„Advancement through technology –this includes our processes“

FIRE.sys at Audi 

Audi AG’s innovative annual report concept aims to address target groups other than analysts and financial journalists. Renowned journalists and celebrities highlight a number of topics dealing with mobility and lifestyle in a 130-page magazine section. This concept is successful: in 2009, 100,000 copies were distributed in German, English and Chinese world-wide.

Audi’s financial section is also setting trends – with FIRE.sys. This is what Martin Primus, head of Financial Communication and Financial Analysis of AUDI AG, talks about.

Mr. Primus, how do you manage to publish such an elaborate annual report at a time when other companies are still busy transferring the latest figures into the proofs?

By consistently separating image communication from financial reporting. The magazine section has been coordinated to a large extent with the creative agency around the turn of the year. So as soon as the figures are available, we can fully concentrate on the formatting. The financial section is entirely produced in-house – using FIRE.sys.

Why FIRE.sys?

Basically this was a strategic decision taken in 2005:We wanted to streamline our processes, become faster and more efficient despite rising demands on management reporting. At the same time we did not want to lose an attractive layout in the financial section.

Previously, we depended on a graphics agency for the implementation of changes; this slowed down our work processes, increased the sources of error and created enormous costs for proofing. Today, as FIRE.sys is a technically mature and user friendly programme, we are fully independent in the creation of our financial section. For us, this alone is a huge benefit from FIRE.sys!

Producing an annual report in Chinese in Germany is a horror scenario for all annual report teams. How have you mastered this challenge?

Of course you need expert native translators. Thanks to FIRE.sys, the technical part, does not cause any particular difficulties: FIRE.sys uses the same data source as for German and English to transfer the figures. And once the translation is entered in the FIRE.sys terminology sheet, all tables in the financial report are translated into Chinese.

Your conclusion, Mr. Primus?

The use of FIRE.sys is consistent: „Advancement through technology“ does not only apply to our products, but to our processes as well.