Cologne Aftersales Forum · Archive
Cologne Aftersales Forum 2025
New aftermarket world — future perspectives in an uncertain market environment. The 21st edition.
- Date
- September 2025
- Location
- Steigenberger Hotel Köln · Cologne, DE
- Main topic
- New aftermarket world
This event has concluded. Thank you to all participants.
About the 2025 forum
New aftermarket world
A recap of a past edition — the next one is the Aftermarket Forum 2027 in Cologne. The data behind it sits in the Aftermarket Intelligence Hub.
After a pandemic-related break since 2019, the Cologne Aftersales Forum returned in September 2025 for its 21st edition. One of the most respected events in the European automotive aftermarket, the forum has always stood for thought leadership, strategic dialogue and valuable business connections.
For 2025, Wolk & Nikolic and BBE Automotive joined forces to continue this long-standing tradition with a refreshed format — addressing the current challenges and opportunities of the aftermarket, from consolidation and globalization to AI, automated driving and online marketplaces.
Programme
Agenda of the Cologne Aftersales Forum 2025
A pre-evening dinner with an opening impulse talk, followed by a full conference day of market data, OEM strategy, automated driving, AI and online marketplaces. The complete 2025 programme:
Welcome & impulse talk — Why humans are not capable of operating cars, and how AI will change this
An opening impulse to set the tone for the forum.
- Neurobiology: why humans are not truly capable of driving cars
- Autonomous driving: navigating safely through the “valley of tears” with effective traffic-management systems
- Autonomous travel in your preferred style: how agent-based AI is programmed and where it helps
Welcome & introduction
Overview of the day’s agenda, goals and highlights.
The aftermarket in transition
- The relevant framework data and trends
- Market data and structures in development
- Significance and changes in distribution channels and business models
- Prospects and fields of action — a conclusion
From spare part to system solution — and further to mobility responsibility
Wholesale in transformation: navigating global forces between systemic relevance, structural disruption and future viability.
- The European aftermarket from the perspective of wholesale distribution
- International distribution models as a benchmark for the European market
- Key change dynamics via a structured retrospective PESTEL analysis
Aftersales strategies of vehicle manufacturers as a response to tomorrow’s challenges — the example of MG
- The importance of service and parts business for manufacturers and trade
- Target groups, incentive systems, action fields, market-development strategies
- Future challenges and solution approaches of MG Motor Deutschland
Automated driving — a challenge of the century
- Why do we actually want to drive autonomously?
- How did it all begin?
- Automated driving — a current overview and key principles
- Where is the journey heading, and what impact will it have on the aftermarket?
How artificial intelligence is transforming the automotive aftersales business — a holistic review
- What is AI and what benefits does it offer?
- General fields of application
- Where do we stand in AI’s rapid success story?
- AI tools for the aftermarket and their potential
Claims and workshop management in the era of digital transformation
- The body & paint market and the evolution of claims management
- Target groups, customer expectations and economic necessities
- The Gateway technology platform as Innovation Group’s answer to future challenges
Parts portals / online marketplaces — the future perspective in the aftermarket?!
- E-commerce and multi-channel as established market factors
- Evolving needs and expectations of workshops and end customers
- Implications for established IAM and OEM players
- Alzura.tyre24.com — the one-stop-shop / marketplace for the aftermarket
Capitalizing on trends in the aftermarket
- E-mobility: turning EV into business (a decade of Tesla)
- Chinese vehicles: lessons from the Chinese aftermarket (Axa Novi data)
- Business climate: strategically locating operations in Europe (IMD data)
- Aging car park: positioning for aging vehicles (private labels)
Conclusion and closing of the event
Voices on stage
Speakers
Executives and researchers from across the aftermarket, OEMs and academia — expand each profile to read the full biography.
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President & CEO of TEMOT International since 2005, following leadership roles at Robert Bosch and in the steel and oil industries across Europe. He holds academic degrees (BA, MA, MBA) in Economics and Business from Greece, the UK and Belgium, and was a European Robert Schuman Scholar and US Fulbright. A multicultural entrepreneur with deep expertise in international SMEs and value-creating ITGs, he is co-editor — with Prof. Dr. Maria Elo — of the Springer academic book “Automotive Aftermarket” (2024).
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Director After Sales at MG Motor Deutschland with extensive experience in the automotive aftermarket. His focus lies on service strategies, claims management and parts-business development. Before joining MG he held several leadership roles at Formel D, responsible for global service operations, aftermarket projects and process optimisation in international markets.
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Managing Director of NRF for over 12 years. The company is a European specialist in cooling solutions and automotive aftermarket parts, operating as an autonomous affiliate of Banco Products India. With a strong focus on innovation, industrial applications and e-mobility, NRF pursues sustainable and ambitious growth across Europe.
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Group Strategy Director at NRF, a leading supplier of automotive thermal parts. With over a decade in the automotive aftermarket she has held key roles in business development, strategic partnerships and international trading groups at NRF and NGK Spark Plugs. She is also a member of the IAAF Council, contributing to the future of independent aftermarket distribution in Europe.
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Founder and CEO of ALZURA AG, a leading European e-commerce company focused on the automotive aftermarket. Since founding the company in 2002 (originally as Tyre24) he has driven digital transformation in B2B trade through scalable platforms and innovative business models. ALZURA today employs over 300 people with strong double-digit growth, and several of its platforms rank among the top-10 e-commerce brands in Germany and Europe.
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CEO of Innovation Group Germany with over 20 years of experience in the automotive and insurance sectors. Before becoming CEO he served as CFO and board member. His expertise lies in digital transformation, claims and workshop management, and strategic leadership. Under his direction Innovation Group is driving integrated digital platforms such as Gateway to meet the future needs of the automotive aftermarket.
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Full professor of physics education at the University of Cologne and head of the institute. His work focuses on mobility and road-safety education and evidence-based behaviour change among road users. For his contributions to road safety he received the “Safety Star” and North Rhine-Westphalia’s State Award for Internal Security. Through Einblick Medien GmbH he transfers research into practice via learning software, training videos and safety briefings, and he contributes internationally to curricula and standards in bodies such as AAPT and the DPG.
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Studied automotive engineering at RWTH Aachen University, with a research semester at POSTECH University in Pohang, South Korea. A scientific engineer in the ADAS department of RWTH’s Institute for Automotive Engineering (ika) since 2004, he is currently head of fka’s Automated Driving department. He holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and a professorship from RWTH Aachen, teaching “Automated Driving” and “ADAS and Active Safety”.
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Professor at TH Köln and Co-CEO of Detection X GmbH. His work focuses on applying artificial intelligence in industrial and automotive contexts, specialising in machine learning, predictive maintenance and intelligent image recognition. At Detection X he develops AI-based solutions tailored to the automotive aftermarket, helping companies unlock the potential of digital transformation.
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Senior Consultant at Wolk & Nikolic Aftersales Intelligence, focused on strategic consulting, project development and market research for leading OEMs such as the Volkswagen Group and BMW Group. Before joining Wolk & Nikolic he spent many years at BBE Automotive, developing tailored international aftersales strategies, organising industry forums and advising on data-driven market approaches. He holds a degree in Business Administration (Diplom-Kaufmann) from the University of Cologne and is a regular speaker at aftermarket conferences across Europe.
Venue & stay
Steigenberger Hotel Köln
The 2025 forum returned to Cologne at the Steigenberger Hotel Köln, a short walk from the city centre and main station.
Steigenberger Hotel KölnHabsburgerring 9–13
50674 Köln, Germany