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Dr. Martin Wrulich

Senior PartnerVienna

Delivers strategies and structural changes for telecommunications, services, and high-tech companies around the world

As a managing partner at McKinsey’s Vienna office, Martin brings over 20 years of experience in the technology value chain. He has a proven track record of serving top-tier operators, digital infrastructure companies, technology OEMs, and technology services providers worldwide.

At McKinsey, Martin leads the TMT sector in the DACH region and spearheads the tech services sector across Europe.

With his engineering background, Martin has authored a number of books on HSPA and LTE networks and holds a patent in image processing. This technical acumen complements his deep expertise in strategy, business development, go-to-market and sales acceleration (both B2C and B2B), cost transformation across functional areas, operating model design, and M&A across the transaction life cycle.

Passionate about transforming the telecom industry, Martin is focused on reshaping operators’ core businesses to enhance ROIC, e.g., striving to improve 5G ROIC from 3 to 4 percent to a targeted 7 to 9 percent. His research delves into evolving business models and market structures for technology players, emphasizing necessary changes in R&D intensity, openness in products and architectures, partnership models, and consolidation.

Excited by emerging technologies such as cloud, generative AI, and platform transformation, Martin is dedicated to unlocking new value pools and driving innovation.

Recent client successes under his leadership include:

  • transforming the enterprise business of a major European telecom, generating over €100 million in EBITDA impact through sales transformation, margin optimization, and pricing strategies
  • reinventing the consumer portfolio of a European telecom, resulting in a notable increase in net additions
  • defining the next-generation service for a European telco, utilizing AI-based learning and coaching to achieve significant improvements in average handle time and net promoter score
  • designing a new platform-based business model for a European telecom, enabling enhanced cost-effectiveness and global scalability
  • turning around a large IT services player with comprehensive M&A support, delivery transformation, and sales acceleration
  • crafting the inorganic growth strategy for an international technology OEM, unlocking over $1 billion in additional enterprise value
  • defining the product strategy, including semiconductor supply chain implications, for a major global high-tech player
  • transforming the cost base of an international telecom equipment OEM, achieving over $200 million in cost impact
  • designing the operating model for the network and IT unit of a multinational telecom, significantly accelerating and enhancing organizational agility

In his free time, Martin volunteers as the chair of an academic nonprofit alumni association for Austrian PhDs awarded sub auspiciis praesidentis. He also enjoys traveling and is working to obtain his private pilot license.

PUBLISHED WORK

Seizing the core connectivity opportunity in B2B telecom,” McKinsey & Company, March 2024

Shaping the future of 6G,” McKinsey & Company, February 2024

Fiber opportunity: Four deal types for investors to consider,” McKinsey & Company, December 2022

The future of automotive computing: Cloud and edge,” McKinsey & Company, October 2022

Development in the mobility technology ecosystem—how can 5G help?,” McKinsey & Company, June 2019

“The hunt for mass-market NFV,” MWC, February 2018

The changing market for food delivery,” McKinsey & Company, November 2016

“Virtualization: Establishing the network architecture of the future,” McKinsey & Company, September 2014

“Big plans for small cells: A capacity-boosting mobile network strategy,” McKinsey & Company, May 2014

PAST EXPERIENCE

Vienna Institute of Communications and Radio-Frequency Engineering
Research assistant

Wrulich GmbH
Co-owner, responsible for strategy and marketing

EDUCATION

Vienna University of Technology
PhD, electrical engineering and wireless communications

Vienna University of Economics and Business
BA