BMW – Bayerische Motoren Werke, that is, Bavarian Motor Factory – was born as an aircraft manufacturer in 1913 and only later converted to car production, starting with the production of small cars under British licence. More than a century after its foundation, today BMW is generally considered the first global manufacturer in the “premium” segment. And, together with Porsche, it is the only big global player in the automotive industry whose dominant shareholder is a family belonging to the great German industrial aristocracy, the Quandt family, who still today have full control over the company and play an active and crucial role in the strategic decision-making processes.
