“With the WU Manager of the Year award, we express our appreciation for WU alumni who have distinguished themselves in top management with their exceptional achievements and vision,” says WU Rector Rupert Sausgruber. “Patricia Neumann has always kept in touch with WU Vienna, and she has shared her digitalization expertise with her alma mater. Among other things, one of her main priorities is strengthening STEM – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – education, especially for women. Patricia Neumann is a role model for many WU students who are dealing with the major challenges of our future, such as digitalization and AI,” says Sausgruber.

“It’s a great pleasure for me to be named WU Manager of the Year today. I have fond memories of studying business administration at WU, not least because of the many friendships I made during my student years. I’m grateful to this university for teaching me time management and communication skills and academic expertise. These skills have served me well in all my professional endeavors. Today, I maintain close ties to WU again. As a mentor or guest lecturer, I have ample opportunity to engage in a lively dialogue with WU students and graduates,” says Patricia Neumann.

About Patricia Neumann

Patricia Neumann is CEO of Siemens AG Austria. Prior to that, she spent more than 25 years at IBM, where she most recently oversaw data, artificial intelligence, and automation software sales in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She studied at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business and went on to hold various executive roles at IBM, including in London, Milan, and Germany. After spending several years abroad, she returned to Vienna with her family, where she served as Country General Manager of IBM Austria from 2017 to 2021. Even after completing her studies at WU Vienna, Neumann has always remained close to her alma mater. For example, she participates in the Wise Women of WU program as a mentor.

WU Manager of the Year

WU launched the WU Manager of the Year award in 1993 to give recognition to WU alumni and managers who have shown extraordinary enthusiasm and vision in driving the development of their respective companies and the economy as a whole. Recent WU Managers of the Year include Susanne Baumann-Söllner, management board spokeswoman of IAKW-AG, tech manager Christopher Schläffer, museum director and art manager Max Hollein, Western Union CEO Hikmet Ersek, and Silvia Angelo, member of the board of ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG.