Over the years, Oliver Hermes has been consistently promoting the transformation of the company towards becoming a digital pioneer of the industry. As part of the strategic realignment of the group, the company sped up the internationalisation of the business and made the shift from a component manufacturer into a provider of systems, solutions and services. As a result, the Wilo group has now become a billion euro company.

Oliver Hermes studied economics and majored in East Asian economic studies / China at Gerhard-Mercator University Duisburg and Université d‘Angers in France. Right after starting his career at audit firm KPMG, he passed the exam to become a Certified Public Accountant in New Hampshire in 2001. He subsequently became a partner at KPMG in 2005. The graduate economist is the chairman of the German Eastern Business Association (OA) and deputy chairman of the German Near and Middle East Association (NUMOV) and of the Petersburg Dialogue. Moreover, he is a member of the advisory board of Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA (BVB), of the executive board of the association pro Ruhrgebiet e.V. and of the advisory board of Initiativkreis Ruhr. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Stiftung Familienunternehmen (Foundation for Family Businesses) and a member of the Lions Club Duisburg. In 2014, Oliver Hermes was awarded the honorary title of “Citizen of the Ruhr Area“.

A clear focus on the future and the strong will to support people worldwide in mastering the challenges they are facing are central objectives of the foundation, which are also reflected in its funding aims: science and research, training and education, art and culture, sport and social welfare. Right from the start, the foundation’s funding activities have focused on three thematic areas: environmental protection, climate action and the responsible use of water as a resource.

In her role as member of the Executive Board of the Wilo-Foundation, Evi Hoch also supports many associations and institutions that are of relevance for society. She is a member of the executive board of the Association of Friends of TU Dortmund University, member of the board of trustees of the Master Plan Science of the City of Dortmund, member of the “University Council” of Hof University of Applied Sciences, member of the advisory board of Dortmund Mozart Society, member of the Association of Arts and Culture of German Business within the Federation of German Industries as well as the global Foundations Platform F20 and sits on the steering committee of the Ruhr Region Foundations Network.

Evi Hoch holds a Magister Artium (M.A.) (University of Freiburg i. Br.), a Polonicum degree (Mainz University) and an Executive Master of Business Administration in International Business (ENPC, Paris).

From 1998 to 2011, she worked for one of the global audit and advisory companies in Cologne, Essen, Geneva and Düsseldorf. There, she managed global accounts, industry knowledge, networks and marketing and later on, during the last seven years with the company, she was a senior manager (authorised officer) in the Business Development division, where she managed the family businesses sector in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. There, she also played a major part in establishing the company’s women’s network KNOW.

Born in Wolfsburg, she began her professional career as a trainee at the Vitra Design Foundation (Museum) in Weil am Rhein, curating design and architecture exhibitions for Central Europe and developing international education programmes. She then worked freelance for two years as a cultural manager of a German-Polish cultural festival on Reszel Castle in Warmia/Masuria, Poland.

She is convinced that each individual can make an important contribution to improving the quality of life for all people and to protecting the climate and the environment. Personally, she has a “climate subscription” and makes donations to support social business and young artists.

After graduating with a degree in business administration, Wolfgang Mertineit gained extensive and in-depth experience in international industrial companies in Germany and the USA. Finance and controlling topics were a common thread running through his professional career. During his more than 17 years of commitment to WILO SE, Mr. Mertineit also acquired the necessary expertise to assist in the preparation and establishment of the Wilo-Foundation.

As a member of the Executive Board of the Wilo-Foundation, Mr. Mertineit ensures the permanent and sustainable fulfillment of the foundation's purpose and the intention of the founder within the framework of the German Foundation Act and the foundation charter of the Wilo-Foundation.