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The main lever is probably our spirit of innovation, really trying to produce product systems and
solutions into the edge of where is the technology leading us and being on the forefront. And
that has been actually the DNA of Siemens over all the years.
Well of course it's always the big trends in the market that defines whether we do see
market opportunities and I think over all the years Siemens has been developing innovations
in electrical and infrastructure environments and the challenges going forward is basically
then defined around what kind of infrastructure do we need for the future. What kind of energy
supplies, the public transport systems and also what we need in the health care environment
because we do see an aging population. So, the challenges in many aspects could also
be our opportunities.
UK is a good example of what we see in Europe on a global scale and its probably in the
energy generation field where we do see a lot of efforts going into getting a better
generation mix of how we are going to produce energy. We do see a big need for infrastructure
in general. The public transportation system, road and rail traffic solutions, and of course
in a city environment, which again is a bit of infrastructure and energy. But also it
takes care of security issues and how we are going to provide personalised and good affordable
health care to people. This accounts some main areas which give us good growth opportunities.
I think the chances are still good for UK to kind of rebalance its economy, put more
emphasis on manufacturing and developing supply chain and making sure, I mean although the
UK is a large market, we still need to have a kind of a competition view on how is our
capabilities and productivity going outside the market, so we have and should have a more
export orientation. And productivity wise I think there is more to do in a general sense
and a generic level, we can do more because when we see how different countries are investing
in automation, in manufacturing. We do see a higher degree of investments in other countries
than is actually happening in the UK right now, so if UK steps up and industries in the
UK step up we could still be catching up with the best of the best on a global scale.
Definitely, I think the private sector is the main vehicle to drive this forward.
Government can do some injections and push some visions and strategies and segments of
the market forward. But if the market forces are not allowed to flourish and make sure
they grow, that won't happen. So private sector I would say is paramount for growth in the
UK but not only in the UK, but every other country as well.
Of course we try to establish a framework, so it's kind of comfortable, enjoyable to work
at Siemens and it includes hopefully a very decent pay; it's a good quality of life; it's
a good work life balance. We allow people to also make sure we are focussing more on
the output than the input, so we allow people also to work remotely and by that actually
kind of calibrating their work life balance. But I think the main attractor is still what
we do, what we develop, what we innovate. So that makes sense, infrastructure, technology
that actually solves problems and increases quality of life aspects. So we are happy in
our generation to move over and leave a better and cleaner and greener planet to our coming
generations. That I think is the core element of attracting people and also retaining them.
It's our top headline, and it's not only the green technology where we can prove and deliver
to the market a more efficient and less consuming product or system. But it's also the aspects
of how are we as a corporate citizen. Do we take the corporate social responsibility?
Are we acting towards poor people and austerity measures? Do we show ourselves being
visible in different corporate social responsibility programmes and do we give back to society.
That for us also is sustainability, diversity aspects as well. So, I think for us it's a
broader headline than just producing sustainable products and solutions. Its about the whole
community.
Its definitely not a burden, we can demonstrate that we over the last four or five years have
had an over proportional increase in our total global revenue, when we measure what kind
of products do we deliver and are they associated to the green technology portfolio. We see
that growth sharply overrunning the normal sales of kind of traditional products and
systems and solutions. So it's not a trade off from any corporate view point, that you
trade off your profits or your growth if you are a green, or making your company greener.
It's really, its kind of win win situation, focussing those sustainable green products
gives you a better revenue stream and a better profit.
Again I think that's part of our sustainability message, we will never kind of bring you a profit
and loss statement or a balance sheet showcasing whether that investment has paid off or not.
Its part of our demonstration of sustainability that we has a large operation and large corporation
demonstrate what we think is key for people to know, probably not just our own generation
and those who already committed to sustainable and green solution. But really for the next
generation, that they understand what this needed and what we can already today provide
in a sense of technology. And I think we as one of the leaders in sustainability on a
global scale, regardless which industry you compare, we need to showcase that and we need
again to give back to society the opportunity to attract, enhance more people to this
issue and this is exactly what we're going to use the crystal for in the Royal Docks.
It is taking responsibility and making sure you are acting in a compliant way. And myself,
I usually do that by being very honest and open and trying to communicate clearly what
are the strategies, what are the visions. But it's the way how we do it, so leadership
needs to kind of be broarder than just kind of taking accountability for a number in a
balance sheet or in a profit and loss statement. It's about the depth of sustainability in all
aspects, so a clear open style and taking responsibility cross the boundaries of not
only technology but also being into the society and for almost also, most certain the view
into our own staff and employees.
Well, I think its about being clear and open, where we are and where we need to go and I
think we have in Siemens a clear set of values which actually we would like everybody to
easily buy into. It's about making things in a responsible way, focussing on innovation
and making it all in a very excellent and in a very kind of benchmark way. That's the
three values which we hope everybody in our organisation, not only knows but also lives
and the leadership is actually to focus on these issues and make sure we get the most
out of the employees.
Well, it's part of one of the three values and innovation is again the DNA in the life blood
of the company. So whatever we can do a difference in a customer dialogue where we can actually
lead the customer in a way that not only brings us a benefit of revenue stream but
really focussing, what are the effects on the customer's side and in the market and how
we can make sure that he or she gets more profitable. So that's the main thing in that
area.
The UK in general, I think its not an undervaluation of the engineering, I think there is a clear
understanding that without engineering focus this country will not be surviving in the
global competition. Because we have seen that a reliance on a financial sector, without having
the right mechanisms and focus in a manufacturing and engineering part, is really unbalancing
the whole economy. So, I think the focus is there, we need just to walk the talk because
the talk is the right one, right now from existing government but also within the industry.
It's a clear focus on continuing to try to attract and redo what we have been missing
out of over the last ten, twenty, thirty years. And I think there is great potential to make
UK a more strong manufacturing and developing country.
So, Siemens role in that is to kind of try to catch and have a better understanding how
our total supply chain works and how we can make sure that we use our brand and our power
to also partner and attract engineering which is around us. Because although we are big,
we are not so big that we don't need the application knowledges or the partnerships with small
and medium sized enterprises. So we need just to make sure that we are connecting better
with the society where we are in and making sure we utilise and use those capabilities.
In partnership with larger corporations, in partnership with the small and medium sized
enterprises in the supply chain, yes I think the direction which is within the university
environment is good. We do see a lot of good examples and I think there are still some
great, great opportunities for the UK and the UK education system and universities to
take a position in some of the coming leading areas and segments of the markets when it
comes to sustainability. So, absolutely there is a great chance for the UK society and the
industrial part of that to really enhance the output of the UK industry.
I never wanted to be a specific, to be in a specific job title and I think by my recommendation
to people is try to figure out what your capabilities are, what are you strengths and let them lead
you and ultimately you reel them up as CEO or as a PhD in some really nice university
surroundings. I think it's a failure if you kind of say that in ten years I'm going to
be a CEO, you could probably be that but I don't know how good and how lucky you will
be in that position. So let your capabilities guide you and drive you and I think you will
probably be a much, much more complete and happier man or woman in that role, than just
saying, well I reach my target.