Chris Hartwig
Managing Director, Korvest Ltd
Strategy: Building & Sustaining Competitive Advantage
Harvard Business School, 2015
Steel has always been a common theme in Chris Hartwig’s career, from crunching numbers with Tubemakers/BHP to the ensuing 15 years of business management in the industry.
From accounting to management
Following in his father’s footsteps, Chris finished high school and went straight to university to study accounting. Starting with what was then Tubemakers/BHP (that morphed into OneSteel), he says it quickly became obvious that he preferred the “cut and thrust” of running the business rather than counting the numbers. He undertook a number of management roles in the 15 years that ensued, but the biggest career change occurred when he was headhunted by Korvest to run the galvanising division. Korvest is ASX listed, employing close to 300 staff across Australia, the majority of which are based in Adelaide. After a couple of years, Chris was promoted to run the largest Korvest business, EzyStrut, a proud Australian manufacturer of cable and pipe supports, and eventually became Managing Director in 2018.
A source of inspiration and learning
Running a business that competes heavily against cheap imports has required Korvest to embrace a number of strategies to remain competitive. Chris says his ILF-supported, two-week Harvard Business School course, Strategy: Building & Sustaining Competitive Advantage, has been a valuable source of inspiration and learning.
“Pivoting the business to focus on key industry segments that play to Korvest’s strengths, a focus on continual product cost design, cost reduction and automation have allowed the business to flourish in recent years,” Chris says.
Chasing dreams
His love for steel and manufacturing is matched by his love of running. As a way of staying fit, healthy and mentally sharp, Chris runs most days and covers over 3,000km per year. He is quick to acknowledge the great support provided to him by his wife and two children that allow him to chase his passions.
Chris is currently a Director of the Galvanising Association of Australia and has previously been a Chairman and Director of Harness Racing SA.
