What has already changed within the company since the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz strategy, consisting of six pillars?
A significant step was the decision to go from electric first to electric only. As the inventor of the automobile, saying good-bye to an over 130-year-old legacy and dedicating ourselves to a completely new powertrain technology is an extremely bold step that will have structural repercussions throughout the company. Just think about our engine plants and their employees. That is going to mean a huge transformation. At our Digital Factory Campus in Berlin, for example, we have launched an online, external study program of qualification as a junior software developer for employees. The goal is that the participants work as junior software developers in the Digital Factory Berlin afterwards – regardless of their original job in the production field.
You started working at Mercedes-Benz in the product strategy department in 2009. Since then, you have held positions in different corporate units, from Finance to Mercedes-Benz Vans to Corporate Strategy Development. What makes working at Mercedes special for you?
One thing I enjoy tremendously is the high degree of willingness I see in my co-workers to tackle a problem together and find a good solution to it. Their creative drive is just as great as their willingness to venture into new areas and actively shape changes. It takes a lot of stamina in challenging times. Even though the strategic environment has been changing over the past few years, it was always perfectly clear what direction we wanted to go in as a company, what we wanted to offer our customers and what we contribute to society. I feel that it is highly meaningful. In addition, as a major company, Mercedes-Benz is always offering people who wish to change many opportunities to start new paths of development.
What aspects are essential for an effective culture of collaboration?
To work together effectively, it takes two elements: trust and motivation. In other words, I need to trust that the person I am working with has the ability and the desire to move things forward. That is important in order to avoid having too many control mechanisms, to be able to respond flexibly, to be efficient and to have fun working. You also need to enjoy working together on a topic. If you know why you are doing something and that it a good cause, then you can draw a lot of motivation from it.
Finally, let us take a look into the future. Will the corporate strategy enable Mercedes-Benz to become the most sustainable luxury car brand in the world?
That is certainly our aspiration! We want to be a sustainable luxury brand. More than any other, a company like Mercedes-Benz, which stands for technology, innovation and luxury, must play a pioneering role in the area of sustainability. After all, future luxury will be sustainable, and our customers expect us to produce sustainable products. I am optimistic that we can achieve that goal – not only regarding CO2 emissions, but also when it comes to other aspects of sustainability.