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About Walt
30 years of experience in leadership, management, and finance

My journey has taken me through various roles, touching on retail operations, supply chain and trading, marketing, innovation, business development, M&A, strategy, R&D, and finance.

Currently, I teach finance, entrepreneurship and marketing at Notre Dame.

Earlier, I led Amoco-branded fuel, convenience and fast food business units in the U.S, BP-branded businesses in 13 countries across Europe, and Aral AG as CEO and Chairman, the market leader in Germany.

Books Recommendation about leadership.
Thomas Smith SHADES OF LEADERSHIP

My strengths

I’m passionate about helping start-ups find their footing, develop a clear strategy, and scale their operations in a sustainable manner.

A strong ethical foundation is crucial for long-term success and that every choice should be a reflection of integrity and responsibility.

Leadership is about setting a vision, empowering others, and steering them through the challenges of today’s fast-paced world.

I’m interested in how brands communicate their story, build trust, and create loyalty in a world where authenticity and engagement are key.

I enjoy working out the intricacies of deal-making, from valuation to integration, and the significant impact these decisions have on organizations.

Optimizing these areas to unlock cash flow, reduce costs, and improve overall operational efficiency enables businesses to thrive even in uncertain times.

What his students identify to be the greatest strengths of his teaching:

"Prof Clements deeply cares about his students, their learning, and their well-being. He is intentional, knowledgeable,and kind. I have greatly enjoyed his class and his nature. I am excited for future courses with Prof Clements."
“Walter is a very charismatic professor that truly cares about each student's educational experience. He wants to hear our thoughts on the subject mater and to offer our insights to the class if we have experience in the realm of VC.”
“Professor Clements is very engaging, I love how he brings in the real world into the classroom. I love his cases, they were very applicable. He is very encouraging and helpful!
“He is open to students asking questions, elaborating on explanations, and providing resources for class assignments and general life /work as well. His experience is also highly related and he had real-life experience explaining different topics.”
“Walter is a wonderful professor who I enjoy learning from. He is passionate about classroom topics, always brings in professionals in the industry to provide their insights on topics we are learning in class.”
“Walt is hands down my favorite finance professor. I always learn the most from his classes and teaching, and even more importantly is that what I learn sticks with me, and is not forgotten once the mod has ended.Very well structured course, and incredible guest speakers to bridge the gap from what we learn in class to how it's used everyday in the finance world. “
“Walt does a great job of bringing in outside expertise into the classroom. He creates an incredibly welcoming and inclusive environment.”
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Career highlights

  • Over 15 years in various executive roles with BP plc and Amoco Corporation.
  • Led a $40 billion business as Chairman and CEO of Aral AG.
  • Managed BP retail businesses across 13 European countries.
  • Served as an Independent Director at BP Midstream Partners (NYSE: BPMP) from 2017 to 2022.
  • Served as Board Treasurer and Chairman for International College Prep schools in Madrid, Spain and Dusseldorf, Germany.
  • Held Managing Director positions in multiple countries, including Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and Spain.
  • Associate Dean, Executive Education at the University of Notre Dame from 2019 to 2021.
  • President of the BP Amoco Marketers Association in 2013.
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
  • MBA from Booth, University of Chicago.

Summer Reads

I was reminded of “Home Going” with my recent visit to Lagos, Nigeria (see my August 29, 2024 Blog for more about my visit). 

Home Going, written by Yaa Gyasi, is an incredible read.  

What strikes me most are the devastating impact of slavery over time everywhere in the world, including the U.S. and Africa, the story is told in a historical setting over a very long period of time, and woven throughout the book are the importance of family and everlasting hope.  Also, the book is written in a very unique and interesting style, like none I have ever read.  I highly recommend the book.

An aside of how I stumbled upon “Home Going”:  My daughter Allison Clements gave me the book as a present.  She is a prolific reader and knows so many great, unique books that she thinks I will like.  She gives them to me every Christmas, Father’s Day and my Birthday. 

I am very proud of Allison.  She is tremendously talented and gives of herself in Charter College Prep Education, starting with Teach For America after college.  She is now Dean of Students at Mansueto College Prep, which is a member of the Noble Charter Network of schools in Chicago. 

I not only follow Allison’s book recommendations, I actually followed Allison into education, after working in business for many years.  Allison actually started teaching two years before I did.  She has been incredibly helpful with advice as I began my teaching career. 

Never too old to learn, right?