Martina Hacker took over the management of KPM Berlin a year ago. Her management style: female - with a lot of trust, mutual understanding and an office whose door is always open. An interesting article from our WEISS Magazine No.4...

The path from the historic railings of KPM Berlin to the greenery of Berlin's Tiergarten is not far - but Martina Hacker's dog takes his time. Meggy stops, sniffs, walks on very slowly. Her owner remains relaxed, no tugging, no pushing. After all, at 14 years old, her Parson Russell Terrier is an old lady - and she shouldn't be rushed.

The managing director of KPM is not a noisy driver. With Meggy on a lead, we walk along the water in the zoo. Treats keep the dog happy while taking photos. To get Meggy in the right place for the next motif, her owner takes her backwards in her arms, her dirty paws up to the sky to protect her light blue blouse and gray blazer. Martina Hacker has an uncomplicated and direct way of doing things - even at work.

Born in Stuttgart, she joined KPM in 2016 as Commercial Director. For the past year, she has been helping to shape the fortunes of the traditional Berlin company as Managing Director. In this position, she acts as a generalist by providing great support to the management team in the areas of marketing, retail, product design, production, painting, sales, online and KPM World and is a sparring partner for KPM owner Jörg Woltmann. She proceeds with caution: "The first year was a learning process for me," says the 58-year-old, who worked in the music industry for a long time. "I held back at the beginning. And some people might have thought: now there's the new top dog, he has to speak his mind." But she preferred to listen and learn first. "In my professional life, I've always been on the lookout for role models," says Martina Hacker. She admires Jörg Woltmann's entrepreneurial spirit, his authenticity and his Prussian virtues: Honesty, reliability, punctuality. And that he sometimes sits down with people in production to eat a sandwich with them.

It is also important to her to have a sympathetic ear for the employees of the Berlin manufactory. "Our employees give me a lot," says Martina Hacker, who has a degree in business administration and is also an honorary judge at the labor court. Most of the employees have been with KPM for many years, not only in painting and production, where specialist knowledge is required, but also at the administrative level. "They are the experts in their fields. They usually come up with the best ideas."

More than half of KPM's 220 employees are female. There is no testosterone behavior like that seen in some management circles.

Martina Hacker's door is always open - and that's not just an empty phrase. She listens to everything the employees have to say and then makes the decisions in consultation with Jörg Woltmann. And the offer to exchange ideas is taken up. Everyone puts their cards on the table and problems are addressed openly - without apportioning blame, she says. Would she describe her management style as feminine? "Yes," says Martina Hacker. "We don't have that testosterone attitude at KPM that you see in some management circles, where men are often among themselves and try to take over the conversation." And there is certainly enough female power at the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur: more than half of the 220 employees are female. Almost all sales advisors and porcelain painters are women. The same applies to administration and marketing. Only in production is the ratio balanced.

"We are currently focusing heavily on our online offering. We also have a young, talented team of women who have brought this area forward," says Hacker. The KPM website tells the story of the traditional company and its products in great detail, and an advisor is available in the store via chat on request. Fans of the brand are kept up to date via Instagram and Facebook.

Sustainability is another important topic for the company. In cooperation with Vattenfall, the manufactory has connected its kilns to the capital's district heating network. The surplus process heat can thus be used directly in Berlin-Charlottenburg.

can be used for a warm shower. To save energy, Martina Hacker has also had the illuminant in the company completely converted to LED. Since July, KPM has been shipping its products in a climate-neutral way, and the Managing Director will be replacing the van used by the manufactory in Berlin with an electric vehicle. Martina Hacker does not want to reinvent the wheel at KPM, but rather learn from the experience gained - and continue with the rejuvenation that has already begun.

In her office, some of the successful new developments in the company's history are gathered together on a cabinet. There is, for example, a cup of the KPM classic KURLAND in the BLANC NOUVEAU version developed in 2013 - it features the famous relief border made of biscuit porcelain in a pastel shade. Next to it is a simple, thin-walled LAB mug from KPM's latest multifunctional series. Tableware and cookware are experiencing an upward trend. Products that people need today are gradually being developed for the LAB series: A mortar and pestle, a porcelain coffee filter or a mug with a special feel - a favorite of Martina Hacker: she likes to drink her coffee from it in the morning and a cocktail in the evening. There is also a simple CADRE vase from the Bauhaus period on the cupboard. This timeless classic can now be customized by hand with a personal motif. A cell phone photo is sufficient as a template. Meggy is panting on Martina Hacker's vase. As the dog rarely comes into the office, he is always there, at least in this form. As the 221st employee of KPM, so to speak.

Text: Sandra Winkler

Pictures: Gene Glover