and advertising technology teams to drive business results. 

Gertz has been tasked with leading the expansion of the unit in the German-speaking region. He brings more than two decades of experience in marketing, customer experience and media planning to the firm, gained in the agency world. Prior to joining, he spent 15 years at MediaCom Worldwide, latterly as the firm’s global head of programmatic advertising. Before that, he played a role in building MediaCom’s digital teams across 25 markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

After serving Kearney for 21 years, Axel Erhard has joined the Consumer Products practice of Bain & Company, also based in Munich. He mainly supports clients on large-scale transformation projects, performance improvement, restructuring, mergers & acquisitions, and post-merger integration. 

The 47-year-old has an extensive track record at consumer goods and retail companies. He also has advised companies in the pharmaceutical industry.

Meanwhile, in Switzerland, Christian Westermann has joined Bain’s Zurich office as a partner. He specialises in helping clients with identifying and implementing data- and technology-driven business models, through applying technologies such as advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning. His focus is on clients in the banking and insurance industries. 

Prior to joining Bain & Company, the 47-year-old Westermann worked for PwC in Switzerland for 14 years, where he latterly was head of its Data Analytics division.

In the summer, the German arm of Bain appointed Wilko Stark – a former leader at Mercedes-Benz – as a senior advisor to its Automotive practice.