Harald leads our Industrials & Electronics Practice in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and is also a leader in our High Tech and Operations Practices. He has extensive experience serving companies across the entire semiconductor value chain and in adjacent high-tech industries.
Harald advises clients primarily on issues related to operations, strategy, and performance transformation. Recent examples of his work include advising a global semiconductor player on post merger integration, helping a fabless player transform its R&D program, supporting a global semiconductor client in developing a program to optimize manufacturing, and working with a leading semiconductor company on its growth strategy. In addition, Harald has advised companies on the topics of technology process development, memory-chip design, and complexity management. He also leads our internal knowledge-building efforts on Future of Moore’s Law.
Harald holds a PhD in physics from the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik in Heidelberg and an MS in physics from the University of Darmstadt.
Published Work
“Industrial heat pumps: Five considerations for future growth,” McKinsey & Company, March 2024
“Global Energy Perspective 2023: Industrial electrification outlook,” McKinsey & Company, January 2024
“Is industrial automation headed for a tipping point?,” McKinsey & Company, June 2023
"Building resilient supply chains for the European energy transition," McKinsey & Company, October 2022
"Smart fluid hydraulics: Preparing for the imminent revolution in the fluid systems industry," McKinsey & Company, August 2022
“Unlocking opportunities from industrial electrification,” McKinsey & Company, July 2022
“Electromobility's impact on powertrain machinery,” McKinsey & Company, May 2021
“Semiconductor design and manufacturing: Achieving leading-edge capabilities,” McKinsey & Company, August 2020
“How the semiconductor industry can emerge stronger after the COVID-19 crisis,” McKinsey & Company, June 2020
“Coronavirus: Implications for the semiconductor industry,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020
“Capturing value in machinery and industrial automation as market dynamics change,” McKinsey & Company, June 2019
“Internet of Things: Opportunities and challenges for semiconductor companies,” McKinsey & Company, October 2015
“The Internet of Things: Sizing up the opportunity,” McKinsey & Company, December 2014
“Making connections: An industry perspective on the Internet of Things,” McKinsey & Company, December 2014
“How big data and connectedconsumer products could boost the market for MEMS technology,” McKinsey on Semiconductors, Number 4, Autumn 2014 (PDF–326 KB)
“Moore’s law: Repeal or renewal?” McKinsey & Company, December 2013
“The supercomputer in your pocket,” McKinsey on Semiconductors, Autumn 2012 (PDF–679 KB)
“Big data and the opportunities it creates for semiconductor players,” McKinsey on Semiconductors, Autumn 2012 (PDF–630 KB)
“Semiconductors for wireless communications,” McKinsey on Semiconductors, Autumn 2012 (PDF–487 KB)
“Mastering variability in complex environments,” McKinsey on Semiconductors, Autumn 2011
“Getting Mo(o)re out of semiconductor R&D,” McKinsey on Semiconductors, Autumn 2011
Education
Max Planck Institut for Nuclear Physics
PhD, physics
Technical University of Darmstadt
MS, physics
