The Work Group Westfalen is a comparatively young regional work group within the ICV. It was created in 2011 as a spin-off of the Work Group West 3: members from the Münster area wanted shorter distances and stronger regional roots.

Since 2013, the Work Group has been led by the current director, who was already active as a founding member. Despite – and precisely because of – this young history, the Work Group Westfalen has developed into a stable, lively network. In the fall of 2025, the 25th face-to-face meeting took place – somewhat late due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Work Group sees itself as a practice-oriented network of controllers that consciously combines exchange, learning and personal encounters.

The Work Group has around 45 members, of whom around 20-25 actively participate on a regular basis. New members are always welcome.

Important to know:

• Participation in meetings is voluntary

• Travel costs are borne by the participants themselves

• New members can initially “get a taste” without obligation

The aim is not growth at any price, but committed, interested participants who value the exchange of ideas.

The members of the Work Group come from very different functions, industries and company sizes – from SMEs to large corporations. Among others, the following are represented:

• Insurances

• Metal and automotive industry

• Service companie

• IT and data centers

• Colleges and universities

This diversity is intentional: it enables a change of perspective, practical discussions and an open exchange “beyond one’s own nose”.

The Work Group meets twice a year for face-to-face events usually in April and September, each time at a host company from the circle of members.

Procedure in short form:

• Thursday from around 15.00:
  Internal organization of the Work Group, planning of future topics and meetings, supplemented by a presentation or a joint event. The evening ends with a joint activity and a visit to a restaurant.

  Thursdays play a special role: they are the social glue of the Work Group. Networking, trust and a sense of team spirit are created primarily here – and are a key reason why many members like to stay involved for years.

  The design of Thursdays is deliberately varied. Examples from practice:

  • Intercultural topics (e.g. business in China)

  • Business simulations

  • LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Workshops

  • Guided city tours, museum visits or sports activities

  • Creative formats such as pack singing or themed evenings

• Friday until approx. 15.00:
  Tour of the host company, professional exchange, presentations and discussions.

  The company tour on Friday morning is a highlight for many participants. It provides exclusive insights into companies and industries that are otherwise rarely seen from the inside – especially the numerous “hidden champions” of the Westfalen/East Westfalen region.

  Examples of previous hosts:

  • Melitta

  • Miele

  • Brasseler

  • Weidmüller

  • VegaSystems

  • Simonswerk

The focus of the content is determined jointly by the members. Every suggestion is welcome, the selection is made by majority vote. The topics are prepared by two to three members (“caretakers”).

Examples:

• ESG reporting

• Forecasting with algorithmic support

• Innovation controlling

• Leadership and organization of the future

• Industry 4.0 and big data

• Transformation controlling

• Performance management in a VUCA world

In addition to the face-to-face meetings, there is a clearly structured online format via Microsoft Teams.
The appointment can be planned for the long term and is deliberately kept compact:

• Quarter without face-to-face meetings

• Every Wednesday of the 2nd week of the 2nd month of the quarter

• 17:00-18:00

Procedure:

• 15 minutes Arrival & introductions

• 30 minutes impulse/lecture

• 15 minutes discussion

This keeps the format focused, practical and easy to integrate into full calendars.

The Work Group thrives on the commitment of its members. The contribution of Hans-Peter Schreiber, who, among other things:

• LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshops

• organized an internal Scrum Master training course lasting several weeks

• offered several free, ICV-open workshops on ChatGPT

Such initiatives exemplify the aspirations of the Work Group: Sharing knowledge, learning from each other and creating added value together.

Since 2017, we have been cooperating with the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences, represented by the chair of Prof. Faupel. Since 2018, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, under the direction of Prof. Andreas Jede, has also been part of our collaboration.

As part of this cooperation, students regularly take part in our meetings, bringing new perspectives and fresh ideas to our discussions. In practical projects, students work on real issues from companies, accompanied by mentors from the field.

Particularly committed groups are honored and receive, among other things, a one-year free ICV membership as well as the opportunity to present their results in the Work Group.

The Work Group Westfalen has regional roots, but is open to cooperation with neighboring work groups, universities, chambers and business networks. The aim is to strengthen the ICV as a whole and to inspire people for controlling and networking.