The mentors

"I particularly appreciated the exchange at eye level with my mentor on a variety of topics - from specific professional issues to planning the next steps in my career as well as personal challenges. It was a great opportunity to get external input and benefit from the wealth of experience with my mentor." Maria Rupprechter, mentee 2022/23

These are the Wise Women of WU 2024/25

The mentors are successful female managers with experience on executive boards, management boards or supervisory boards who have graduated from WU themselves and are happy to pass on their knowledge and experience. They want to support young women in their career development, provide insights into their success strategies and broaden their own perspectives through cross-generational and cross-hierarchical dialog.

Silvia Angelo

Silvia AngeloBoard member, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG

Company: ÖBB Infrastruktur AG

Company size (worldwide): approx. 18,000 staff

Sector: Transport

Location: Vienna

Personal career tip:

Stay curious and open-minded. Have the courage to take on challenges that come as a surprise and be confident to try something new.

Milestones in her professional career:

  • Head of Office for Economic Policies, Austrian Chamber of Labour Vienna, May 2008 to Jan 2017  
  • SPÖ Club Secretary for Budget, Finances and Economics, Parliament, Feb 2007 to  Apr 2008
  • Head of Office ÖGB in Brussels, Austria‘s Permanent Representation in Brussels, Oct 2001 to Mar 2002
  • Member of various supervisory boards: Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), Bundessportgesellschaft, FH des BFI Vienna, WU Vienna, Agrarmarkt Österreich, ÖBB Infrastruktur

Education:

Graduate of the University of Economics Vienna, Economics

I can assist you in the following fields:

  • Career strategies
  • Management behaviour / assertiveness
  • Building networks
  • Personal development
  • Work-life balance

What I expect from my mentee…

Curiosity, openness, social competences, interest in and having fun in your dealings with other people, self-reflection

What is important for me in a mentoring relationship…

Reliability, coupled with a little bit of flexibility (other engagements may unexpectedly arise)

Elfriede Baumann

Elfriede BaumannSupervisory Board member Wiener Stadtwerke GmbH, ÖBB Holding AG a.o.

Company: Supervisory Board member Wiener Stadtwerke GmbH, ÖBB Holding AG, a.o.

Sector: various; mainly consulting (auditing, tax consulting, management consulting, transaction consulting)

Location: Vienna

Personal career tip:

  • Be prepared to go the extra mile
  • Show ambition and the will to advance in your career
  • Do not be grimly determined or try to be the "better man"
  • Focus on solutions, not problems
  • The person always comes first 
  • I always made sure I balance my work with my family. If these are in harmony your career will also work out well.

 Milestones in her professional career:

  • Member of the Supervisory Board of Wiener Stadtwerke GmbH, ÖBB Holding AG, a.o.
  • until December 2017: Partner and Managing Director at Ernst&Young
  • Managing Partner for Human Resources
  • Managing Partner for Utilities, Public and Health

Education:

  • Degree in Business Education at WU Vienna
  • 1983 Appointment as tax consultant
  • 1989 Appointment as auditor

I can assist you in the following fields:

  • Career strategies
  • Management behaviour / assertiveness
  • Conflict management
  • Developing your potential
  • Network building
  • Personal development
  • Work-life balance

What I expect from my mentee…

  • Show ambition and the will to advance in your career
  • Ask good questions, show commitment
  • Have a critical and self-critical opinion
  • Get involved and contribute – it is give and take
  • Show respect to others

What is important for me in a mentoring relationship…

Respectful interaction; the mentee wants to progress at both a personal and career level. Do not take yourself too seriously and be grimly determined but show some humour. The chemistry must be right. My values are: do not be aloof, do not be ruthless, instead: the person comes first.

Christine Catasta

Christine CatastaChairwoman of the Supervisory Board, BIG Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H.

Company: BIG Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H.

Sector: Building management and new construction

Location: Vienna

Personal career tip:

Be ambitious on the inside, calm and balanced on the outside. Listen instead of talking and act instead of reacting.

Milestones in her professional career:

  • Since September 2021: Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of BIG Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H.
  • June 2021 to January 2022: Member of the Board of Directors of ÖBAG Österreichische Beteilungs AG
  • October 2020 to June 2021: Director of ÖBAG Österreichische Beteilungs AG
    Supervisory Board member at VERBUND, Erste Bank and Sparkasse, OMV, A1 Telekom Austria AG, a.o.
  • 1982 to 2020: PwC Austria, member of the leadership team since 1994, Senior Partner at PwC Austria from 2018 to 2020
  • Advisory Leader PwC Österreich and member of the Leadership Team PwC Europe
  • 1972 to 1982 various internships abroad: Voest/Mexico, Siemens/Milan, Alstholm/Atlantique/Paris, Bank of America/San Francisco, Manufactures Hanover Trust Co./New York

Education:

  • Graduate of WU Vienna, specialist subject: Reporting and Auditing
  • Certified Austrian auditor and tax consultant

I can assist you in the following fields:

  • Career strategies
  • Management behaviour / assertiveness
  • Conflict management
  • Developing your potential
  • Network building
  • Personal development
  • Work-life balance

What I expect from my mentee…

  • The ability to communicate
  • A sense of responsibility

What is important to me in a mentoring relationship….

  • Open communication
  • Willingness to change
Karin Exner-Wöhrer

Karin Exner-WöhrerCEO, SAG Group

Company: SAG Group

Company size (worldwide): approx. 1,100 employees

Sector: Metal processing

Location: Vienna/Lend

Personal career tip:

„Do it out of conviction!"

Milestones in her professional career:

MBO, crisis experience, international takeovers

Other sector experience:

As supervisory board member in telecommunications, mobility, real estate

Education:

  • Insead Executive MBA
  • Doctorate in Business Administration, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration
  • Master's degree in Business Administration, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration

I can assist you in the following field:

  • Management behaviour / assertiveness
  • Building networks
  • Work-life balance

What I expect from my mentee…

Openness, drive, spontaneity

What is important for me in a mentoring relationship…

Eye level, trust, mutual appreciation, open feedback in both directions

Patricia Neumann

Patricia NeumannCEO, Siemens AG Österreich

Company: Siemens AG Österreich

Company size (worldwide): approx. 9,000 staff in Austria, 303,000 staff worldwide

Sector: Technology

Location: Vienna

Personal career tip:

  • Curiosity and perseverance
  • Personal commitment
  • Inclusive and fact-based management style

Milestones in her professional career:

  • CEO, Siemens AG Österreich
  • Country General Manager, IBM Austria
  • Head of IBM Global Financing Österreich
  • Sales director Financial Services IBM CEMA (Europe, Middle East and Afrika)
  • Vice President of IBM Systems Hardware Sales in DACH

Education:

  • Study of Economics at WU Vienna

I can assist you in the following fields:

  • Career strategies
  • Management behaviour / assertiveness
  • Conflict management
  • Developing your potential
  • Building networks
  • Personal development
  • Work-life balance

What I expect from my mentee…

Taking the initiative for mentoring and proactively approaching me with questions and ideas.

What is important for me in a mentoring relationship…

Open and confidential relationship

Renate Niklas

Renate NiklasManaging Director, Friedhöfe Wien GmbH

Company: Friedhöfe Wien GmbH

Company size: 400 staff

Sector: Service industry

Location: Vienna

Personal career tip:

Stay authentic! Be courageous and trust yourself! Leave the beaten track! You don't have to play every game! And: Don't take it personally!

Milestones in her professional career:

  • Supervisory Board Member Wien Energie GmbH
  • Head of HR Wiener Linien GmbH & CoKG
  • Head of Organizational Development, Deputy Head of Department for Metering and General Services Wienstrom/Wien Energie Stromnetz GmbH

Education:

  • Study of Economics at WU Vienna

I can assist you in the following fields:

  • Career strategies
  • Management behaviour / assertiveness
  • Conflict management
  • Developing your potential
  • Network building
  • Personal development
  • Work-life balance

What I expect from my mentee…

Openness to deal with topics that may not have been visible yet. Ability to reflect in order to achieve the greatest possible benefit from mentoring.

What is important to me in a mentoring relationship…

Open and trusting communication from both sides. Reliability with regard to agreements and deadlines.

Birgit Rechberger-Krammer

Birgit Rechberger-KrammerPresident Henkel Austria, Corporate Senior VP Henkel Consumer Brands Europe

Company: Henkel Central Eastern Europe GmbH

Company size (worldwide): Over 53,000 staff

Sector: Chemicals

Location: Vienna

Personal career tip:

  • Where there’s a will, there’s a way – this particularly applies to the careers of women
  • Leadership responsibility is a decision, a skill and responsibility; not everyone can and wants to be a leader
  • Develop a healthy sense of curiosity: you can learn something from each assignment
  • Persevere: even though it might not feel like it in the short-term, the value of a professional "dry spell" can often be seen much later
  • Versatility is a huge advantage (functional, local, digital,…)
  • Balance your career and family by observing a few important principles: set your priorities yourself (have the courage to miss out on something), set up a network of helpers, ensure your partner supports you

 Milestones in her professional career:

  • 01/2019-today: Corporate Senior VP Laundry and Home Care Europe, President Henkel Austria
  • 10/2017-12/2018: Corporate Senior VP Laundry and Home Care for the regions Eastern Europe and LATAM and President Henkel CEE / Vienna
  • 02/2014-09/2017: International Marketing Home Care / Düsseldorf
  • 07/2008-01/2014: Regional Marketing Management at Henkel CEE / Vienna
  • 10/2005-06/2008: General Management Laundry & Home Care and President Henkel CR / Prague
  • 06/2000-09/2005: Regional Sales Management Eastern Europe at Henkel CEE / Vienna

Education:

  • WU Vienna, focusing on logistics and marketing
  • Various post-graduate courses, including courses at Harvard, WHU, Cambridge, Fontainbleau, IESE Barcelona

I can assist you in the following fields:

  • Career strategies
  • Management behaviour / assertiveness
  • Developing your potential
  • Personal development
  • Work-life balance
  • Career in an international environment

What I expect from my mentee…

Openness, an interest in me and my work, professional ambition and enjoyment in the programme

What is important to me in a mentoring relationship…

Good, open conversations and flexibility, meaning taht we talk about topics important to the mentee and discuss questions I think are important for her.

Herta Stockbauer

Herta StockbauerChairwoman of the Board, BKS Bank AG

Company: BKS Bank AG

Company size (worldwide): approx. 1,100 staff

Sector: Banking and leasing business

Location: BKS Bank's headquarters are located in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee. BKS Bank operates the banking and leasing business in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Slovakia.

Personal career tip:

Set yourself clear goals, build the right networks and, above all, seize opportunities when they arise and don't wait for the perfect time. There never is!

Milestones in her professional career:

  • 1984-1992 University assistant and lecturer at the University of Klagenfurt
  • 1992 Joined BKS Bank
  • 2004 Appointed member of the Management Board of BKS Bank
  • 2014 Appointed Chairwoman of the Management Board of BKS Bank

Education:

  • Study of Economics at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business

I can assist you in the following field:

  • Career strategies
  • Management behavior / assertiveness
  • Building networks
  • Work-life balance

What I expect from my mentee…

  • The willingness to develop further
  • Openness
  • Ability to reflect

What is important for me in a mentoring relationship…

An exciting, open exchange in which you can learn from each other and confidentiality.

Sonja Wallner

Sonja WallnerCFO A1 Telekom Austria AG, Telekom Austria AG

Company: A1 Telekom Austria AG, Telekom Austria AG

Company size (worldwide): 18,000 staff

Sector: Telecommunications

Location: Vienna

Personal career tip:

Concentrate on things that give you pleasure and can put you in a flow

If things don't go 100% smoothly and a door closes, there are always new doors that open, just keep your head up and your eyes open

Actively shape your environment, there is always a new perspective

Milestones in her professional career:

Various functions in the finance department of A1 up to CFO of A1 Austria and A1 Group, different project management of company-wide projects to increase efficiency, both on the market side and in technology

Other sector experience:

Petroleum processing and distribution; finance: controlling, accounting; SAP roll out

Education:

WU-Vienna, Luigi Bocconi, executive education at Columbia University, Insead Business School, continuous development of own skills

I can assist you in the following field:

  • Management behavior / assertiveness
  • Conflict management
  • Persönliche Entwicklung
  • Personal development
  • Development of strategic concepts

What I expect from my mentee…

Initiative, pragmatism, openness, reflectiveness

What is important for me in a mentoring relationship…

Confidentiality, reliability, openness

Katharina Weishaupt

Katharina WeishauptManaging Director, Wiener Messe Besitz GmbH

Company: Wiener Messe Besitz GmbH

Sector: Real estate, trade fair and congress business

Location: Vienna

Personal career tip:

Always remain as curious and open-minded as on your first day.

Trust your own abilities AND your gut feeling.

Show yourself!

Network yourself!

Be prudent and courageous in your decisions

Milestones in her professional career:

Since 2009 solely responsible Managing Director of Wiener Messe Besitz GmbH, in parallel at WSE Wiener Standortentwicklung GmbH responsible for Accounting, Controlling & Reporting, Internal Control System, Compliance.

Education:

IBW at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, University of Illinois (USA), Université Paris XII (France)

Doctorate at WU on the topic The Development of Modern Viennese Foreign Economic Policy

I can assist you in the following field:

  • Career strategies
  • Management behavior / assertiveness
  • Conflict management
  • Potential development
  • Network building
  • Personal development
  • Work-life balance

What I expect from my mentee…:

Ambition and commitment

Actively approaching and asking questions

To formulate their own goals and wishes

Open exchange and feedback

What is important for me in a mentoring relationship…:

Openness as well as honest, trusting and respectful interaction

Network