We are sitting in the Oval Office (one wall of the room is oval, hence the name in reference to the office in the White House). Sophia has just finished a marathon meeting. She seems curious as to what awaits her now.

It’s great that you were able to take the time, Sophia. Not so easy with all the topics you moderate, is it?

Konrad nominated me, and of course I’m happy to accept. Interviews are not necessarily part of my comfort zone, but I’m excited about what awaits me now and I’m happy to take the time.

You are Head of Product Development and have 10 people reporting to you. That comes with responsibility and a certain amount of pressure. Do you feel the same way?

That depends a little on the timing of the question. When you start in a new position, as I did just over a year ago, everything is challenging at first, from moderating meetings and structuring to the many content-related topics. Over time, some of the pressure falls away because you’re familiar with the processes. Of course, the technical challenges remain. However, there are also many exciting topics where it is fun to optimize or search for and solve errors. After all, I wouldn’t work in this area if I didn’t have a certain fascination for it.

You also develop trust in the professional skills of your colleagues. We have very good specialists in our team, which over time has allowed me to gain a sense of serenity that even when seemingly unsolvable challenges arise, they can be solved with the right people.

Despite the many positive aspects, we are a rapidly developing company in a very dynamic market. The associated stress cannot be swept under the carpet and always requires us to find a balance between what we can achieve and the many other things that could and should be achieved.

What tasks does product development deal with, what is the core of your work?

This is divided into two areas. On the one hand, there is battery integration itself, where we integrate new battery types into our flexible container solutions, and on the other hand, there is support for commissioning, because not every system runs smoothly right from the start. This is where we analyze and solve errors and collect information for optimization.

One challenge in battery integration is that the battery container is standardized externally as our product. All containers have the same geometry and the same basic structure. Inside, however, many different battery types are installed. We are therefore faced with the task of integrating each new battery type into our systems electrically, mechanically and in terms of software, while maintaining the same external interfaces.

Mechanically, we have a flexible rack that can be adapted to the geometry of the modules. Electrically, we have a customizable switchgear that is equipped with both the microelectronics of the battery management system and the switching unit for connecting and disconnecting the battery strings to the inverters. For communication, we have a “translator” that adapts the information from the battery so that the higher-level software can work with consistent interfaces.

You studied regenerative energy systems at TU Dresden and are now Head of Department. How did this come about?

I had previously worked in technical sales at a battery storage company and then helped to set up project development at TRICERA. Even though project development is a very exciting and complex area, I personally felt that the focus on detailed technical topics was not sufficient. I therefore wanted to get closer to our products, but at the same time continue to work structurally and organizationally in the company. The combination of the two then resulted in me becoming Head of Product Development. As described above, this was a challenge at the beginning, as the specialist teams for electrical engineering, mechanics and embedded systems (interface between hardware and software) are combined here. Then there are the organizational issues. But you grow with your tasks and the learning never stops.

Does your professional background have any advantages for your current work?

Through technical sales and project development, I am already familiar with the customer’s perspective and regulatory requirements. This allows me to add commercial project topics to the primarily technically focused view of the specialists in product development. For me personally, it also gives me the security of knowing the approval planning and tender phases and thus being able to think about the potential challenges that can arise for our products. In the meantime, I’m no longer 100% in the subject matter, but we have a close exchange with our Sales and Project Development departments.

Are there any personal qualities that help you?

I find it really difficult to answer this question, but I’ll give it a try: due to the setting mentioned above, I usually take on a moderating role between the specialist areas. My aim is to approach challenges calmly and not to make decisions based on gut instinct, but rather after obtaining the necessary information. I hope that I will be able to transfer this calmness to my colleagues in the teams and make sustainable decisions. In general, you will rarely see me upset even in hectic situations.

What do you do to balance your day-to-day work?

The answer is usually sport and social contact. I go bouldering, swimming, occasionally to the gym, hiking and do yoga. I like to do everything together with friends. I also enjoy cooking and eating together. The plant-based diet is always full of new ideas that are worth trying out.

Finally: Who are you nominating for the next interview and why?

I’m looking forward to reading more from Willy. Willy is in charge of project development and therefore has a deep insight into how storage facilities are promoted politically, but also face challenges. I therefore find his opinion and perspective very exciting!