VADnet Hero: Meet Chris Hilbert
Members are the driving force behind the biggest PAN European cooperation of Value Added Distributors in the IoT industry. That’s why we call them ‘VADnet Heroes’.
This time, we speak with Chris Hilbert, CEO/owner from IME Mobile Solutions (IME) in Germany and also Chairman of the VADnet board.
From laptops to IoT: The IME Odyssey
When IME was founded in 1992, it was all about enhancing laptops and repairing notebooks (Toshiba enthusiasts, anyone?). But the world has changed a lot since then and this made Chris decide to lead IME into the Internet of Things (IoT) industry in 2016, making sure the company stayed relevant in an ever-evolving market. Clearly, stagnation is not on the menu at IME. According to Chris: ‘the company always needs to be ready for the next step and thus we build an ultimate flexible enterprise’.
IME’s primary goal? Connecting devices and machines in ways that optimize companies processes and make our daily lives easier, with the strong believe that this contributes to a more sustainable world.
Joining VADnet: entrepreneurship, learnings and combining forces
Chris joined VADnet in 2007, roped in by the promise of business collaboration, and by the belief that uniting forces with similar companies is the way forward. What sealed the deal was the unique mix of like minded entrepreneurial spirits and cutting-edge tech discussions and learnings (e.g. LoRa became big in other countries before it hit Germany – and thus IME could become a forerunner in its country).
During the years, Chris’ commitment to the VADnet group increased strongly by actively taking up the role as Chairman of the VADnet board in which he further professionalized the group.
When asked about his favorite VADnet meeting, Chris cheekily replies, “The next one!” But looking back, he says, ‘’it is also about the surprising locations where we come and the things we do there as business friends’’. He remembers snowy sleigh rides in Austria, a speedy Nürburgring race adventure, windy sailing adventure in Helsinki and leisurely boat trips in Prague and Istanbul, or last but not least, the quintessential Bavarian Oktoberfest. Plus, he admits, “I start missing the people the moment I head to the airport.”
Chris Hilbert: Rocking IoT and Pool tables
When Chris isn’t redefining IoT or strategizing with his VADnet peers, he’s living the rock star life. No, really—he was once a keyboardist in a hard rock band! Or, what he called a ‘hair rock’ with all band members (including Chris himself) covered in long hair,, whilst playing the sounds of Bon Jovi, Europe and many more alike bands. His love for heavy metal is still alive, though these days, it’s his pool billiard cue that gets the star treatment.
Chris plays pool billiards at an almost professional level, dedicating himself to 200 balls a day. He is playing in Germany’s 3rd league and often combines his passion for pool with his love for traveling in his camper van. He is going everywhere in Germany with his camper van to play competition, but now also has the aim to explore tournaments in his favourite country, Northern Italy, together with his wife, who also is devoted to pool billiards.
The Man Behind the CEO
A family man at heart, Chris has been happily married to Manuela since 1997 and is the proud father of two daughters—one of whom works at IME. When not camping, playing pool, or plotting IME’s next big move, Chris loves a good steak with salade, preferably in combination with a perfect glass of red wine, Italian Bardolino is his favorite.
His personal motto: ‘Never stop learning’’. This is the reason that he can recommend two of his favorite books who have influenced him in his thoughts: “ Scale Up” by Verne Harnish and ‘’Sapiens – a brief history of humankind’’ by Yuval Noah Harari.
And, if you’re looking for a conversation starter, here’s one: If Chris were European President for a day, his first decree would be to abolish daylight savings time. Haha, finally, someone who understands our collective struggle. But more seriously, in those 24 hours, Chris would bring together the European parliament in a full day strategic session to have everybody aligned for a long-term European vision.
And finally, reassuring to know, should you be one of Chris’s friends (and we all are at VADnet!), you can always wake him up in the middle of the night for whatever problem. Chris is your man in good and bad times!
