There is a tremendous amount to celebrate and learn from when looking at Herbert’s career – contributions to the business and legacy in terms of the values he instilled in generations of young people.

Herbert had one of the most remarkable, global careers, joining P&G in Germany in 1966 and holding leadership positions across the USA, Austria, Scandinavia, Mexico, France, the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Perhaps his most notable contribution was spearheading P&G’s expansion into Central and Eastern Europe, recognizing the region’s potential.

I first met Herbert in 1987 in Paris, where he was the outgoing General Manager, and began working with him in 1995. At a time of personal doubt after turning down two assignments, Herbert reached out: “I’m offering you an assignment in Eastern Europe—based in Moscow. You’ll start as Marketing Director and become General Manager. This will be crucial for P&G and for rekindling your passion for the company.” The rest is history, with Maria and me cherishing our Moscow years as one of life’s highlights.

Herbert was a giant in every sense—his presence unmistakable, his intellect immense, his heart even bigger. While he kept discussions short and to the point, with questions like, “How much have we shipped today?” or “What have you done for the company today?” and the classic, “Should I worry when I see you?”, Herbert’s mind was razor-sharp and strategic. Behind his sometimes gruff exterior was a scholar, holding both a Master’s and Ph.D. in Economics from top universities in Germany, Austria, and France.

Most remarkable was Herbert’s deep care for people. He took personal responsibility for others’ careers, even at junior levels. During the Russian crisis, he didn’t just consider numbers; he cared about people. Herbert and John Pepper were instrumental in keeping P&G in Russia during the 1998–1999 economic collapse when many competitors exited—a brilliant strategic decision that still strengthens P&G in the region.

Herbert’s legacy lives on through the values he embodied:

1. Transparency – Do as you say, say what you do, and keep it simple—“Shipments are strategic.”
2. Courage and Ownership – Take personal responsibility; if you don’t, how can you expect others to?
3. Care for People – Take care of your people, and they will take care of the business.
4. Perseverance – Work hard but enjoy the journey.
5. Humility – Herbert let results speak for themselves; he never bragged.

Over nearly 40 years of knowing Herbert, I understood he had Only two great love stories: his wife, Monica, his partner since university, and the P&G company and its people.

Rest in peace, Herbert. You will be remembered and missed forever.

Stassi Anastassov

35 years ago, the “wind of change” blew in Berlin, leading to the reunification of the two German countries and the fall of the iron curtain between East and West in Europe. Now, P&G alumni will gather in Berlin to get inspired and co-create ideas on how to navigate through ever-growing uncertainty in a world that is changing more rapidly and fundamentally than ever.

How can we P&G Alumni in our very diverse roles continue to be at the forefront of future-proofing leadership?

We already have more than 60 registered early birds who will get together on June 12-14, 2025 to dive into the four key topics framing the 2-days conference:

1. Resilience and Sustainability of companies and organizations
2. Human-centricity as a key success factor
3. Agility and Digital Disruption
4. Beyond Corporate (the eco-system of entrepreneurship) shaping the world in the non-profit sector.

Besides our P&G Alumni Award winners, we have already secured such outstanding alumni as Austin Lally, Dalia Feldheim, Jim Lafferty, Stefan Homeister, Bob Kunze-Concewitz, Anke Hampel, Till Wahnbaeck sharing their insights with us and leading break-out sessions. Many more speakers are getting on board as we shape the agenda of this inspiring conference!

The keynotes and panel discussions throughout the first day will be closed with an Alumni award dinner at the Grand Hyatt.

On the second day, we will have a gala dinner at Spreespeicher, an event location specially chosen for dinner and dancing in the well-known P&G spirit.

To share this overall experience with your spouses and even your adult children, tailored programs are being prepared to get you all excited about this special occasion in Berlin. These include exclusive Get-your-Guide tours as well as special discussions and CEO meet-ups in addition to the main program for your next generation and young alumni.

What are you waiting for? Get your ticket here!

Who has not yet seen David Taylor in the last newsletter, here he is again inviting you all to be part of the upcoming gathering!

Check our webpage frequently as we will continuously update how many P&G alumni have already signed up and who will take part in leading the program.

Selected finalists will present at a Global Virtual Pitch with top global leaders from VC Funds and Global Accelerators (during Feb-Mar 2025). Don’t miss this opportunity to have global reach.

There will be 3 winners who will get free accelerator-like support from a diverse P&G Alumni team of investors and seasoned start-up leaders; and will also present their businesses to the global audience at the P&G Alumni Global Conference on June 12-14, 2025, in Berlin. The overall winner will be recognized as the P&G Alumni Star Entrepreneur of 2025.

You could be the one!  Apply before January 31st, 2025.

If you have any doubt, please write us to catapult@pgalums.com.  Apply before January 31st, 2025!

Kind regards,

The Global Business Catapult team

With our theme “Together in Growth & Gratitude” in this report, please enjoy life-changing stories and the many smiles of our P&G alumni grant champions and grant beneficiaries—with 223,000+ lives improved across 42 countries! Click the Alumni Foundation’s 2023-24 Impact Report image and link below to enjoy success stories, exciting new ways alums have gotten involved, and our financial picture.

With a sense of gratitude for the skills learned and lifelong friendships made at P&G, alums are paying it forward. Together we are harnessing the power of the Global P&G Alumni Network to give charitably and apply our expertise to help drive economic empowerment for generations to come. We hope you share our excitement, and you will help us do even more in years to come.