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Having joined IRN in 1999 to assist with IRN’s international forecast services, Erich Merkle is currently responsible for the development and continuous improvement of IRN’s global light vehicle and powertrain forecast. He analyzes industry trends and dynamics to determine their impact on IRN’s forecast offerings and works with IRN’s automotive supplier client base to incorporate the forecast data and methodology into their business structures. Erich authors articles for IRN publications, conducts state-of-the-industry presentations for client executive management teams, and is regularly quoted in the news media including; the Detroit News/Free Press, The Wall Street Journal, Automotive News, and numerous trade journals. Erich is frequently interviewed and asked to comment on various industry issues by local television news channels, CNBC, Bloomberg TV/Radio, and the BBC.
Many of Erich’s projections and trend assessments have proven to be highly accurate over the years. It is the mix of both quantitative and qualitative variables and understanding their impact on the automotive landscape that have made his presentations both informative and insightful.
Erich graduated from the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program at Wayne State University in 1990. He earned his undergraduate degree in Business (B.B.A.) from Eastern Michigan University in 1989. Erich is a member of the Society of Automotive Analysts, and was the winner of the Society’s 2004 vehicle production forecast contest in which SAA Automotive Outlook Conference attendees are judged on the basis of their North American light vehicle production forecast accuracy submitted a year earlier. | 