Young Talents Academy 2023 a complete success

Five young talents from different companies experienced an exciting and interesting time in Düsseldorf in September as part of the first Young Talents Academy (YTA) of the Schauenburg International Group.

The YTA aims to promote continuous communication between the companies on the one hand and the expertise of the participants on the other hand as well as to be able to use synergy effects from the group. To this end, each YTA has an overarching theme. To apply, the participants develop a project idea related to the overarching theme and must present their project idea to the management at the end of the Academy. At the same time, the participants have the opportunity to formulate their need for input on specific topics in advance. In this way, participants are actively involved in shaping each YTA.

This year, the overarching theme was “Intercompany Business Development,” so participants had to come up with an idea for a product or project, for example, that could only be realized through the cooperation of two companies. These project proposals were further deepened and developed during the YTA. During the final presentation the following projects were presented:

• Real time gas sampling by Sarah Gardner, OHD
• Key Account Management ONE Schauenburg by Leon Krantz, Schauenburg Industrietechnik, and James Williams, Markes International
• Water Analysis by Tomas Kovalczuk, Schauenburg Analytics

In addition, most participants wanted specific input on the topic of how to better approach customers in the field and how to prepare for presentations.

Although it was an intensive and sometimes exhausting two days, the participants left Düsseldorf with a very positive feeling. “It was a wonderful opportunity to take a step back and look at the big picture of the Schauenburg International Group,” says Sarah Gardner happily. “In the daily work routine, this view is otherwise unfortunately lost.” James Williams can well understand this feeling, because after 12 years in sales, it was his first contact with colleagues from other companies in the group: “It’s so exciting to see what the other companies in the group are doing and how well we work together here,” he enthuses. For Leon Krantz, the main focus was on networking and creative input: “I felt like we were zooming out of our everyday lives and taking in a whole new perspective. And I now feel much more confident in dealing with customers and know better what to look out for in order to make the best possible contact.” To-mas Kovalczuk, in turn, would like to maintain contact with other participants and establish a kind of alumni club to support each other, as well as future YTA participants.

“In the coming weeks, we will contact the participants and support them as much as possible in the realization of their project ideas, so that not only the talents but also the companies derive a longer-term benefit from the YTA,” promises Nadine Hagemus-Becker, organizer of the YTA.

Overall, Florian Schauenburg also draws a positive feedback: “It has been shown again that the personal exchange between the different societies is extraordinarily fruitful. We want to give these talents visibility and provide cross-company impetus by promoting them. After all, we are convinced of the ambitious employees in our portfolio companies who will help shape our sustainable future.”

Present were (from left to right): Sarah Gardner from OHD, Leon Krantz from SCHAUENBURG Industrietechnik GmbH, Janina Kreuzburg from SCHAUENBURG International GmbH, behind them James Williams from Markes International and Manuel Lütke Lanfer, Silvia Helfberend and Nadine Hagemus-Becker from SCHAUENBURG International as well as Tomáš Kovalczuk from Markes International.