Georg von Zedtwitz-Liebenstein
Scania talents on exchange at start-up company sennder
11 JULY 2022
Scania Growth Capital has invested in several companies, German freight forwarder start-up sennder being one of them. Currently, four Scania employees in the Cross Talent Network – Georg von Zedtwitz-Liebenstein, Viktor Krödel Jonsson, Abishek Michael and Clayton Freitas – do a short-term internship in Berlin and Amsterdam to experience what it’s like to be part of a brand-new company and contribute with their knowledge.
Scania’s heritage is combined with innovative thinking. To enable us to be the leader in the shift to sustainable transport, the entrepreneurial spirit needs to be strong. The Cross Talent Network was presented an opportunity to experience the fast-paced environment at start-up sennder, a company focused on connectivity, and on the digitalisation and automation of road logistics processes. This is a way to both share and gain knowledge that will come in handy in our future business.
Exchange knowledge
Georg von Zedtwitz-Liebenstein normally spends his time at Scania Financial Services, and is now stationed at sennder in Amsterdam. He thinks it is easy to meet with different people, and talk about their challenges and opportunities. “I was looking to learn about sennder, and at the same time develop myself, and in the long-term also Scania.”
sennder values his input, and Georg is involved in a strategic project with the aim to expand the supply on sennder's transport marketplace. His focus have been to support the team in shaping the initial product increment and create a common understanding of the underlying processes. “We map the process, and analyse the complexity. What is hard, and what is a given?” This gives the team the ability to try things based on what they know, and allow visualisations to guide them to the right decision.
He is happy with the choice to join sennder, even if it is only for a short while: “Given the pace and the open culture this organisation has, I have had plenty of opportunity to contribute and learn during my time here. Just experiencing an environment that has been through so much growth the past couple of years gives really interesting perspectives!”
Viktor Krödel Jonsson
Something new
For Viktor Krödel Jonsson, who began his career at Scania seven years ago, as a trainee, sennder was a great option to expand his views. “I’m truly happy at Scania and don’t want a new employer. But when the opportunity came my way to gain insights on another company culture and be able to come back, it was too good to miss out on.”
He has been working at the sennder office in Berlin with the strategy and growth team, and with the group handling merger and acquisition. “Both these areas are far from my comfort zone since I have an educational background within engineering and professional experience within Research and Development at Scania. By challenging myself in areas unknown to me, I have learned so much about economics and gained insights about other cooperate cultures.”
The learnings he has picked up in business economics and marketing will be of great value when he returns to Research and Development to balance technical requirements versus business aspects. “I have learnt how to analyse economical performance of a company which will help me to draw conclusions on how local budgets affect Scania’s economic performance as a whole.”
Two things he also wants to highlight are the core values trust in data, and run the extra mile. “There is a great transparency with data at sennder and you can truly see people use data regularly to guide their decisions.” As for the extra mile, a start-up has another sense of urgency throughout the organisation where employees on a daily basis focus on what is best for business. “These are two areas where Scania can learn and improve, a lesson that I will share when I come back.”
Inspirational possibilities
These internships have made a positive impact on Georg’s and Viktor’s and their peers’ roles and departments whilst also developing as individuals. To use partnerships to give Scania employees the opportunity for professional development with a hands-on learning experience in a different environment, and at the same time broadening their perspective, contribute to the acceleration and development of Scania as an innovative and with the times-company.
