Today, I have the pleasure to have a chat with Christian, a fan of powerful engines and the city of Tokyo, responsible for Asset Agent at IDENTEC SOLUTIONS.
Mark: Hi Christian, thank you for your time today! And thank you for answering all my boring questions! :D
Christian: Hi Mark, thanks for giving me the opportunity!
Mark: Welcome! As an intro, I ask my guests first to tell our readers where they live and to describe their place.
Christian: I live in Øvrebø, a small village 25km north of Kristiansand. It’s a small community, close to nature. I like it also because it is a safe environment for my son to grow up in. Describing my place? Well, when I look out of my kitchen window, the first thing I see is my barbeque place!
Mark: Is this your favourite place?
Christian: In my yard, yes. But when we go outside, I love to take my son to Aquarama, a waterpark in Kristiansand. Or, to be frank, he takes me there! (laughs)
Mark: What about your career and some interesting aspects?
Christian: Well, after finishing college, I worked as a Line manager for V.O.S.S., the water company. I was responsible for the print on the bottle. Madonna was a huge fan. She always demanded to have this water available in the hotels she stayed at. A lot of celebrities did, actually.
Mark: What happened after you left Madonna?
Christian: I became a team leader and coach at a tech company. Interesting, but less prominent. After that, I worked as an ATM/cash machine engineer.
Mark: Any tips there for us?
Christian: Don’t even try to break in! Because we built in a paint system, you won’t get the money out without destroying it. (laughs)
Mark: Hmmm. So after successfully locking bank money away, did you start with IDENTEC SOLUTIONS?
Christian: Yes, in 2012, as a project engineer. I learned a lot. Finally, I took over the role of Product Manager for our Smart Factory vertical with the Asset Agent solution. Managing a product is challenging; there are so many aspects to it. Which makes it interesting, of course. On a high level, you have to connect the dots, steer the market in the right way and develop the product accordingly, in synchrony with your internal resources.
Mark: What do you like the most about your job?
Christian: I would say the various responsibilities and tasks. Working for a company with a big global footprint. Working with highly experienced and skillful teams.
Mark: Do you have a guiding principle at work?
Christian: Always let the market steer the direction of the Solution, and with a dedicated team sky is the limit.
Mark: You just mentioned working for a company with a global footprint is fun. At Identec Solutions, we have 5 core company values – Visionary, Open, Responsible, Leading and Global. Which one is for you the most significant, and how do you live it?
Christian: Probably “Leading”. We want to be leading in the market with our Solution and to achieve this, we must start with ourselves. I try to be a good role model, both in work and in private life.
Mark: What does it mean to you to be a role model? Can you give us some other examples of this?
Christian: By being a role model, I mean that my personal success is completely dependent on the success of the people around me. This means that I hope to be a person that can inspire others to do good. One example would be that I always genuinely ask people how they are doing and learn about the person. My favourite quote and which I try to live after, is: ‘ Every time you speak, you repeat what you already know, every time you listen, you might end up learning something you didn’t know.
Mark: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Christian: Solving problems for our customers which no one else can in the way we do it. And to enjoy a Bratwurst and Weissbier when travelling in Germany with my colleague Mathias. (laughs)
Mark: What is your secret superpower as a Product Manager?
Christian: My passion. I have and have always had a passion for the technology and industry we are working in. If you have a passion for something and are devoted to it, everything comes easier to you.
Mark: As a final question - what do you do in your free time? Any hobbies or passions?
Christian: First and foremost, being a dedicated father to my son. I’ve always liked motorsports, so I drive motorcycles, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, more or less everything with an engine. I also fix and restore engines in my free time. In addition, I like to spend most of my time outdoors, and one of my biggest passions is travelling the world experiencing new places.
Mark: Any favourite place you have been to?
Christian: My top three would be Tokyo, Santorini and Hong Kong
Mark: I would agree! Many thanks, Christian again for your time!
Christian: You’re welcome!