“Ask clear questions, express what you really need”

Sven (29) stepped into the world of Accenture after an inspiring Master Class experience in 2016. This proud “Limburger”, with degrees in Applied Economics and Innovation & Entrepreneurship, has never looked back.

I see myself as a pragmatic, results oriented person

I always try to find consensus and get things done, even if the steps along the way are small. I get energy from understanding issues root to branch. Working with a large team around me is what drives and inspires me.

Many of my colleagues have become good friends

Our favorite pastime outside work is traveling the world together, from the US and Australia to India. In fact, the immediate fit with my to-be colleagues was one of the main reasons I chose Accenture. Likeminded people who are passionate about what they do, ready to work hard when needed, and equally ready to take time to enjoy life.

It’s motivating to work in an area that touches my private life

Gas & electricity bills, smart meters, Electric Vehicle charging mobile apps... I have the opportunity to directly contribute to improving these solutions, for myself and society as a whole. At present, my focus is advising Utilities and Energy clients (commodity retailers, grid operators, oil and gas providers...) on how to launch or scale their eMobility business. This ranges from defining which products and services they could sell (charging stations, installation services, charge cards, etc.) to defining the different customer segments (private households, companies, cities, etc.), and then implementing the IT systems to make their businesses run and flourish.

Post-corona, we have greater flexibility in how we arrange our work

Based on my workload and my clients’ needs, I can work from home (calls and focused work) or at the office (face-to-face meetings). Since I live more than one hour’s drive away from the office, this flexibility saves me a lot of time, reduces my carbon footprint, and enables me to find the right balance in my professional and private life. This new way of working requires discipline and good planning. I try to set up my work schedule as efficiently as possible so that I can always cross items off my to-do list at the end of the day.

I’ve learned never to make assumptions

This is partly due to working in an international environment. Collaborating with diverse people and teams, both at home and across the globe, has made me more culturally aware. Each culture is unique, there are different policies, local time zones and diverse working rhythms... Even with the best intentions, assuming people immediately grasp what you want or not expressing your expectations clearly, can lead to misunderstandings, inefficiencies, and mistakes... My mantra is to always communicate what I know and what I don’t know, to ask questions and listen! If I do presume something, I will always double-check it with my peers and stakeholders.