I have spent the majority of my career working for electronic component manufacturers, but my last seven years at Smiths Interconnect have felt different.
At Smiths Interconnect, I am constantly encouraged to keep learning and developing myself, which has helped me progress my career in the direction I would like to move. I started my current role as VP Sales EMEA in August 2020. It is my seventh role at Smiths Interconnect in seven years.
In this role, my daily tasks include leading the EMEA sales team, managing key customer relationships, managing sales channels and customer communications and growing the business in the EMEA region.
I wasn’t always certain that sales would be the career path I would take. What I was certain of, however, was my interest in electronic components.
As a young boy, I loved to work with cables and connectors. I spent time DJing and making music as a hobby which was when my interest in electronics truly sparked. I’m certain that my affinity with music led me to a career in the interconnect market.
My first professional job was working as a mechanic, building moulding and stamping tools.
But after spending a few years in this role, I decided that I wanted to extend my education and my understanding of the theoretical side of Mechanical Engineering. Having already completed a three-year apprenticeship working as a mechanic, I now studied for a further two years to earn a qualification as a “Certified Mechanical Engineer”.
Once I had completed my studies, I started my new job as a Development Engineer in cable harnessing. Relatively quickly my manager noticed that I had a talent for working with people. Consequently, I received the opportunity to lead a small team manufacturing special cable assemblies. During this valuable period of my career I was in also in contact with Sales Engineers from our suppliers and our customers.
I then received a job offer from a leading interconnect company for a Field Sales Engineer role. I decided to jump on this opportunity to shift my career path slightly in what I knew would be a positive direction. I spent 20 years with this company, and over my time there I had the chance to shift my career path again, becoming a Key Account Manager before holding several management roles in Sales and Marketing. Being flexible, I also had the chance to get experience in Sourcing and Operations.
In April 2013, looking for further challenges, I started my career at Smiths Interconnect as ‘Sales Director Germany’ at our site in Deggendorf, covering sales in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Eastern Europe.
I found that career opportunities came along quickly and frequently for me at Smiths Interconnect.
I soon took over several additional regions beyond my original scope, and later took on Key Accounts and Markets as a responsibility in my role as ‘Global Key Account and Market Development Director’.
My advice to others is take the chance to develop your career whenever an opportunity arises and never give up.
