Between Offenburg and Munich, from the Burda Bar to Fessenbach: when we meet Felix Kalkum in his new Munich office, he reports about exciting first weeks at Burda. As new Managing Director of BurdaSolutions since October, he has been heading a team of around 250 employees who mainly work in Munich and Offenburg.
As an internal IT service provider, BurdaSolutions ensures that the Group's IT is fit for the future. How can employees work independently of location and device? What IT security measures protect our data, applications and users? How do we create customised, future-proof IT solutions? ‘I'm impressed by what's happening in these areas,’ says Felix of his first few weeks in his new role. He is particularly enthusiastic about software engineering. ‘I've experienced a great appreciation for this topic at Burda, which is not a given.’
Born and raised in Heidelberg, Felix discovered his love of programming at an early age. In his youth, he spent many hours in front of the screen, fascinated by computer simulations. His eyes light up when he talks about the ‘incredible effect’ of codes written on the computer. ‘The fascination for technology has remained to this day,’ explains Felix.
The doctor of physics worked as a consultant for ten years, eight of them at McKinsey, focussing on IT, technology and digital topics. ‘During my time as a consultant, I learnt to work in a structured and forward-looking way,’ says Felix.
These skills also helped him at ALDI North, where he was responsible for the areas of data and analytics, strategy and corporate development as well as financial IT as Managing Director. Team management became an important part of his role. ‘As a manager, you have to be able to make decisions and should not be afraid of making mistakes,’ says Felix. Both come naturally to him, but initially he underestimated the time required for good leadership. ‘Reliability, integrity and an open ear are key for me.’
From Aldi to Burda - a culture shock? There are big differences, confirms Felix. While Aldi has a no-frills culture, he experiences Burda as more light-hearted and humorous. Felix raves about the Burda Bar with its ‘real Italian flair’ and the many hours he has already spent there: countless espressos pass over Sebastiano's counter while Felix is onboarded by Gerhard Thomas. He shares many anecdotes from two decades at Burda. And takes Felix on a trip to Hubert Burda's hometown of Offenburg in Baden, more precisely the Fessenbach district.
‘There's something magical about this place, and the view of the Vosges mountains is unique,’ says Felix, talking about Felix Burda Park, the SenaTorre and the newly completed St Peter's Chapel with its Romanesque and Baroque elements. As one of the first employees, he was even allowed to visit the inside, thanks to his ‘persistent tour guide’ Gerhard Thomas, Felix adds with a laugh.
Burda is no ordinary employer. Felix got this impression even before he started when board member Marc Al-Hames asked him to learn the Badener Lied, which is often sung at Burda. ‘I've never experienced such a task ahead of a new job,’ admits Felix. It shows that people at Burda are proud to be part of a unique company history. ‘The perspective of continuing writing this story in an exciting position made me want to change jobs,’ explains Felix. He persistently practiced the “Badner lied” in the car even though his partner told him he had ‘many talents, but singing is not one of them ‘.
Felix will be trained by Gerhard Thomas, who is retiring, until the end of the year. ‘You always build on what your predecessor leaves behind,’ says Felix. He has great respect for Thomas' achievements and is looking forward to building on them. ‘Artificial intelligence and Burda's take on it will be key for me as Group CIO,’ explains Felix. He also wants to pinpoint Burda's contribution to Europe's digital sovereignty. Before he delves any deeper, Gerhard Thomas picks him up for his next appointment. First, they head to the Burda Bar - where else - for a quick espresso
