Siemens CEO Roland Busch Replies to Emails With Just Two Letters

Siemens CEO Roland Busch has built a reputation for extreme brevity in his inbox, often replying to lengthy emails with nothing more than two words: “OK” or “No.”

Busch, who has led the German engineering giant since 2021, reportedly receives around 200 emails a day and works hard to keep his unread count under 100. He recently told Business Insider that going above that number makes it hard to track what actually needs attention, so he prioritizes fast, minimal replies over detailed responses. When something does require a longer explanation, he dictates it while walking around the office rather than typing it out.

A Culture of Efficiency, Not Just a Personal Habit

This clipped communication style isn’t limited to Busch himself — he has trained his entire team to write and respond the same way, favoring short, direct messages over lengthy back-and-forth threads.

Busch’s approach to time management follows a similar philosophy. Rather than holding recurring one-on-one meetings with his direct reports, he operates an open-door policy, telling employees to come to him whenever they need to, whether that’s several times a week or just once a month.

From Physics Lab to the C-Suite

Busch’s path to the top wasn’t through business school. He holds a Ph.D. in physics and began his Siemens career researching renewable energy technologies like solar and offshore wind. He has said that his scientific background shaped his decision-making style, teaching him to break complex problems down and focus on core variables first.

Since Busch took over as CEO, Siemens’ share price has more than doubled, making it Germany’s most valuable company and one of Europe’s largest by market capitalization.