Managing Director, CEO - BMW Group Financial Services China

Kirk Cordill is the Managing Director and CEO of BMW Group Financial Services China. China is currently the fourth largest market globally for the BMW Group and continues to produce remarkable growth. Self-professed as “car crazy,” Kirk has managed to combine his passion for cars and natural financial skills into a profession. He is a results-oriented senior executive with extensive international experience (North America, Europe and Asia) gained at the retailer, national market and corporate headquarter levels.

Prior to his current position, he was instrumental in developing and implementing BMW’s remarketing and used car strategy as the Head of International Remarketing and Used Cars based in Munich, Germany. BMW has implemented a strategy that has set the industry standard for managing lease portfolios and resale values, including the Certified Pre-Owned program. The result has been that BMW has won numerous industry awards as a brand for value retention.

Kirk is a 1992 graduate of Hillsdale College with a major in business administration/ finance and a minor in philosophy. During his studies at Hillsdale, he was president of the Sigma Chi fraternity and also participated in the Oxford University study abroad program. He joined Serra Automotive immediately upon graduation and worked with their management group. He then obtained his MBA, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame in 1996. He has been with BMW since 1996 and is currently the youngest CEO in the BMW Group.

To think outside the box. The liberal arts curriculum exposed me to philosophy, which ultimately became my minor. This study promoted a different thought process than what I was learning in my business courses. This thought process has fostered creative approaches and solutions in my business career and the ability to make something out of nothing.

Follow your passion and try to make a career out of it. It makes work much more enjoyable. I go to car shows and races because I love to, not because I have to. Also, there is a big, big world out there and no matter what your future profession, you will increasingly need to understand issues from a global perspective. The world is simply becoming more and more global. If you have a chance to study abroad, take advantage of it. And by all means, take a foreign language. It is a lot easier to learn it in school than while you are working (and I am speaking from experience).

Hillsdale stands for something. Whether you agree with it or not, you have to respect it. The fact of the matter is that I also agree with it.

From an academic standpoint, it gave me a good foundation in the fundamental principles of business. On top of that was the broad curriculum promoted by a liberal arts college such as Hillsdale. It helps round you out. The fundamental business skills combined with the critical thought process (philosophy) are things I carry with me and use every day... especially when living and working overseas. I have now spent seven years of my career overseas, and these skills are an essential part of your daily life experiences.

My experience in Sigma Chi. Say what you want about the Greek system, but the ability to get along with others is seminal to success in life. This is something you do not learn in a classroom. It was a wonderful platform to build these skills and establish life-long friendships.

kirkcordill@aol.com