[1] From 1993 to 2001, Grillo held various positions at the defense company Rheinmetall AG, starting as head of controlling for the corporate management holding.

Concurrently, from November 1999 to April 2001, he was chairman and managing director of STN Atlas Elektronik GmbH, Bremen, a subsidiary of Rheinmetall DeTec AG.

[3] Grillo's family branch holds approximately 10% of Grillo-Werke AG, a share he purchased upon joining the company by taking on debt.

He successfully engaged 12 DAX-listed companies, including BASF, ThyssenKrupp, VW, and BMW, raising awareness of resource issues across industry and politics.

[5] From November 2006 to the end of 2012, Grillo was president of the Wirtschaftsvereinigung Metalle, representing Germany's non-ferrous metal industry.

In November 2012, Grillo was elected to succeed Hans-Peter Keitel as president of the BDI, assuming the position on January 1, 2013.