Barbara Busse: Leadership with precision, poise and genuine closeness

“Leadership does not mean knowing everything. Leadership means taking responsibility—even when it becomes uncomfortable.”

This idea runs like a thread through Barbara Busse’s professional career. She is not a manager of grand gestures, but one of clear decisions. She is a leader who combines precision and humanity – and that is precisely why she is so credible.

A path that was not planned – but consistent

Barbara Busse studied mechanical engineering – a subject that requires clarity, structure, and analytical thinking. Her talent for complex systems, processes, and technical interrelationships became apparent early on. But anyone who thinks her path has been straightforward is mistaken.

Her career at Porsche did not begin with the goal of one day managing a plant. She developed step by step – through responsibility, a willingness to learn, and the courage to constantly take on new challenges.

“I never pursued a career to collect titles. I was interested in where I could make an impact,” she says in retrospect.

Barbara Busse – From technology to overall responsibility

Barbara Busse took on various management roles at Porsche in production, quality, planning, and strategy—areas where decisions have measurable consequences. She learned how important it is to think about technology, people, and processes together.

In 2019, she became Chair of the Executive Board of Porsche Leipzig GmbH—the first woman to head a Porsche plant. Under her leadership, the site has developed into one of the most modern automotive plants in Europe: highly automated, sustainably oriented, and at the same time strongly focused on team culture.

“Excellence does not come from pressure, but from clarity and trust,” is a phrase that is heard repeatedly in her lectures.

Leadership in reality – not in textbooks

What sets Barbara Busse apart from many other executives is that she knows the operational reality. She knows operational reality. Shift work. Supply chains. Production pressure. Transformation.

She does not lead from a distance, but from within the system.

Her leadership skills became particularly apparent in times of digitalization, electromobility, and transformation in the automotive industry. She spoke openly about uncertainties, about necessary changes – and about the fact that change can only succeed if people understand and support it.

“You can buy technology. You can’t buy attitude,” she says – and by that she means leadership culture.

Her particular strength: calmness in complex situations

Barbara Busse has a remarkable presence: calm, clear, engaging. She never loses sight of the big picture in discussions – even when the topics become complex, contradictory, or emotional.

Her superpower: reducing complexity without trivializing it

As a speaker, she translates industrial, technological, and organizational challenges into insights that go far beyond the automotive industry. Companies from a wide range of sectors recognize themselves in her examples – because they always deal with leadership, responsibility, and decision-making skills.

Topics she brings to the stage

In her keynotes, Barbara Busse talks about topics such as:

• Leadership in phases of transformation – when certainties disappear
• Decisions under pressure – and why attitude is crucial
• Technology & people – why innovation only works with trust
• Diversity & responsibility – not as a trend, but as a leadership task
• Future-proof organizations – between efficiency and culture

She is never concerned with self-promotion. “I don’t tell success stories – I talk about reality,” she says.

Why Barbara Busse is a compelling speaker

• Top management experience in one of the most demanding industrial environments
• Technical excellence paired with human leadership
• Credibility through operational responsibility
• Clear, calm demeanor with a lasting impact
• High connectivity for executives from a wide range of industries

Anyone who experiences her quickly realizes that this is someone who knows responsibility – and bears it.

Book Barbara Busse at Premium Speakers

Barbara Busse is a speaker for companies that are not looking for slogans, but for guidance. Her presentations are precise, thoughtful, and inspiring – not loud, but effective.

“The future is not created by speed alone. It is created by making the right decisions at the right time.”

When you book Barbara Busse, you bring a voice to the stage that doesn’t just explain leadership – it lives it.

Book Barbara Busse as a keynote speaker or panel guest for your conference: 1 (704) 804 1054 or barbara.busse@premium-speakers.com