Pauwels people

From Site Inspector to Project Manager – Danny Germanus

27 Feb 2020
In our series 'Pauwels people' we talk with our consultants about life as a consultant, working for Pauwels Consulting and our clients. Today, we talk to Danny Germanus, Project Manager at Omexom Hochspannung GmbH in Germany. Danny is a passionate engineer with a lot of experience at home and abroad!

Danny, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi, I’m Danny Germanus, Project Manager at Pauwels Consulting. After my education in electricity & mathematics, I worked as a site manager for an installer of electrical installations for six years. This installer was specialized in placing lighting for large lighting projects. Later on, I worked as a project site manager for the same installer. At the time, I mainly worked on the biggest lighting projects where we installed medium voltage cabins to provide SME’s with a power supply and a general low voltage board.

Have you always worked for the same company?

No, in between these functions, I worked for another company for about 5 years as a technical service manager, responsible for the technical department. I was in charge of the preventive maintenance of all machines to avoid any production halts. Just before I joined Pauwels Consulting, I also took on a job as project manager for an installation company.

When and where did you come into contact with Pauwels Consulting?

I have been working for Pauwels Consulting since January 2011. A recruitment consultant contacted me about a vacancy as site manager at TUC Rail for the railway project 25N, also known as the ‘Diabolo project’. They wanted to build a direct train connection between Mechelen and Brussels Airport.

When I started the project, I had no experience in the railway industry. So, I insisted on starting as a site supervisor, rather than as a site manager. This allowed me to gain experience with the way of working and the procedures within the railway industry. My experience as a project manager truly helped me a lot.

Can you tell us a bit more about the Diabolo project?

Diabolo projectFor me, the Diabolo project was my first experience with catenary for train traffic of the NMBS/SNCB. At the time, several important civil works were already completed, such as the tunnels that were situated below the airport, the bed on the central reservation of the E19 motorway between Mechelen and Brussels and the railway bridge of the central reservation towards the train station of Mechelen. This was an important connection in which the station below the airport wasn’t necessarily a stopover station anymore, but where traffic could pass continuously.

 

After 8 months you got promoted from site supervisor to site manager and construction manager. That is quite a progression!

Indeed, after 8 months as a site supervisor, I was appointed as a replacement site manager. Later on, due to unforeseen circumstances during the Diabolo project, the construction manager couldn’t carry out his function anymore. So, I took on his responsibilities as well. I must say, I learned a lot during this project! For example, as a site supervisor I not only had to supervise the yard, but I was also in charge of all the work carried out by our contractors.

I also learned some valuable lessons as a construction manager. When I had just started, the Diabolo project was in the homologation phase. Additional tests and measurements on the catenaries were needed to finish the railway connection and put it into operation. I also got the opportunity to work on this, which was fantastic!

What do you like about these kinds of projects?

The client mostly takes an organization approach. A project is started, executed and finished. Most assignments lead to new projects and this offers growth opportunities.

So, there is plenty of perspective for the future. Collaboration with colleagues is mostly very good, you can always ask anyone for information.

Where did you start working after the Diabolo project?

In May 2012, I started as a site manager on the project that provides the new connection between the left and right banks in the port of Antwerp. This connection is now known as the ‘Liefkenshoek railway link’. Normally, this assignment would’ve lasted until 2016.

However, my employer was very urgently looking for an overhead line construction manager for the new line 50E, Brussels – Ghent. So, I took on the challenge of working as a High Voltage consultant on the GEN project between Anderlecht & Ternat. After this, a new world opened its doors for me, not high voltage as I had always known it, but the ‘real deal’: high voltage lines of 70, 150 and 380 kV.

I applied for a job at Omexom Belgium and was soon able to start as a site manager. As a result of my good language skills, I was seconded by Omexom Belgium to Omexom Hochspannung GmbH, Germany. They were assigned an important project in Belgium and I was given the opportunity to work as a site manager on the construction of a new compact 380 kV line. This was primarily for mast construction with French & Italian speaking colleagues. Later on, for the installation of conductors, I collaborated with German colleagues.

What convinced you to take the plunge into Germany?

DanAfter another follow-up project and interim experience with German teams in support of the execution of a project for Omexom France, I got a taste of projects abroad. After completing a renovation project in Belgium, it was clear that I did not shy away from foreign projects.

Because secondment via Omexom Belgium to Germany proved itself quite difficult at the time, I chose to contact Jan Fyens, Business Unit Director Engineering at Pauwels Consulting. We had kept in touch all those years, so I checked if it could be a possibility via Pauwels Consulting. With the help of Jan & Bernd, Talent Manager, I could soon start my German adventure!

Are you -to date- satisfied with your German experience?

Definitely, I’ve been a Project Manager for a little over a year now and although it’s not always easy as an outsider to integrate yourself into the world of the ‘Lignards’ (high voltage cable works), I have a very positive feeling. I am looking forward to the period to come!

If you could sum up your Pauwels Consulting career in 3 words, which would it be?

I could summarize my total career at Pauwels Consulting with the words team spirit, dynamic and competence. At the moment, I can express my  current feeling as ‘back home’.

Do you have any tips for future colleagues?

At every step in my career, I could count on a good collaboration with colleagues. Mutual respect and open, clear & transparent communication are important assets or skills. Not everyone is equally accessible to new colleagues.

I find it important that as a starting consultant, you show sufficient respect for the team you work for. This way, you can obtain a clear exchange of information. It works smoother, more constructive and above all, more pleasant!

What ambitions do you hold for the future?

Initially, I still wanted to do something within the offshore industry, for example working on a drilling platform or with wind energy but I think I’ll stay put for the time being. I have familiarized myself very well with this Lignard world and I quite like it ?!

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Pauwels Blog

Working as an Automotive Project Manager: Nico Bracke

03 Feb 2020
This edition of our series “Consultants tell their stories” features Nico Bracke, Senior Automotive Project Manager at Pauwels Consulting. Nico is passionate about cars and he has more than 20 years' experience in the automotive industry. Nico combines his passion with his work. An inspiring story about an enthusiastic colleague!

Nico, can you tell us more about yourself?

After my education in industrial electromechanical engineering, I started working in a technical-commercial position. This was a conscious choice, because I wanted to combine my technical training with a strong social component. After all, I love working with people. It really appeals to me. I really love helping clients. I prefer helping my clients personally but I don’t mind referring my clients to someone else who can help them if I can’t. To me, the customer always comes first.

How did you get involved in the automotive industry?

I made the shift to the automotive industry early on in my career. I started with one of the suppliers of a major car manufacturer and ended up working for the car manufacturer itself. I’ve always had a passion for cars, so that was a bonus. Gradually I specialized in site management; it was my job to prepare the factory for the arrival of new cars. This always happened at quieter times: at night, during weekends and holidays.

“I’ve been fortunate to work in performance-oriented rather than time-oriented work environments.”

That seems like an intensive job!

Indeed it was. Between 2003 and 2008 I worked an average of 35 weekends per year, as well as all regular holidays. But this was counterbalanced with flexible working hours. I’ve been fortunate to be able to work in performance-oriented, rather than time-oriented work environments. This way I could balance my professional life and my private life. On average I accumulated ten weeks overtime each year. Obviously I could not claim all of this overtime. That’s why I could often stay at home a few days during the week. In practice, however, I often had to give a presentation on Monday, start planning for the next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, and have meetings to plan the weekend’s work on Thursday and Friday.

“My work feels like a hobby to me.”

Did the workload ever get you down?

No. My work feels like a hobby to me. I’ve always been obsessed with cars. Before my marriage and the birth of our children I bought and restored six vintage cars with a friend – mostly American Chevrolet Impalas from ’77: cars with big engines. We were working on our cars whenever we could. We made them fancier and better and we used them for ceremonies such as weddings. Now we are selling our cars one by one because we don’t have time to look after them any more.

What else do you do in your free time?

Besides my passion for vintage cars, I have a passion for fast cars. I spend as much time as possible on the race track. I love karting and I love to race on race tracks such as the Circuit Zolder. I love to race with friends. It’s a great way to relax after a long day, or a period of hard work. I also volunteer for ANVASPORT, an association dedicated to enabling sports for people with physical disabilities. What you get back from such volunteering work is priceless.

How did you get in touch with Pauwels Consulting?

Pauwels Consulting contacted me in 2013 regarding an opening at a truck manufacturer. At first I could not accept this offer; I was still working for my previous employer on a project in the final stages before delivery. But at one point the situation became urgent: someone had to jump in immediately. So I jumped.

Would you ever work in a different sector than the automotive industry?

Yes, I’m sure I would. For the last 5 or 6 years I have been concentrating not only on executive aspects. I now also handle projects at a higher level: I set up master plans, I draw up project plans with milestones and I source, contact and follow up the line builders. This experience is also useful in sectors outside the automotive industry. In any other project, actually. But I don’t see myself working in just any other sector. The food sector, for example, doesn’t appeal to me. Not that that would prevent me from taking up a temporary project in the food sector. Sometimes it is good to explore other environments. This creates additional challenges. But a long-term project in a sector that doesn’t really appeal to me? No, rather not.

“I really love the variety. Every day, there are unforeseen issues.”
What do you like about your job?

I really love the variety of my job. Every day, I have to handle unforeseen issues. There can always be a breakdown with a major impact. At such times, you have to think of solutions to fix the problem within a reasonable and realistic time slot to minimize the impact on the production. I also love working with people. As long as there is chaos and people, I am happy (laughs). I love fixing problems, but I also enjoy making sure that the machines run perfectly and that my colleagues function optimally. The impact of operators on productivity remains huge. This is an everyday challenge. One colleague may be a morning person, the other one may be an evening person. Disputes may arise at any time, and they can have a serious impact on the plant’s productivity. However, as interesting as I find it, I could not work exclusively with people. I could not work exclusively with technology either. I like making the combination work. That’s really my thing.

“Often, the key is in getting people to work together differently.”

What are your ambitions for the longer term?

In the future I would like to operate on a general management level. I would like to help a small business or a family business develop new strategies to run their daily business in the best possible way. I always try to reach higher efficiency levels with the same resources. Often, the key is in getting people to work together differently, rather than in cutting and pruning resources.

“If you can combine flexibility, rewards and a challenging work environment then you’re doing well.”

What is your golden advice to students and new engineers?

Three things come to mind spontaneously:

  1. Don’t focus on your salary and other financial benefits. It is important to ask yourself what you can learn at your new employer, and to see whether the company can be a good stepping stone to your next career opportunity.
  2. Look for a company that really fits you, where you can think outside the box and where you can be yourself. Anyone can adapt for a short term, but changing yourself is difficult. If you can’t be yourself it will surface at some point.
  3. Find flexibility that works in two directions. I personally prefer working in a performance-oriented environment rather than a time-oriented one, because it often entails additional flexibility in working hours. Despite what is claimed in the media, the traditional time-oriented culture is still alive and well in most of the business world.

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Pauwels people

Working as a QA Project Manager – Soeren Raahauge

04 Dec 2019
In our series ‘Pauwels People’, our colleagues introduce themselves and talk about how they experience working at Pauwels Consulting and with our clients. Today, we are going to get acquainted with Soeren Raahauge, QA Project Manager at a big pharmaceutical company.
Soeren, can you briefly introduce yourself?

Sure, my name is Soeren Raahauge and I am originally from Denmark. I have been living in Belgium since September 2015. Eventually, I decided to move here because my girlfriend lives in Belgium.

What do you do in your spare time?

I like spending time with my girlfriend and friends, working in the garden or going for a run in the countryside.

Lovely! What did you study?

I obtained a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Economics and Business Administration, and a Master’s Degree of Science in Supply Chain Management from Copenhagen Business School in Denmark.

Why did you choose these studies?

I have always been interested in management and in the optimization of business processes. Supply Chain Management appealed to me because – at the same time – it has both a high-level perspective as well as a detailed low-level focus.

On a high level, it teaches you how the different parts of the supply chain interact and need to work together to function in an optimal way. On a low level, you learn how to optimize sub-processes in different parts of the supply chain, for example how to optimize production processes via the use of LEAN management tools.

Can you tell us a bit about your professional background or working experience?

After finishing high school, I joined the army where I was appointed sergeant of an armed mortar section. This experience sparked my interest in people and process management. I knew I wanted to continue working in a field that enabled me to grow, improve and gain influence.

After my studies at the Copenhagen Business school, I was fortunate to get a Management Trainee position for 2 years in one of Europe’s biggest textile service companies. In this position, I was responsible for 4 different projects in different parts of the supply chain. That’s how I learned a lot about managing projects and delivering results in a relatively short time span.

After the Management Traineeship, I continued as a Distribution and Production Manager, and later as an internal consultant, optimizing the transportation setups for customer deliveries in Denmark.

The last 2,5 years before moving to Belgium, I had the opportunity to work as a Project Manager in an international pharma company based in Denmark. Here, I was responsible for the global distribution setups.

Thanks to this role, I gained a lot of experience in managing international tenders, conducting audits of existing and future business partners, and securing Good Distribution Practice in global supply chains.

How did you end up at Pauwels Consulting?

After moving to Belgium, I looked for consulting opportunities, and I was approached by one of the recruitment consultants of Pauwels who had seen my CV on the internet.

What was your first impression of Pauwels Consulting?

Very positive. The colleagues are very friendly and knowledgeable at Pauwels. I received offers from other consulting companies as well, but Pauwels was the most professional and efficient in dealing with clients. That’s why I chose to start here.

Did your first impression match the reality of everyday business at Pauwels Consulting?

Yes, I am very happy to work as a Pauwels Consulting consultant.

It’s a continuously growing and financially healthy company that looks after its employees.

Pauwels Consulting organizes great events as well. The yearly new year’s party, for example, always has a specific theme. People dress up and have a great time with good food and great music.

Can you tell us a bit more about your current project?

I’m currently working on a 2-year project for a large pharmaceutical company. The project is a follow-up or extension of a previous project that led to the construction of a new European distribution center in Belgium, the optimization of distribution setups, and the implementation of the same Enterprise Resource Planning system in all West European countries.

My project focuses on doing the same for the East European countries: implementing a new ERP system and optimizing the physical distribution setups in all East European countries.

What’s the goal of your current project?

The goal is to ensure that – eventually – all European countries will be using the same ERP system, and that the impacted countries will have optimized their supply chains accordingly in a compliant manner.

What are the eventual benefits of this project?

Implementing the same ERP-system in all European countries results in more transparency and allows for better control of the European supply chains. Before this project, the different countries involved used different IT-systems.

In the future, all countries will be using the same system. This will enable synergies: standardized processes for order handling, better production planning and better quality management via the improved visibility of the products’ state and location in the supply chain, for example.

Using the same IT-system is a great foundation for a more agile and fast-adapting organization. After all, new concepts can be implemented faster across borders using the same system as opposed to using different systems.

What are your responsibilities during this project?

I am the Workstream Lead for Quality, which means that I am responsible for ensuring good implementation of all quality-related activities in the project.

I also function as a link between the local quality people affected by the project and the project team, making sure that any local risks are met in the proper way from a project perspective, and that all quality-related project objectives are met through the involvement of the local teams.

What are the timelines of this project?

The project started in January 2016 and will end in 2018. At the moment, there’s not yet an official final deadline.

“You will receive the best input if the people who are providing it feel that you are genuinely interested in the subject and easily accessible.”
What does a typical workday look like for you?

In the morning, I drive to the office at the European Distribution Center. Because my project is international, I have a lot of conference calls to coordinate the next steps of the project waves with the different stakeholders. I think – on average – I have about 4 conference calls a day.

When I am not in a call, I mostly work on the different follow-up tasks agreed upon in the calls, and on tasks related to moving the projects forward in accordance with the different project plans.

Normally, I also travel 3 to 4 days a month to the different countries involved in the project to meet my contacts face to face and discuss the challenges and next steps for the project.

What do you like about this project?

It is an international project, including a lot of different functions and different countries, so I learn a lot from working with people who have different cultural backgrounds and responsibilities. I also get to travel to countries I otherwise wouldn’t get the chance to visit.

What important lessons have you learned in the past months, during this project?

I have learned that you should never underestimate the power of local health authorities. Even though most of the countries impacted by the project are members of the EU – complying to the same guidelines for Good Distribution Practice – these guidelines aren’t always interpreted in the same way in Eastern Europe and Western Europe.

This means that – if local authorities view the laws differently, or have stricter requirements – it can be difficult to implement the project as planned. So basically, you learn to be flexible and to find the solution that best fits the local context.

Could you give an example of a difference in interpretation between Eastern and Western Europe?

Communicating with the Health Authorities in Eastern Europe is more complicated than communicating with those in Western Europe. In my experience, the Health Authorities are more pragmatic in Western Europe. And if you can prove that your future activities are compliant with EU GDP guidelines, they are OK with your operations in their country.

In Eastern Europe, the health authorities are stricter in their interpretations of Good Distribution Practice. It is more difficult to talk freely and have a pragmatic discussion with them, and they prefer companies working under licenses granted by themselves, rather than working under EU licenses issued by Health Authorities from other EU countries.

What would you like to do after this project? What are your ambitions for the future?

I would like to continue working on projects that are related to either quality or the optimization of supply chain processes.

My main ambition for the future is to continue learning new things and getting better at the things I already know. I hope to be able to participate in projects in which I can grow as a person, both professionally and personally.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers? An inspiring wisdom, quote or citation perhaps?

When I think about other project managers I have worked with in the past, the ones getting the best long term results are the ones that have an objective, open and pragmatic mindset and a good sense of distinguishing root causes from side issues.

There’s one particular quote I like from former successful football manager of Manchester United Alex Ferguson, who often said to his players:

“Play the game, not the occasion.”

What he means is that players need to keep their focus on the agreed game plan. They shouldn’t be negatively influenced or too impressed by the circumstances surrounding the game they are about to play.

Ferguson’s quote reminds me of the importance of having a plan I can stick to, even if different stakeholders want to influence the outcome of the project in other directions.

If you are not mindful of this aspect of Project Management, and if you are not able to stick to your initial plan, you may end up with a solution that is only good for the minority of the stakeholders, not for the majority.

So – as I see it – the plan you create is key to getting success with projects. And the best advice I can give when creating a new plan for a project is to stay humble and open to the different inputs you receive. After all, the quality of your plan depends on the quality of the input you receive from the different stakeholders. This input forms the basis of your analysis and plan creation.

That’s why people skills are very important. You will receive the best input if the people who are providing it feel that you are genuinely interested in the subject and easily accessible. If you have a good relationship with the different stakeholders involved, they will also contact you again with follow-up information, and – in turn – they will be accessible should you ever need any help in the future.

When I receive the input I need to start my analysis, I try to process it as objectively as possible. This way, I know that my plan will not be biased and that I will be able to stick to it in the future, even if different stakeholders try to change my focus or the outcome of the project.

That’s great advice, Soeren! Thank you very much for this lovely interview. I wish you all the best for the future!

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Pauwels people

Working as a Serialization Project Manager – Thomas Santy

27 May 2019
In our series ‘Pauwels People’, our colleagues introduce themselves and talk about how they experience working at Pauwels Consulting and with our clients. Today, we have with us: Thomas Santy, Serialisation Project Manager.

Thomas, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Thomas: Of course! My name is Thomas Santy. I’m 30 and I live in a small town in Hainaut with my wife and our baby.

What do you do in your spare time?

Thomas: Well, I spend most of my spare time with my wife and daughter. At the moment, I’m also revamping our house, which is quite time-consuming.

What did you study?

Thomas: I have a Master in Business Engineering from the Louvain School of Management, with a specialization in Supply Chain Management. The Louvain School of Management is the international business school of the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) at Louvain-la-Neuve.

Why did you choose to study Business Engineering?

Thomas: I was mainly interested in the wide scope of this academic formation. ‘Business Engineering’ combined technical fields of study like Chemistry or Physics with more soft-skills oriented courses like Management or Political Economy.

What is your professional background?

Thomas: I have been a consultant in the pharmaceutical industry almost since the start of my career, actually. At the moment, I’m mainly focused on managing logistics, operations and supply chain projects.

How did you get in touch with Pauwels Consulting and what was your first impression of the company?

Thomas: Pauwels Consulting offered me a nice project at a time when I was looking for some new and exciting challenges. Needless to say, the company made a good first impression. (smiles)

Can you tell us a bit more about your current project?

Thomas: At the moment, I’m working in the Program Management Office for a multinational pharmaceutical company in Braine-l’Alleud. We have to implement new regulations linked to drug serialization across the whole supply chain of our client.

“Serialization is not just a random number on a box; it’s a complex set of activities impacting the whole supply chain and business.”

What is the goal of this project?

Thomas: Our main goal is to be compliant with all the regulations related to serialization for all the countries receiving drugs from and selling drugs to our client. This has to be done on a tight schedule and in a constantly changing environment.

What are your responsibilities during this project?

Thomas: Our main responsibility at the Program Management Office is to provide the structure, guidelines and controls for all the projects that need to be launched as part of the program.

What do you like about this project?

Thomas: It’s quite challenging. I like that. The environment is changing every day because many countries are still busy creating the regulations as we speak.

Our project also impacts the whole supply chain, so the End-to-End process needs to be analysed and kept under control.

What did you learn during this project?

Thomas: I’ve learned that serialization is not just a random number on a box; it’s a complex set of activities impacting the whole supply chain and business.

What are your personal ambitions for the future? What kind of projects would you like to perform next?

Thomas: Well, I really want to keep learning and growing. In the future, I would like to stay focused on supply chain and operations.

Thank you very much for this lovely interview, Thomas. I wish you all the best for the future!

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