Before I came to MAN Diesel & Turbo I worked as a drilling engineer for an American oil service company called Baker Hughes, but then I looked for new challenges. I have now worked for MAN Diesel & Turbo since April 2008 and during that time have been a Project Manager on a development project.

It is a project for installing an EGR system – a system which seeks to limit nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution by recirculating exhaust gas in the engine. As Project Manager, I am part of the whole analysis process, and that aspect is one of the things I most like about the job. It means I can combine the role of Project Manager with all-round use of my professional skills. The process starts with the specification of the EGR system to adapt it to the ship's engine. Next the components are designed by some of the other departments, and production and purchasing are initiated. On this project the subsequent installation took place at a shipyard in Portugal. Last but not least, the EGR system is tested on board the ship. Typically I am away about one month a year and the continued contact with the customer/shipping company is a fascinating part of the process.
Apart from my work on the EGR project I also help to analyse new engine types. That’s another interesting job, because I am collaborating with colleagues drawn from the whole organisation – both in Denmark and in our foreign offices. The aim of the dialogue is to see how we can meet our customers’ needs.

It is an advantage to be able to speak Danish if you want to be fully integrated, and for someone like me the language can sometimes be a barrier. But even so I think there is a very high degree of acceptance and toleration for colleagues with a nationality other than Danish. In general the atmosphere at the workplace is very much characterised by international values. But one thing which is very Danish is the management style. To me the structure appears very flat and it is easy to get hold of one’s boss. There is a culture of debate, where everyone is heard and decisions are taken by consensus. The flat structure even extends across departments, making it easy to work together with the other departments. The greatest benefit of working at MAN Diesel & Turbo is the enormous spectrum of both technical and commercial opportunities.