Pascal Gottret, Manager IT Business Applications
4th May 2023
Hello Pascal, would you like to introduce yourself briefly?
Yes, with pleasure! My name is Pascal Gottret, I am 35 years old, and I am from Bern in Switzerland, where I also live today together with my wife. In my free time, I like to play golf and go skiing. Apart from that, I am interested in everything that has to do with digitalization. For example, I'm involved in several working groups – on blockchain technologies and digital identities. Even if it sounds like a strange hobby to many people, I'm really passionate about these topics. That's why I'm very happy to be able to put my interest in digitalization into practice professionally at Meraxis.
This brings us directly to the topic: what exactly do you do at Meraxis, and how did you get this job?
I work as an IT Manager for Business Applications at Meraxis. This mainly includes our SAP software for internal business processes, customer support and supply chain management. In addition, together with my team, I am responsible for all the technical interfaces with our external partners and to other systems.
You have been on board since Meraxis was founded in 2019, but before that you worked for the Rehau Group for a long time. What has been your career path up to now?
I had already done an internship at Rehau while I was studying business informatics. After that, a position had just become available to support the introduction of a new group consolidation software. At the time, I helped create interfaces between different software systems to exchange data and automate processes. The effect was really eye-opening: "Cool, you can make workflows easier with this." That was a real "aha" moment for me and the reason why I wanted to continue working on digitalization projects. That was about 15 years ago. I've been doing it ever since.
Your job is quite complex. How would you explain what you do at Meraxis to people without a computer science background?
It's about developing digital solutions that support the Meraxis team in their daily work. To do this, I need to understand the requirements of my colleagues in the different departments. What are their tasks, how do they work, and what are their processes? Based on this, we develop concepts in my team on how digital systems can support and improve these processes. So, the question is always: Is it easier, faster, more reliable, better? After development and implementation, we support the individual teams with what we call "housekeeping". That means we make sure that all systems are working properly. I used to do a lot of SAP programming myself. Today, my job is more about design, coordination and project management.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What makes it so special is that every project brings completely new experiences. For example, we recently had a major project to introduce a track-and-trace system that allows us to transparently monitor the entire supply chain from supplier to customer. There is an incredibly strong interaction with our ERP system, with thousands of data transfers. This has been one of the most exciting projects for me in recent times! On the other hand, it's fun to see how workflows can be simplified through automation.
With all the positive experiences: What are the challenges in your job?
The shortage of skilled workers in the IT industry is no secret. A fundamental challenge in IT is therefore to pool the available resources and prioritize tasks. It’s similar for us, and as a team leader, it's my responsibility. Another challenge is to understand all the processes and requirements down to the last detail at Meraxis and translate them into the systems. The variety of topics in all areas is enormous.
Why do you like working at Meraxis?
I'm a Meraxis native, so to speak, and I simply feel connected to the company. I am therefore very motivated to drive Meraxis forward in terms of digitalization. Furthermore, I also have a lot of creative freedom: I can introduce and pursue ideas here - even completely outside the SAP or ERP system. For example, my team recently designed a complete interface between different systems in Meraxis' Automotive division. This wasn't a requirement from the specialist department, but an idea from our team. But also the collaboration with other departments, such as the Digital & Disruptive Business and Supply Chain teams, is just incredibly fun. For me, this consequent modernization is the main reason why I like working at Meraxis. From the very beginning, Meraxis has made the digitaliization of the industry its mission.
You can really tell how much you burn for your work! Thank you, Pascal!
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