Helmut Panke
Helmut Panke
Helmut Gunter Wilhelm Pankeis a senior German manager and is currently holding board membership in several companies - Microsoft, Bayer AG and Singapore Airlines. During the last 30 years, Mr Panke's management career spread over several companies, including e.g. serving as the chairman of the board of management at BMW AG from May 2002 through August 2006...
customer educate teach
We should not try to educate or teach the customer about what he or she wants.
again aim bmw course expect financial group growth increase remain sales volume year
We expect the BMW Group to remain on growth course in the financial year 2006. Our aim is to increase sales volume yet again and once again set a new record.
buyer change gone prices seen
Prices have gone up in the U.S. but for us at least we have not seen a change in buyer behavior,
again aim increase sales volume
Our aim is to increase (car) sales volume yet again and once again set a new record.
adverse competition currency high intense material prices raw
Currency factors, high raw material prices and intense competition are all having an adverse impact.
best corporate heading thus year
We are thus heading for the best year in our corporate history.
both intend operating sales successful terms unit year
We intend to make 2006 the most successful year in our company's history, both in terms of unit sales and our operating earnings.
adverse beginning competition efficiency exchange external factors high improvement increased intense internal largely offset prices reported sales volume year
The adverse external factors -- unfavorable exchange rates, high raw-material prices and intense competition -- which we reported from the very beginning of the year have been largely offset by increased sales volume and internal efficiency improvement measures.
bond earnings expect gain increase operating rolls
We also expect earnings to increase in 2006 at an operating level, excluding the exceptional gain from the exchangeable bond on Rolls Royce shares.
clearly proceed rule thinking
We will proceed under our own power. We are not thinking of link-ups, stakes, takeovers. I can clearly rule out all of these alternatives.
basically challenges comparable compensate cope exchange material prices rates raw situation
We have a comparable situation as we did have in 2005. The exchange rates are not worse, the raw material prices are not worse, so we basically have the same challenge, but we managed to cope and to compensate (for) most of those challenges in 2005.
along continue course growth press
We will continue to press on determinedly along our course of growth and expansion.
assume bmw group growth path remain
We assume that BMW Group will remain on this path of growth in 2006.
debate despite niche public
Despite the big public debate right now, it will just be a niche technology,