Nils Bolender: Storytelling with numbers
While poets, playwrights and novelists try to penetrate the complexity of the world with words, Nils Bolender favours numbers. He finds: Numbers can be used to explain even operational issues in a good and understandable way. “Numbers don’t lie. I see myself as something of a translator of operational projects into financial ambitions,” says Bolender. And that alone makes him love his job. Since October 2023, the economist has been Group Chief Financial Officer at the NKD Group, the leading value textile discounter in Europe. The finance professional is fascinated by the fact that figures play a huge role in the transformation to a “data-driven company”. He is particularly fond of the private equity environment. His two supervisory board mandates and his membership of a regional advisory board have led him to the Management Alliance. What positively surprised him about Gabriele Bornemann’s coaching was that such a lively exchange with extraordinarily constructive discussions can take place even in an online course.
- What motivated you to become certified as a qualified supervisory board member?
Two supervisory board mandates and an advisory board mandate are already tasks with a great deal of responsibility, which can ultimately also extend into your private life due to the liability regulations. That’s why I looked around for a coaching programme for supervisory board members. Certification by Deutsche Börse was a selection criterion for him. And the greatest possible practical relevance was important to me, which ultimately led me to Gabriele Bornemann. We were an inquisitive group, all three with different backgrounds, coached by excellent experts. It was great fun and gave me exactly the confidence I wanted for my AR work. Thanks to the different industries, companies, various transformation projects and ultimately also the financial background, I have important experience and, especially with the supervisory board certification on top, I can very well imagine another external supervisory board mandate.
- In your opinion, what are currently the biggest challenges in the work of the Supervisory Board?
The time factor is certainly a challenge. The three to four Supervisory Board meetings per year have to be well prepared. Gathering information alone can be tedious, and the workload increases when you are in charge of the supervisory board of an external company. And if we are honest: A committed supervisory board always has an eye on the company. - What is your personal tip for successful networking in the supervisory board community?
Networking is also work! You should realise that. And it takes time – but that’s ultimately a question of organisation. That’s why I keep time slots free for my networking – for example for Gabriele Bornemann’s alumni meetings, expert talks and specialist conferences. These don’t necessarily have to be events with an AR background. It’s important to exchange ideas with experts and make contacts. However, networking is not a one-way street, but consists of give and take. A little altruism can’t hurt here.
- What do you want to achieve and change as a Supervisory Board?
In our Management Alliance supervisory board course, we often discussed the “right” system. For me, the dualistic system is definitely the right one, I feel comfortable with it, I see the added value there. Accordingly, I want to support the company in achieving sustainable, profitable growth. It is important to me to use the experience I bring with me to enter into a critical, constructive dialogue and to constantly question processes and business models. My method is based on facts and figures.
The decisive goal is for the company to do well. And if changes are necessary to achieve this, then we Supervisory Board members must recognise this necessity, demand it and accompany the company through the change process.