Sebastian, what does an ordinary working day for you as a division manager look like and what motivates you in your role here at IVU?
The international project area here at IVU currently includes three teams, and we work with them to launch our products and software solutions for our customers all over the world. We work very closely together, both among each other within the project teams and with our customers. And that’s exactly what motivates me each and every day: the people around me, whom I support and am happy to support and for whom I try to cultivate an atmosphere that they want to work in. I’m motivated by the opportunity to create added value both for and with our customers. I believe that public transport is extremely important for people and our towns and cities. And here at IVU, we do our bit simply to ensure that it functions more effectively.
What’s the most exciting project you’ve worked on so far at IVU?
My most exciting project was definitely our "Vietnam project". With our solutions, we were able to help the Vietnamese State Railways on their way to digital transformation, replacing paper and pencil.
Especially in projects like these, in a cultural environment that’s so far removed from Europe, we are constantly faced with exciting challenges that give everyone involved the opportunity to grow and learn from each other.
How would you describe IVU in a word, and what’s most important when it comes to project work?
I think the best word to describe IVU would be ‘collaborative’. Here, everyone pulls together and helps and supports each other. This is what makes IVU special and is absolutely fundamental to the great working atmosphere here. A healthy degree of openness is also important and necessary – especially when it comes to our international projects, which are extremely diverse and depend on clear communication.
When it comes to project work, it’s not about having ONE SPECIFIC course of studies that a person must follow. Of course, an affinity with numbers is every bit as important as a background in software development or a general understanding of software and hardware. But what it really comes down to, in my opinion, is having an instinct for good interpersonal relations.