When did you join Akiem?

I joined Akiem in November 2017, when I was still a Master student in a degree of international management. It gave me the chance to get to know the rail sector while carrying out some tasks on my own and contributing to very instructive large-scale projects!

What is your role and what does it consist of on a day-to-day basis?

Once I had my master’s degree, I was appointed a Sales Key Account Manager. This means I’m the key contact for everything related to sales for a number of our Northern region customers in southern Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. My role covers the complete sales process, from when customers acquire rolling stock to final delivery, including formulating proposals, conducting negotiations and drafting contracts.

A number of tasks crop up regularly, things like drafting proposals, preparing contracts and following up on customers’ requests. I’m also involved in one-off projects which are more innovative, such as transfers of the entity in charge of maintenance, or ECM, for various types of locomotives, studies to design new maintenance solutions for new customers, assembling technical documentation and various other administrative and organisational tasks. The work is extremely varied.

What appeals to you most about your job?

The variety of tasks and the opportunity to work with so many different people and departments, with different specialties, are amazing features of life at Akiem! Although the current health crisis severely limits opportunities, I also love travelling to meet customers, attending trade shows, and the constant contacts with our customers and various partners.
I get to work with almost all my colleagues, whether they’re based in Paris, Warsaw or Budapest, whether they are in the technical, legal or finance departments. There’s a real sense of trust between staff and managers, which allows us to work flexibly and independently. It’s such a bonus.

What makes Akiem different?

Akiem is a company on a human scale, which makes it easier to build one-to-one relationships. It’s a go-ahead team that works in a great atmosphere and there’s a genuine sense of closeness between departments. And locomotive leasing is a great industry to work in, everybody knows each other and there’s a strong focus on high technical standards. I think what makes Akiem stand out is its international dimension — something we all contribute to — as well as the amount of autonomy and freedom you have when managing your projects. And the in-house and third-party events (not considering the sanitary crisis) are always such fun!