Robert Schrödel advises clinics and has helped thousands of hospitals relieve pressure on their budgets. Like other businesses, hospitals are under growing pressure to reduce costs while maintaining quality. Robert Schrödel's profession is helping hospitals by finding new solutions for their work processes. For example with operating instruments. He developed a model that allows the expensive tools to be used more effectively. That was one of the ideas that led to his election as Entrepreneur of the Year for 2007. His company, Vanguard, began with a staff of 16. Now Schrödel employs 1,300. A portrait by Manuel Özcerkes .