Barbara Whittaker, President

In 2010 BW Limited LLC was founded by Barbara Whittaker, utilizing her previous experience in a new way by assisting companies in developing, accelerating, and executing business and procurement strategies that lead to improved performance.  For example, in this capacity, she led the negotiations and strategy for the creation of a major joint venture between Rush Group, a minority-owned company, and Faurecia, one of the largest automotive component companies in the world. The resulting company successfully launched uninterrupted and created new manufacturing jobs in the city of Detroit. BW Limited has assisted businesses in both private and public sectors, from manufacturing to community-based organizations.  One of her key focus areas has been on improving diversity programs at major corporations and supporting the growth of minority businesses in a variety of industries.

 Mrs. Whittaker is a business strategist and procurement and supply chain expert with extensive experience in the automotive industry, including both OEM and supplier base sectors. She is known for her quiet tenacity and ability to get strong results.  She worked for General Motors and Delphi Automotive in leadership positions of increasing responsibility over many years.  During this time, she was responsible for leading and managing diverse global teams through significant organizational shifts, demonstrating unique transformational skills and abilities. In addition to her formal education, she holds Six Sigma Green Belt certification and is well versed in lean production systems.

 Throughout her career, Mrs. Whittaker has been recognized by numerous organizations and publications such as the Lifetime Achievement Award from Ariba, 2013 Esteem Women of Michigan, in 2014 The Break Through Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. In 2019, Barbara was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the General Motors African Ancestry Network.

Andreas Miessmer, Vice President

Andreas Miessmer has over 16 years of direct operational experience in strategic sourcing and consulting. He has in-depth functional expertise in Direct and Indirect purchasing and the full array of supply and value chain responsibilities at the senior management level. His background crosses many industries including Pharmaceuticals, Technology, Automotive, Diversified Manufacturing, White Goods, Technology / High-tech, Logistics, and FMCG.

Mr. Miessmer has 12 years of experience in organizational transformation and restructuring with engagements in the US and Europe. In addition, he has worked as interim CPO, while being responsible for successful transformational initiatives and leading the change. He also has led highly successful customization and deployment of business intelligence (BI) tools to drive spend transparency globally and to generate savings.

Throughout his career, Mr. Miessmer has been known for being a trusted business partner and has a stellar reputation in supply chain circles. His engaging style and professional approach have led to many collaborative solutions.