Dr. Angelika Sodian is regarded as a mastermind of corporate transformations in the face of current mobility industry changes and is known for her in-depth expertise in Chinese business. A proven expert in the organisational and leadership development of global companies in the automotive sector in Europe and China, she was awarded the title of ‘Rising Star’ by Automotive News Europe magazine in May 2019.

Dr. Sodian obtained a doctorate in business development and began her career at Magna Steyr; initially in Graz, Austria, and from 2008 in Shanghai. The Austrian native then founded a boutique consulting firm in the Chinese innovation metropolis and supported European automotive companies in developing their entry into the Chinese market.

At the Chinese electromobility start-up, NIO, Dr. Sodian was entrusted, from May 2015 onwards, with the lead of the international organisational development. In this role, she co-led the set-up of its design headquarters in Munich within a very short timeframe. The following year, she took over the management of NIO UK, the advanced performance engineering unit of the then fledgling company. After four years, Dr. Sodian left NIO in June 2019 to devote herself to new projects.

In her recently published non-fiction bestseller In the Year of the Tiger – Why it is not too late to learn from China, Dr. Sodian reflects on her extensive Chinese industrial experience, providing valuable insight for European companies. Today, her diverse experiences are incorporated into a wide range of strategic activities. Dr. Sodian’s keynote speeches provide companies with inspiration regarding their future direction. In her role as board advisor, she supports companies in their transformation process.

Dr. Sodian is married and lives in Vienna.