It is one of Raphael’s daily tasks to plan projects, arrange schedules, develop measures and to accompany the course of the projects subsequently. In our interview, he reveals what challenges he meets, why he appreciates the intercultural exchange with his colleagues that much and what his favourite travel destination is.

“My working life is very dynamic and no two days are alike thanks to the variety of tasks. I’m getting to know new business fields and lots of them are based abroad. Therefore, I’m in touch with colleagues from Thailand and Slovakia quite often which makes my work much more interesting thanks to the interculturality. I think the exchange between cultures in general is super exciting since you get to know other people’s mindsets. Being in contact with my colleagues from Slovakia lets me know a lot about their traditions and customs and that’s one of the reasons why my job is that interesting to me. Of course, I’m not only in touch with colleagues from MinebeaMitsumi but also with customers, as I’m operating as an interface. That’s why being part of the project management also means being in constant exchange with customers. This reminds me of the ‘GEN3’ project which has been and still is the most interesting and most challenging project I have ever worked on. It’s about the third generation of our actuators. These actuators are drive systems controlling the automatic air flap systems in the front section of cars. Air flap systems control the heat management of vehicles. During cold start phases, the air flaps remain closed which leads to a reduction of emissions. There’s also a reduction of air resistance which makes the vehicles need less fuel. Actuators are mainly being used for grill shutters. My task as a Project Manager at this point is to coordinate all the steps needed. For instance, I’m responsible for seeing that the set schedule has been kept, that we’re staying in close contact to the customers and that the project in general proceeds smoothly. In order to do so, I team up with the departments dealing with the automotive sector. Our first Start of Production will soon take place at MinebeaMitsumi in Košice in Slovakia. I like the challenges my job offers, so being a project manager to me means having a multifaceted working life with many perspectives.

After work, I like seeing my colleagues in the evening or doing sports. What’s more, I love listening to music and particularly to make some myself. Another passion of mine is travelling since I love exploring foreign countries and getting to know other cultures, customs and mindsets. I especially liked Bali: Indonesia in general is incredibly beautiful and its nature impressed me deeply. The flora and fauna differs in most aspects from ours and I for sure want to go back one day.”