"What motivates me is the high degree of personal freedom I have in carrying out my duties."

How did your professional career lead you to your current position in Technical Management?
After completing my studies in mining engineering, I initially worked at my university for several years. In 2009, I joined THYSSEN SCHACHTBAU and went through all stages of the company, starting as a project engineer and progressing to my current role as Technical Manager. The experience I gained along the way prepared me well for each new role and the increasing level of responsibility.

What do you consider good corporate management – and how do you implement this in your daily work?
For me, good corporate management means that everyone takes responsibility for their role while also making full use of their scope for action. This naturally includes trust in colleagues and employees, as well as the willingness to delegate tasks.

Which professional achievements or projects in your career are you particularly proud of?
I am particularly pleased that we successfully managed the transformation resulting from the end of German hard coal mining. Until 2018, for example, we were still working with several hundred employees at various sites of RAG Aktiengesellschaft, almost exclusively on “horizontal” projects—such as roadway development, logistics and infrastructure, and coalface extraction. Today, although we operate with significantly fewer employees and focus exclusively on shaft construction work at RAG, not a single employee was made redundant.

What personally motivates you in your daily work and in handling responsibility?
I am motivated by the high degree of personal freedom I have in carrying out my tasks. For me, responsibility and freedom always go hand in hand—you need both. Anyone expected to shape outcomes must also be given the tools to do so.

Which developments or topics are particularly important to you for the company’s future?
It is especially important to me to consistently continue the path of diversification. Even though shaft construction is part of our name, it is both important and right to build on the developments of recent years.