“As Product Marketing Managers, we define the consumer experience of the future”

I work in the Radio Frequency Discretes (RFD) product group. I’m responsible for business innovation for RF Commodity Products. The focus is less on technological progress. We aim to set ourselves apart from the competition with innovative concepts for delivery speed, pricing and distribution channels. I deal a lot with developing new business models. My biggest topic at the moment is the ramp-up of the multisource business.

Every day brings new tasks. I work with Logistics, Capacity and Demand Planning, as well as with Product Development. But what I especially enjoy is the close contact with our customers – I’m a natural-born negotiator.

I love the cosmopolitan open-mindedness and the many cultures I come into contact with – not just on my business trips in Europe, the United States, and Asia, but also here at Infineon itself. That’s really enriching for me. 

The priorities change constantly, as do the tasks and the pace of work. Some tasks need to be done quickly, while for others I need patience and accuracy. Speed and efficiency are important to our customers. The product life cycles in our markets are extremely short, so I need to react quickly and flexibly.

My job is highly dynamic and adrenaline-packed, so I also see quick, concrete results. The pressure can be motivating and the work can be a driver, but you do need to be able to handle it well. Once you’ve done this job, all other jobs are a piece of cake! 

I’m responsible for the product group Low Medium Power. This includes Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) modules. They are used in solar power systems to convert direct current to alternating current. My job is to design the product portfolio in such a way that Infineon can generate maximum profit. On the one hand, I need to have know-how about costs and markets, and on the other, I need to be up to date on technology trends and the competition. The collaborative work on the “discovery” of new products is particularly exciting. I help design the roadmap that sets a development course for the product portfolio over the next five years.

In my position, all the threads run together, which makes my job highly diverse. I like to start my day early, have a coffee with colleagues, and then sit down to make calls. I talk with Sales, Quality Management and developers, and negotiate pricing with customers. A lot can be done on the phone. Nonetheless, personal contact with my customers is important, so on my trips through Europe and Asia I personally meet with customers and sales colleagues. I often spend the rest of the day in meetings, such as with teams from Production. In my position, it’s extremely important to coordinate with different specialist areas within the company. 

I work independently. I’m responsible for my product group from start to finish – with everything that entails. From forecasts and product definitions to competitive analyses and trade shows – it’s all in my hands. The challenge is to coordinate the many tasks and details, and at the same time keep an eye on the big picture. That’s the only way to meet customers’ requirements, deliver on time, and at the agreed-upon price.

I think it’s important to be open to change and to set new goals for yourself. You might lose a big project that you’ve really dedicated yourself to. If that happens, you have to regroup.