Prof. Dr. Dr. Matthias Ehrhardt

Advisor to business families, founders and boards — and a professor who teaches what works.

He works with owner families and their next generation, with founders and their investors, and with executive teams in global corporations — on succession, growth, culture, and the decisions that come with them.

He teaches in IESE Business School's Executive Coaching program, holds a long-standing Adjunct Professorship at the University of Ulm, and speaks regularly at conferences such as the Columbia University Coaching Conference.

Much of his work is about passing the craft on: he trains and supervises other coaches, and has always had a strong focus on integrating technology into education and leadership development.

Today he and his team are developing AI-based assessments and virtual coaching tools, with the aim of opening state-of-the-art leadership development to people far beyond the circles that usually have access to it — anywhere in the world, and in concrete projects with micro-entrepreneurs in Africa.

CoachX at IOC, Harvard Medical School

Presenting the ABCDE of Narrative, a framework to help leaders leverage the power of storytelling.

Coaching with AI at Columbia University

A session on coaching with AI, run together with Dr. Terrence Maltbia, director of Columbia's coaching program.

Training other coaches at IESE Business School

A course on innovations in coaching, part of IESE's Leadership Coaching Program.

Twenty years in the room with founders, families, and boards.

Matthias has worked with individuals, startups, venture capital and private equity firms, family businesses, NGOs, and global corporations such as Microsoft, MunichRe, Samsung NEXT, Daimler, and KPMG.

He is a trusted advisor and coach to founders, top executives, VC and PE firms, entrepreneurs, and business families. Among his clients are several unicorns, and founders he coached through successful exits.

YPO Summit, Barcelona

Speaking at the YPO Leadership Summit on empowering the next generation in family businesses.

Microsoft for Startups, Berlin

A highly interactive workshop for 120 founders at Microsoft for Startups.

Harvard OPM, New Delhi

After a speech at the Harvard Owners and Presidents Management Program reunion.

Strathmore Business School, Nairobi

A leadership masterclass presenting the ACE it! Method in Kenya.

Leadership Masterclass, Kinshasa

Graduates of "Successful Leader: Simply ACE it!", a two-day workshop in DR Congo.

Family Business Club, IESE Barcelona

A workshop on catalyzing and spurring growth in a fast-paced environment.

LGT Family Forum

Presenting the ACE it! Method to foster motivation, family cohesion, and a strength-based mindset.

Millstatt Business Talks

An interactive session with 350 participants at Austria's premier business and politics networking event.

Harvard Faculty Club, Cambridge

At an Innovation Week, introducing Prof. Arthur Brooks for a talk on leadership and happiness.

The Cultural Compass

Explaining the assessment designed to measure and optimize team culture, and how to use AI tools to explore the results.

Matthias has been passionate about journalism and writing from a young age.

While still in school he founded the first French-German student newspaper, and began his journalism career in the late 1980s. In 1999 he established Autoris — initially as a press agency.

He is the author of several books and numerous articles for well-known newspapers and journals, and a frequent interview and podcast partner on leadership, coaching, and talent development.

Researcher and writer

A career that began in journalism in the late 1980s, and led to founding Autoris in 1999 as a press agency.

Interview partner

A regular guest on podcasts and in interviews on leadership, coaching, and talent development.

Degrees

Executive education

Certifications and roles