With the IT project "Tango", Schumann and his team are currently implementing a new global logistics system at DB Schenker. It is one of DB Schenker’s most strategically important IT projects and has been designed to replace 32 national software systems. As a global system, Tango will provide a standardized method of managing air and ocean freight shipments to all DB Schenker locations worldwide as well as transparency along the entire transport chain.

Peter Schumann and a part of the project team.

This is the seventh time that the computer newspaper has presented the award for the best CIO of large and medium-sized companies in the German-speaking region. In addition to the editorial teams of Computerwoche and CIO, the members of the jury include a panel of high-caliber outside experts from science and industry.

"Schumann’s works shows how a major IT project can be successfully implemented in close collaboration with other team members at locations throughout the world. His work represents a valuable and cost-effective contribution to our company’s global operations," said Dr. Karl-Friedrich Rausch, Member of the Management Board of DB Mobility Logistics AG for Transportation and Logistics in recognition of the award.

Global logistics system at DB Schenker

"In a close working relationship with operational team members based on trust and confidence, a CIO must change the processes, organization and systems for the benefit of the company and involve all employees and organizational units affected," said Schumann on the CIO’s task.

This attitude convinced the jury. The decisive points for their final choice also included the implementation of the company’s strategy, HR development and guidance, innovation management, in-house service agreements and the management of IT services and IT controlling.

Experts in 20 countries are involved in the implementation of the project, which has been rolling out in Germany since February of this year. A team consisting of 150 employees is preparing further roll-outs. Work on Tango will continue until 2011. There are currently around 4,500 users working with individual features of the system in 87 countries.