You began working for CNC at the Moscow office. Why did you opt for this location at the time, and what were the highlights/most exciting experiences from this period?
Moscow's economic and geopolitical significance and its cultural heritage make it an extremely exciting and unique major city. After just a few days Moscow had captured my heart, and it continues to fascinate me to this day.
During my internship at a Russian PR agency I met our CEO Dr. Christoph Walther, who captivated me with his plans for CNC on the Russian market. The decision to found a CNC office in Moscow was taken quickly, and I was on board from day one. Of course, my knowledge of Russian stood me in good stead. What still stands out from this "adventure" is that my personal interests have always corresponded with the professional goals involved. Amongst my personal circle of friends, almost all of whom were from the West at the time, I was able to counter numerous classic preconceptions about Russia with my own very positive impressions. This also applied to my daily work at CNC when it came to advising international firms of Russian origin. The primary goal then, as now, was always to minimise the large gap between a positive economic situation and the reputation of individual companies in Russia, which was often unfairly negative. We worked hard to raise awareness and objectify people's perceptions.
Has the main content of your work at CNC changed since you switched from Moscow to the Frankfurt office?
The work has changed in terms of content, but the working environment has remained the same. I was delighted to find that, despite the cultural differences between the offices, there is a shared CNC spirit which unites our colleagues around the world. During my time in Moscow I gained considerable experience in cross-border transactions and in the international positioning of Russian companies. By switching to our office in Frankfurt, Germany’s financial centre, I hoped, above all, to gain greater expertise in the field of financial and transaction communications. I had barely arrived when the Lehman Brothers collapse shocked the financial markets, which meant that my focus in the following months was dealing with "special situations": primarily insolvencies and debt restructuring, but also classic investor relations mandates. This also taught me a lot and gave me insights into a very particular kind of project. Transactions have remained a rarity since then. In this economic environment, CNC benefits from its policy of training people in a broad range of service areas so that they become all-rounders who can then be staffed flexibly on various kinds of. Even after moving to Frankfurt, I can still make use of the expertise I gained in Moscow when working with certain Russian clients.
Whilst working you have also gained a degree from the London School of Economics (LSE). How were you able to reconcile your studies with your work as a consultant?
There are many advantages to completing a degree whilst working, but it also involves a great deal of discipline and organisation, and limits your free time. My life and work in Moscow soon inspired me to further my academic development in the fields of politics and international relations. I found the course to fit my goals at LSE and gained a BSc in Politics & International Relations within three years. The main reason for choosing this second degree was my fascination for this subject area, which I also encounter on a daily basis in my work. I also have CNC to thank for this success. Although I actually completed the degree in parallel to my job at CNC, i.e. after work and at weekends, I was given a great deal of recognition and encouragement by my colleagues and the partners here, and that provided some extra motivation.
You have been at CNC since the start of 2005. What is it about the firm and its work that continues to inspire you?
At CNC, team spirit is put into practice. Relations between colleagues are amicable – a basic requirement for professional work and high motivation in my eyes – but one which can by no means be taken for granted in all companies. Aside from this, my fascination for strategic communications has grown constantly during my time working for CNC. In my daily work I have gained experience of the economic and political added value that a communications strategy can bring when it is implemented professionally and effectively. Finally, it is CNC’s international way of working that inspires me. I have already collaborated with every CNC office worldwide on various projects. This means that one’s own expertise and contacts grow not only within one industry, but across various markets – an opportunity that only few jobs offer!
Business News
At the 13th Annual DIRK Conference, CNC hosted the following workshop: “Regulatory and Political Factors and their Influence on Company Valuations”. The workshop was moderated by Roland Klein and Helmut Kranzmaier. More
Career News
Current vacancy in the Branding and Marketing Communications team. You have 1-3 years of experience in the field? Then we should get in touch. More
Our next assessment centre will take place on 15th October 2010 in our Munich office. We are looking forward to receiving your application! More