Manami Tsutsumi, Senior Associate Director, Reaserch & Development
Dietrich Mannes, Laboratory Manager, Research & Development
My name is Dietrich Mannes, and I have been with Boehringer Ingelheim since 1998. In mid-2008 I became laboratory manager for the development of inhaled medication.
While I was studying chemistry, I was already working for another big pharmaceutical company, which showed me the advantages of big, international businesses. I had this idea that such an employer would offer many opportunities to work in different fields, and at Boehringer Ingelheim, that proved to be true.
I have been in quite a few different positions since I joined Boehringer Ingelheim. Before my current job as a laboratory manager, I was working in quality control. And from next year, I will be much more involved in the production side of things. The great thing is that I can make many decisions independently. We have project meetings to determine what needs to be done, but afterwards, I have a great deal of freedom when it comes to planning how to use my resources and implement those decisions.
It was important to me to work for a family-run company. This is a vital part of Boehringer Ingelheim's philosophy and can be felt throughout the entire working environment. It not only means that there is a solid, reliable financial footing, but also that the corporate thinking is focused on the long term. That makes a big difference in terms of strategies and allows us to think ahead and work towards tangible goals. This kind of approach is, of course, particularly positive and fruitful in the development department.
The range of opportunities for developing yourself and your career is enormous. I also really appreciate our flexible working hours and the excellent benefits. But above all, I enjoy the amount of personal responsibility I am given. Within certain parameters, I can work in a very independent, self-determined way, and this freedom is very important to me.
I grant the same freedom to my staff. This really is a cornerstone of the corporate culture here. What it ultimately boils down to is respect. In my experience, colleagues are most productive and achieve the best results when they are given a task and then the opportunity and means to fulfil it – whether that is through training or providing the right equipment. This gives them the chance to reach their goals themselves, and that is what makes working here so much fun!