Building blocks for a digital strategy and execution

BME Group is a European distributor of building materials. The company employs more than 14,000 people at 920 locations in eight countries and has a turnover of 5.5 billion euros with 275,000 customers and one million products. BME offers a total solution for small to medium-sized contractors and installers active in the residential and renovation end markets. The head office is in Amsterdam.

Thomas Langthaler has been Group Chief Digital & Information Officer at BME since April this year. With over 20 years of experience in various industries, he has developed core competencies in digital transformation, strategy, process improvement, and leadership of corporate IT and digital teams. “My mission is to enhance the value proposition and customer experience of BME and its portfolio of brands by developing and implementing digital business models and solutions.” he says.

There is still a lot of work to be done at BME in the field of technology. The company has existed in its current form since November 2019, with the underlying operating companies having existed for much longer. In a fragmented market and with regular acquisitions, continuous integrations are a challenge for a strong results-driven organization. During CIODAY, Thomas Langthaler explains the vision behind BME’s digital transformation and how he puts it into practice. He also discusses challenges, internal and external collaboration and more specifically: the transition to the cloud. 

PwC is an important partner in the digital development of BME. The roadmap includes basic elements, such as the modernization of the IT landscape and availability of the right data. “PwC’s involvement covers the process from strategy to execution in certain areas,” says PwC partner and Technology Consulting Leader Ragnar van der Valk.

Langthaler, who comes from Austria, has a proven track record of transforming traditional IT teams into digital teams that deliver strategic added value for globally operating companies. He also has a strong educational background, with credentials from INSEAD, Columbia and Oxford, where he learned about the latest frameworks and best practices for building digital partnerships and ecosystems. He is passionate about driving digital innovation and growth, and creating a culture of collaboration and excellence.