How long have you been at Telefónica and how would you rate your time here?
I have been working in this in this extraordinary company for more than 25 years now.
I started the day we launched in Germany as fourth Network operator. Our CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system was directly connected to the network’s HLR (Home Location Registry) and we couldn’t bill our customers for the first few months of this start-up phase.
Now our company is number one in Germany in terms of customer numbers – 45.1 million mobile lines and 2.4 million broadband lines – and we are part of Telefónica, the fourth largest telecommunications group in the world.
It’s always been exciting to keep learning, to work with interesting colleagues and to be able to make a real difference with my own ideas that add value – it makes me proud to work for this company, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2024!
Is there any project at Telefónica that you are particularly satisfied with or proud of?
In fact, several projects and initiatives and the most exciting are certainly the large transformation programs: e.g. the program in 2016/2026 was one of the biggest customer migrations in Europe – I was responsible for CRM (Customer Relationship Management) during that time – and we managed everything well.
The other program is the current transformation to a future-proof cloud native stack, which is certainly one of the most ambitious projects in Europe and a unique opportunity for me, as I was responsible for implementing the first central product catalog, which went live in 2022
In addition, there were numerous projects where I was responsible for the launch of new applications for Telefónica Germany – more than five, including a strategically important Technologic Agnostic Recommendation Engine …
I had the great honor to participate with our partners in two innovative TMF catalyst programs in 2019 and 2024, the results of which were presented at the DTW (Digital Transformation World conference).
I am particularly passionate about the TID (Technology Innovation Day) initiative, which I launched in 2018 together with my community colleagues: we have now organized 100 sessions, and this is a breeding ground for innovative thinking and growth.
After all, I have been a leader for more than 20 years, an compassionate people manager and have always been proud of my teams and what we have achieved together.
What do you think Telefónica has contributed to society?
We offer the best IT and network capabilities and the latest technologies so that customers and business partners can use our services to improve their daily lives – in all areas, e.g. health, finance, commerce, security, smart cities / vehicles / life, education and research.
Overall, Telefónica has done a lot for society: enabling communication, connecting people, caring for the environment, providing solidarity – making the world more human.
Telefónica is actively committed to sustainability and positions itself as a pioneer in the telecommunications industry – some proof points: Renewable energy initiatives, equipment recycling programs, social responsibility and digital inclusion – employees can participate in volunteer days – I still remember when the entire technology management team renovated a children’s home in Munich in 2009.
Where do you see Telefónica in the future?
In the future, Telefónica will be a catalyst to simplify life and work, connect people and enable society to communicate, learn and grow through more and more applications of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G/6G, IoT, AI, ML, cloud computing, VA/AR, blockchain, quantum computing, cybersecurity, …
This company will give a boost technological development and the digitalization of society worldwide.
Could you live without a mobile phone?
I could do without it for a while, as a conscious detox, but who wants to give up the convenience, speed and ease of daily use that has become indispensable in some cases e.g. payment, information on public timetables, weather services, hiking maps, online newspapers, translation services and much more.
It also helps to communicate better on vacation in other countries (e.g. with translation services such as deepl) or to get back in touch with nature, e.g. with apps such as Merlin (which recognizes birds by their voices).
Help us solve one of humanity’s great enigmas: the potato omelette… With onion or without onion?
In general, onions are the special spice and give a special flavor – but I still prefer it without onions because my body doesn’t tolerate them.
Nominate other colleagues to appear in this section
Klaus Paul with his smart way of using innovations directly for our business and our customers – and achieving great savings in the process.
Tram Luu with her way of connecting with others, her positive attitude, her energy and her organizational skills.
Christian Engelhardt with his visionary and far-sighted way of implementing new business models and working closely and efficiently together in a joint team – business and IT in an agile BizDevOps model.
