Engelbert Meyenberg – Schaeffler Group

For Engelbert Meyenberg, the merger between Schaeffler Group and Vitesco Technologies represents more than just a corporate transaction—it’s an opportunity to bring together two legacies and create a unified, forward-looking organization. As general counsel for Mexico, Meyenberg is playing a pivotal role in guiding that transformation, overseeing the harmonization of processes, legal structures, and, perhaps most importantly, cultures.

Engelbert Meyenberg | Schaeffler Group | General Counsel, Mexico

“The biggest challenge right now,” he says, “is to harmonize processes derived from the merger between Schaeffler and Vitesco, to deal with Vitesco’s liabilities such as labor litigation dating back to the Continental times, and to align working styles.”

For a global manufacturing powerhouse like Schaeffler, the task is complex. The company—known for its engineering expertise and innovation—produces high-precision components and systems for the automotive and industrial sectors. Its products support everything that moves, from wind turbines to drills, embodying its core principle that “everything that moves carries something of us.”

Schaeffler’s global brands—INA, FAG, and LUK—are trusted worldwide for their quality and reliability. In Mexico, the company operates three plants, a distribution center, and a research and development facility, employing thousands of people who help drive the company’s continued growth in the Americas.

The integration with Vitesco, formerly part of Continental and Siemens before becoming independent, effectively doubled Schaeffler’s size. It also introduced new challenges: aligning systems, standardizing benefits, and bringing together professionals who had worked under different structures for decades. But for Meyenberg, the merger is also a test of leadership and collaboration. “We are in the process of exchanging ideas,” he says.

“We’re creating a very positive synergy; we’re very open-minded. The idea is to make people feel that they are not just part of a conquest but also joining a family.”

The company’s goal is clear: by 2027, it wants to be fully aligned as a single, leaner organization. That means fewer entities, simpler administration, and a sharper focus on value-added work that supports Schaeffler’s five strategic pillars, including expanding its mobility product portfolio and strengthening its role as a reliable partner in the global transition to sustainable motion technology.

Leadership built on loyalty

Meyenberg’s approach to leadership is rooted in loyalty and deep business understanding.

“Capable people are important,” he explains, “but loyalty is necessary. An in-house attorney needs to know the manufacturing process, the key people in other departments, and understand the business. You must be a facilitator, not an impediment.”

His legal team in Mexico recently grew with the addition of two talented lawyers from Vitesco, and for Meyenberg, the challenge isn’t recruitment—it’s retention. He believes that keeping strong legal talent means offering them meaningful work in a demanding but rewarding environment.

“Talent is retained when the job is challenging and demanding,” he says. “Clients are more demanding in delivery times, and suppliers are fiercer in negotiating price increases. So, our lawyers are not parked in a comfort zone. Their efforts are rewarded—not necessarily with money—but with recognition and support on individual projects.”

That philosophy has shaped Meyenberg’s leadership style over nearly a decade with Schaeffler. When he joined the company, he brought with him a diverse background in compliance, corporate law, and international business. His early career began in litigation, but language skills—English and French—quickly shifted his path toward corporate law, where he assisted foreign clients with visas, contracts, and compliance.

“I discovered corporate law and began to specialize in that field,” he says. “First in corporate law firms and then as an in-house counsel, which helped me understand both worlds, especially when negotiating fees with external consultants.”

His journey includes roles with Down Chemical, Novo Nordisk Pharma, and Nissan, where he earned certifications from the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics. That mix of corporate, international, and compliance experience now informs his ability to navigate Schaeffler’s cross-border challenges.

“My expertise as a corporate lawyer allows me to identify and prevent risks in labor processes, standardize legal structures, and unify corporate identity,” he says. “The goal is to have one company, one culture, and one purpose.”

Integrity, efficiency, and innovation

While much of Meyenberg’s work is focused on process harmonization, his mission also extends to maintaining Schaeffler’s high ethical standards and operational integrity. He recalls one of the most difficult projects of his career—setting up an electric stepdown station in Mexico.

“You have to deal with different authorities, areas within the Federal Electricity Commission, and review several contracts,” he says. “Sometimes government officials ‘invite you’ to facilitate the process, but we must keep up our ethical principles. Processes took longer, but we completed the project to increase our electrical capacity for bigger initiatives.”

That unwavering commitment to ethics is a thread in his career, and it reflects Schaeffler’s broader culture of compliance and transparency. It’s also a testament to how Meyenberg views his role as more than just a legal advisor. He sees the legal department as an enabler of progress, ensuring that every innovation and expansion is grounded in responsible practice.

Technology plays a growing part in that evolution. Like many legal leaders, Meyenberg sees potential in artificial intelligence but remains cautious about its limits.

“AI is a powerful tool that facilitates our job daily,” he says. “It helps detect changes in a contract, but it will not tell you the right type of contract for a wide range of businesses in this industry. The legal reasoning—the ratio iuris—cannot be substituted.”

At Schaeffler, that balance between efficiency and judgment is key. The company’s mission to advance motion technology relies on precision in engineering and decision-making. For Meyenberg, legal must mirror that discipline: streamlined, insightful, and always rooted in integrity.

A personal rhythm

Despite the high demands of his position, Meyenberg has learned to balance his professional responsibilities with his personal passions. A single father of two sons—Samuel, 21, and Markus, 12—he finds strength in family and creativity in his downtime. He loves reading fiction and writing poetry, and music plays a constant role.

“I’m a huge fan of Def Leppard and AC/DC,” he says with a laugh, “but I listen to smoother music when I need concentration.”

He has also published a novel and hopes to dedicate his retirement years to teaching and writing.

“When I retire, I’d like to write more poems and novels,” he says. “In five years, I’d like to have a solid legal team in place and be preparing to teach and write full-time.”

That creative streak and a pragmatic, ethical mindset make Meyenberg a natural fit for Schaeffler’s dynamic culture. His career has been one of adaptation, resilience, and constant learning, which mirrors the company’s evolution from a family-owned enterprise into a global technology leader.

And just as Schaeffler’s components are designed to keep the world in motion, Meyenberg’s leadership keeps the company’s operations moving forward—guided by loyalty, driven by integrity, and energized by the belief that “everything is negotiable.”