Interview with
Lukas Walter
COO of AVL Engineering
“Sometimes
You Just
Have to
Skip the
Hierarchy”
Lukas Walter has returned to
AVL, as a colleague and also as
part of the leadership team in the
role of Chief Operating Officer
Engineering. In this interview, he
talks about curiosity, responsibility,
and innovation as drivers of
change – and why sometimes
skipping hierarchy, or setting
a white tablecloth, reflects the
culture needed for the future of
mobility.
After several years at MAN, you returned to AVL. Did it feel
like a reunion or like a completely new company?
Both. Some structures and processes were familiar. But AVL
has developed enormously: today it is a global network with
strong affiliates and very independent management. That
international scope was new to me. At the same time, I saw
how much technological progress – from AI to new business
models – is embedded in daily life. Yet something of the “old
AVL” has remained, which I value.
You were brought back to advance transformation in the engi-
neering division. What attracted you to the role?
Everything: organization, processes, customer relationships,
culture. The range is particularly exciting: AVL covers all tech-
nologies, industries, and customers worldwide – that is unique.
And it comes with a clear expectation: We must be open to
transformation and stay curious. At MAN, I learned how trans-
formation works. Applying this knowledge here is truly reward-
ing. My approach builds on principles rather than super-precise
KPIs. Decisions should be made where the knowledge lies.
CORPORATE INSIGHTS
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