Meet Matthias
Prof. Dr. Dr. Matthias Ehrhardt
Founder & CEO, Autoris Leadership Institute
Professor and Facilitator | Executive Coach and Advisor | Journalist and Author
Professor and Speaker
Matthias frequently runs workshops, gives talks, and teaches in executive education programs around the world. His engaging and interactive sessions consistently receive rave reviews. Matthias is engaged in training and supervising other coaches and facilitators. For examples, he teaches in IESE’s Business School’s Executive Coaching program and regularly speaks at conferences on leadership, talent development and coaching such as at the Columbia University Coaching Conference.
Matthias has always had a strong focus on integrating technology into education and leadership development. One of his multiple teaching assignments is his long-standing role as an Adjunct Professor at the department of Computer Science and Technology at the University of Ulm (Germany), where he has taught computer science and media computer science students for over 20 years, blending technology with human development.
Currently, Matthias and his team at Autoris are spearheading projects focused on developing and implementing AI-based assessments and virtual coaching tools, with the aim of making state-of-the-art leadership development solutions accessible to several thousand micro-entrepreneurs across Africa.
Matthias has always had a strong focus on integrating technology into education and leadership development. One of his multiple teaching assignments is his long-standing role as an Adjunct Professor at the department of Computer Science and Technology at the University of Ulm (Germany), where he has taught computer science and media computer science students for over 20 years, blending technology with human development.
Currently, Matthias and his team at Autoris are spearheading projects focused on developing and implementing AI-based assessments and virtual coaching tools, with the aim of making state-of-the-art leadership development solutions accessible to several thousand micro-entrepreneurs across Africa.
CoachX at IOC, Harvard Medical School
Matthias presents the ABCDE of Narrative, a framework he has developed to help leaders leverage the power of storytelling.
LGT Family Forum
Matthias explains Autoris' signature ACE it! Method at the highly prestigious LGT Family Forum to foster motivation, family cohesion, and a strength-based mindset in families and organizations.
Harvard Faculty Club, Cambridge MA
At an Innovation Week, Matthias introduces Prof. Arthur Brooks, one of the world's most esteemed researchers on the topic of happiness, who is giving a talk on "Leadership and Happiness".
Coach and Advisor
Over the past 20+ years, Matthias has worked with individuals, startups, venture capital and private equity firms, family businesses, NGOs, and global corporations such as Microsoft, MunichRe, Samsung Next, Daimler, and KPMG.
Matthias is a trusted advisor and coach to numerous founders, top executives, VC and PE firms, entrepreneurs, and business families. Among his clients are several unicorns (startups valued at more than $1 billion USD) and founders Matthias coached and helped navigate through their successful exits.
Matthias is a trusted advisor and coach to numerous founders, top executives, VC and PE firms, entrepreneurs, and business families. Among his clients are several unicorns (startups valued at more than $1 billion USD) and founders Matthias coached and helped navigate through their successful exits.
YPO Summit, Barcelona
Matthias speaks at the YPO Leadership Summit about empowering the next generation in family businesses.
Harvard OPM, New Delhi
After a speech at the Harvard Owners and Presidents Management Program (OPM) reunion in New Delhi.
Microsoft for Startups, Berlin
Matthias at one of his highly interactive and engaging workshops at Microsoft for Startups for 120 founders in Berlin.
Strathmore Business School (SBS), Nairobi, Kenya
Matthias is conducting a leadership masterclass at Strathmore Business School in Nairobi, Kenya, where he will present Autoris' signature ACE it! Method.
Leadership Masterclass in Kinshasa, DR Congo
Graduates of the Leadership Masterclass "Successful Leader: Simply ACE it!", a two-day leadership workshop that Matthias runs in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Cultural Compass
Matthias explains the Cultural Compass, one of Autoris' signature assessments designed to measure and optimize team culture and how to use AI-tools to optimally explore the results.
Journalist and Author
Matthias has been passionate about journalism and writing from a young age. While still in school, he founded the first French-German student newspaper and began his journalism career in the late 1980s. In 1999, he established Autoris, initially as a press agency. He is the author of several books and numerous articles for well-known newspapers and journals.
His publications include 'Stories are Bridges From One Mind To Another' presented at the Columbia Coaching Conference in 2016, the 'ABC of Narrative' in 2017—a model for applying narrative theory in executive coaching introduced at the CoachX series by the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School—and more recently, 'The Designing Talent Handbook' (2022) and 'The ACE it! Master Certification Handbook' (2024).
His publications include 'Stories are Bridges From One Mind To Another' presented at the Columbia Coaching Conference in 2016, the 'ABC of Narrative' in 2017—a model for applying narrative theory in executive coaching introduced at the CoachX series by the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School—and more recently, 'The Designing Talent Handbook' (2022) and 'The ACE it! Master Certification Handbook' (2024).
Millstatt Business Talks
The Millstatt Business Talks are a premier networking event in Austria, bringing together leaders from business and politics. Here, Matthias is running an interactive session with 350 participants.
Catalyzing Growth Workshop at IESE in Barcelona
Matthias is running a workshop on "Catalyzing and Spurring Growth" in a fast-paced environment for members of the Family Business Club at IESE, one of the world's leading business schools.
Success and Sustainability
What's the most important factor for successful sustainability? It's people. That's the key message of this workshop which was part of the Millstadt Business Talks.
Academic background
Matthias has always had a strong interest in learning and talent development. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School's Owners and Presidents Management Program (OPM 49'), IESE Business School's Advanced Management program (AMP), IESE's International Faculty Program (IFP), the Columbia Coaching Certification Program (ECI/ACI), and Columbia Business School's CIBE Program.
Matthias holds a master of administration studies and political science (M.A.S.) from the University of Constance, a master in media psychology (M.A.) from the Massachusetts Schools of Professional Psychology, a Ph.D. in law (Dr. iur.), and another Ph.D. in art history (Dr. phil.) from the University of Munich.
He has served as the academic paper chair at the Columbia University Coaching Conference, and is a founding fellow of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate.
Matthias has studied and worked in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and the U.S. He lives in Boston, MA.
Matthias holds a master of administration studies and political science (M.A.S.) from the University of Constance, a master in media psychology (M.A.) from the Massachusetts Schools of Professional Psychology, a Ph.D. in law (Dr. iur.), and another Ph.D. in art history (Dr. phil.) from the University of Munich.
He has served as the academic paper chair at the Columbia University Coaching Conference, and is a founding fellow of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate.
Matthias has studied and worked in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and the U.S. He lives in Boston, MA.
Training other coaches at IESE Business School
Matthias teaches a course on "Innovations in Coaching" at IESE Business School's highly regarded Leadership Coaching Program (LCP).
Researcher and Writer
Matthias has always harbored a deep passion for research and writing. Beginning his career as a journalist in the late 1980s, he went on to found Autoris in 1999, initially establishing it as a press agency.
Interview Partner
Matthias frequently serves as an interview and podcast partner on all things leadership, coaching, and talent development.
Get in touch
Prof. Dr. Dr. Matthias Ehrhardt
Autoris Leadership Institute
Harvard Square, 1 Miffl. Pl.
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
[email protected]
Autoris Leadership Institute
Harvard Square, 1 Miffl. Pl.
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
[email protected]