Dr. Wolfgang Freese
Functional Safety Expert · Physicist · Tool builder
Functional Safety Expert with over 20 years of leadership experience, including more than 10 years in global responsibility (Europe, India, China, NA). 15+ years of FuSa practice with a clear focus on economically effective organisational, process, and method structures. Applied FuSa is the vehicle through which that practice becomes available as tools and consulting.
Career
- 2022 – 2026
Director Functional Safety
Global functional responsibility for FuSa processes, methods, and tools. Definition and continuous optimisation of globally consistent FS standards. Establishment and steering of global audit and assessment structures. Direct support for project teams and customers on safety concepts and reviews. Efficient Safety Plan and Safety Case templates. Integration of FS processes into system, software, and hardware development.
- 2021 – 2022
Chief Safety Engineer
Global optimisation of FS processes and methods. Worldwide training and coaching of individuals and project teams. Harmonisation of FS activities across sites and projects.
- 2017 – 2021
Global Manager Functional Safety
Built and led a global corporate FuSa organisation. Introduced a regional structure of Functional Safety Managers. Established a global FS Audit & Assessment Team. Founded and led the Global Safety Analysis Team (GSAT). Scaled expert teams in Bangalore (India) and Shanghai (China).
Earlier stations before 2017 in senior engineering and FuSa roles; details on request.
Focus areas & track record
Tool development & qualification
MCSA is based on my methodology for structured fault-tree analysis (technical book, 2015). Initiator and primary driver of a database-based in-house tool for Tool Evaluation & Qualification per ISO 26262-8.
Process implementation, optimisation & integration
Global rollout of ISO 26262 and ISO 21448 into the QM handbook. Integration of FS processes into system, software, and hardware development. Harmonisation across sites and projects.
Building & leading global teams
Built and led: global FS organisation with a regional structure, Global Safety Analysis Team (GSAT), expert teams in Bangalore and Shanghai. 10+ years of global responsibility (DE · IN · CN · NA).
Coaching & mentoring
Worldwide training and coaching of individual FS experts and entire project teams over more than a decade. In addition, as initiator and host of the "Applied FuSa" podcast, knowledge transfer to an international audience.
Audit, assessment & governance
Built global FS audit and assessment structures with documented seven-figure annual cost/risk savings. Introduced KPI-based team efficiency measurement as a basis for data-driven management.
Publication
Erstellung von Fehlerbäumen
Eine strukturierte und systematische Methode
ISBN 978-3-446-44516-1 · eISBN 978-3-446-44578-9
View at publisher →Standards & methods
- ISO 26262 Automotive functional safety
- ISO 21448 SOTIF — Safety of the Intended Functionality
- IEC 61508 Generic functional safety
- IATF 16949 Automotive quality management
- Automotive SPICE Process quality in development
Education
- Ph.D. Experimental Plasma & Atomic Physics Ruhr University Bochum
- Diploma in Physics Experimental Plasma & Atomic Physics Ruhr University Bochum
Get in touch
Safety concept review, tool qualification, ASPICE preparation, or a technical second opinion — write directly.
info@appliedfusa.de