If there is a male domain, then it is the automotive industry. Especially where it’s not about leasing rates, but about track days, luxury brands and engines beyond 600 hp. This is exactly where Ilka Geller, 25, has made a place for herself – as marketing manager and brand lead for Bentley sports cars in Cologne. Between status symbols, adrenaline and familiar dynamics.
Between workshop and business plan
“Even as a child, I spent more time in the workshop than on the playground,” says Ilka. Her father worked in the supply industry, friends raced at the Nürburgring – her passion for cars was there early on. But she didn’t want a wrench in her hand. “I wanted to do something with cars – but with strategy, not oil.” The solution: a degree in automotive management, a kind of business class for car nerds with an affinity for Excel. Not a mechanic. Not a salesperson. But a bridge between management and machines.
From theory to the test track: the first time in a McLaren
After graduating, she ended up at the Moll Group in Cologne, a large car dealership that looks after brands such as VW, Audi – and Bentley. Initially as a marketing assistant for high-volume brands. But Ilka wants more. Emotion, adrenaline, asphalt. She applies – and gets the job. In her early 20s, she became brand manager for Bentley. She now also drives the vehicles herself. McLaren, Lamborghini, Aston Martin. Not for prestige, but because she knows what she’s talking about. “I asked my boss for a test drive, not a self-promotion.” That was well received.
The first time in a car for over 300,000 euros with 500 hp? Sounds like a thrill. And it was.
“I was trembling – but I didn’t hesitate. While the boys pressed the accelerator, I asked if I could ride along. Then I asked if I could learn. And then I drove off.”
There's a woman in the car in front of me!
Even though Ilka holds her own in the world of 500 hp machines, she is often confronted with stereotypes in everyday life: “The branded clothing is usually only cut for men – if I’m lucky, a T-shirt will fit.” In contrast, she has long been accepted in the team. “At first, some people didn’t want to be told what to do. Today, many think it’s cool that I’m there.” Customers? The reaction is mixed: some applaud her. Others think she’s the coffee fairy. Instead of confrontation, Ilka responds with precision. “I calmly explain the concept of the event – and the car.” Her expertise is impressive. Also because she has never had to prove herself with loudness. But with substance.
Yet she works in an industry that is currently having to reinvent itself. Emotions are no longer created by the sound of an engine, but by staging, brand loyalty and community. “Ferrari without pipes is like espresso without caffeine,” she says. “But if you understand emotions, you can tell them in a new way.”
Future plans: Family? Career? Both.
Ilka is just as enthusiastic about motorsport in her private life as she is professionally. She regularly camps out at the Nürburgring, watches races, lives and breathes the sport. “Friends rarely come along. But that’s okay. I don’t want to fit in – I want to be there.”
In the long term, she knows that she won’t stay in the event sector forever. “When there are children, it will be difficult to reconcile. That’s why I’m doing it now.” Then the one who earns more in the relationship simply works more – without any role drama. “It’s not about how it used to be. It’s about how it suits us.”
Facts & Figures:
📊 Only 16% of leadership positions in the automotive industry are held by women.
(Source: VDA, 2024)
🏁 Just 11% of active participants in motorsport events are women.
(Source: FIA, 2023)
🚘 The average German luxury car customer is male, over 50, and self-employed.
Just get going, from 0 to 100!
Ilka has an unmistakable message for young women who want to enter the industry: “Stop doubting. If you’re passionate about something, just go for it. Not every stupid comment is sexism. Sometimes it’s just something that’s said. And the best way to counter that is with know-how and attitude.”
She herself has learned not to take everything personally – but to take everything seriously. “You don’t need a thick skin, you need bite and enthusiasm.” Because if you want to shine in a male domain, you don’t have to toughen up – you have to be clearer. In the end, it’s not whether you fit in, but whether you get going.
