I first joined Hilti as an intern in fire protection. I was so impressed by their teamwork, how they build on each other’s strengths, that I knew I wanted to stay much longer than a year.
 
The next step was Hilti’s Outperformer program, where I got the opportunity to develop local suppliers in Brazil and manage the global sourcing of our business unit installation. As part of the program, I also took a leadership course at IMD Business School in Switzerland and worked on a social project building houses in Bosnia. What’s more, I’m part of this strong network of trainees that we’ve created, which translates into friends and business buddies around the world, people who are always ready to help and give advice.
 
On graduating from Outperformer, I moved to Dallas, Texas, to take on the role of global product manager for business unit installation. It’s been one of the most exciting experiences of my career. During the first few months, we built a brand new team and created a roadmap of activities, including strategic and product development projects. Now we’re full speed ahead in driving our vision.
 
Hilti has given me the chance to live in different continents, explore and learn new roles and show what I’m capable of. If I had to summarize my experience in a few words, I’d say there are no limits to your career or personal development at Hilti. It just depends on how much you’re willing to put in.

I joined Hilti 16 years ago, having worked for ten years in the oil industry and completed an MBA. I started as a field engineer and later moved into sales to get a better understanding of the business.
 
I became an account manager in Sheffield for two years, and then spent three years as a product manager in marketing. Next I joined our global head office, working for three years in software development and marketing. It was extraordinary to experience another, more strategic angle of the business. Not only did I enter a whole new phase in my career, but I discovered another me, enjoying new hobbies like skiing and hiking, which are right on your doorstep in Liechtenstein.
 
As a marketer, I have a natural curiosity to understand people’s thoughts and behaviors - to be a detective, if you like. We investigate trends, what people want to buy, how they think, how they use technology. Curiosity is key, and Hilti is a great place for that. It’s all about understanding our customers, so we can translate this into products, services and software.

In my 11 years at Hilti, I’ve worked in five different countries, so it’s been an international experience to say the least. I first joined the company in my native Finland, and now I’m back after eight years abroad as sales director for Helsinki. Before this, I was in Liechtenstein as segment manager of our installation business unit.
 
I love the fact that Hilti give you so much responsibility because, with it, comes freedom. You can really choose how you want to achieve a task and manage your own time. As long as you produce results, you can go about things any which way you like.
 
Hilti is also great for people development, on both personal and professional levels. I’ve definitely grown as a person since working here. People development is a huge focus at Hilti.

I’m currently product manager for our foam and window sealing systems within fire protection. My career at Hilti has allowed me to travel all over the world and experience first hand the diversity that we value so much. It’s one of the things I love most – being able to travel and work with people from all different cultures.

The international factor also creates flexibility and pragmatism in how we work. For example, we’ll set a series of timelines and our deliverables go from there. There’s not a constant check on our progress, every day or every week, as we depend on and respect personal responsibility. We’re simply expected to deliver results, and we do. It means we can be flexible about our hours, perhaps working late for a conference call with the US or starting early to speak to Asia, or simply to accommodate hobbies or family commitments.