Gerd Eßer (*19.06.1969) studied physics at the RWTH Aachen and completed his PhD in manufacturing technology at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. From 2001 to 2004 he worked at BLZ GmbH, an Erlangen based research and engineering company with specific focus on laser technology, where he soon was appointed as managing director. After that he became head of innovation and research at DIEHL, a worldwide operating industrial group located in Nuremberg. Since 2006 he is now CEO of INPRO, a joint venture company of Daimler, SABIC, Siemens, thyssenkrupp and Volkswagen focussing on innovations in automotive production.