Mirka Wilderer

Mirka Wilderer, Ph.D., is a corporate entrepreneur with a global background. Born in Germany and having lived in over a dozen countries, Wilderer is pushing boundaries and seeks innovative solutions to protect our natural resources for the past 20 years. As a leading female executive in the water industry she has worked on four continents with experience and expertise in operations, multi-channel marketing, sales management, international mergers & acquisitions and private equity.

In June 2019, Wilderer was appointed CEO of De Nora Water Technologies, an Italian-based company under both family and private equity ownership, delivering innovative technologies to win future challenges coming from environmental and industrial needs. Leveraging her international and unconventional background, her innovative approach starts with an intrinsic business curiosity and challenging the status quo.

Staying true to their family name, the poachers, she “hunts in foreign grounds” and pushes boundaries by combining apparently opposed schools of thoughts. This entrepreneurial approach allows her to reimagine existing approaches and create new solutions. Employing the strength-based model, she has sought to demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and facilitate cross-functional collaboration across a complex organization. She enthusiastically drives excellence with the goal to achieve greatness – for her team and herself.

Being a published author and public speaker on business topics, embracing new management philosophies like strength-based leadership, and believing in the benefits of active mentorship, Wilderer has received recognition many times throughout her career including Germany’s prestigious Generation CEO: Manager of the Year Award, inclusion in the highly-selective Aquarius Programme based in Singapore, and being recognized as one of the “Forty und 40” and one of the Top 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan.

Wilderer earned a doctorate in international management with highest honors from Carl von Ossietzky University, a diploma in Social Science and Business Studies from Otto-Friedrich University, advanced management studies and leadership training from the Bavarian Elite Academy, a master’s degree summa cum laude from Charles University of Prague, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Regensburg.