AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE RISING STARS

What was your first automotive job and why were you interested in the industry?
In 2008 I joined Mercedes-Benz Group (formerly Daimler) as a senior project manager for the rollout of the point-of-sales program. I have always loved Mercedes-Benz cars.

Your greatest achievement?
The spinoff of Daimler Truck from the Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and vans business included the division of the former finance and mobility provider, Daimler Mobility, into two independent financial service providers. I served as the IT project lead at Mercedes-Benz Mobility for this complex separation that also included splitting computer applications and setting up supplier contracts in several markets for the two new DAX-listed companies, Daimler Truck and Mercedes-Benz. It was an honor to play a key role in the biggest industrial carve-out in history place in record time. In my private life, it was finishing fourth in Germany’s official barbecue championship in 2019.

What was your biggest failure and what did it teach you?
As a consultant I was responsible for a very complex business case that included many manual entries by a number of other consultants to an excel sheet. However, just before an important stakeholder meeting, we noticed that the data was no longer consistent because it had become so complex. I couldn’t trace the errors. I worked 48 hours straight to develop a case tool to help import existing data and check it for consistency. It allowed for additional statistics to be checked right away, preventing manual entries that were false. It was a massive challenge and I’m proud of the robust business case I built. I learned that if you don’t understand the complexity of a topic, step back. Then try to find measures that ensure you are moving in the right direction. This helps to provide consistency.

What is your current challenge at work?
I am responsible for the IT implementation of a major global transformation program within Mercedes-Benz Mobility. This includes  IT in the many markets that are involved.

What is the best advice you have ever received?
Always deliver on time and above expectations.

What advice would you give to a person considering a career in the auto industry?
Question everything and be open to rapidly leading change every day.

What job do you really want to have in the future?
I would love to be in a position where I can share my experience and help others take bigger steps forward and in less time. I want to help create awesome solutions to save our planet.

What do you do to relax?
I love to spend time with family and barbecue.

What is your dream location to live?
Where I live now: Hamburg.

What is your favorite driving song?
At the moment I’m really into the “Baywatch Berlin” podcast.

What was your favorite road trip and why?
When I was 20, I drove from Stuttgart to the coast in southern France with two friends. We were in a small Fiat 500. It felt like we had achieved total freedom and could do whatever we wanted to do.

What was your first car?
A 1983 Volkswagen Polo.

Current car?
A Mercedes GLE but in November I will switch to the Mercedes EQS.

If you were a car, which one would you be?
The forthcoming full-electric version of the Mercedes G-Class, the EQG, because it has proven its capabilities in the past and has continually been developed to cope with the challenges of the future.