Tobias Nadjib joined the Volkswagen family in 2004 and is one of two managing directors at Volkswagen Infotainment. Within Volkswagen R GmbH, the business administration graduate Diplom-Kaufmann (FH) and Bachelor of Science held various management positions in the areas of Sales, International Sales Strategy and Organization. In 2014, he was entrusted with the integration of the newly acquired European BlackBerry development center into the Volkswagen Group as Volkswagen Infotainment. In the interview, Tobias tells us why Volkswagen Infotainment plays a special role within the group and how he sees the future. He encourages everyone to step out of their comfort zone. Tobias is certain: It is precisely doing the uncomfortable that has helped him advance.
What are your responsibilities as the Managing Director at Volkswagen Infotainment?
As Managing Director, I want to make sure that every person in our company does very good work every day. This is about the working environment and the work equipment. It's about a common purpose. In the same way, I care about the corporate culture: what we stand for. This is where the decisive course is set for successful cooperation. A company can only function if the working environment, the work equipment, and the corporate culture are interconnected. Without us as people, the company cannot function at all. I see myself as a developer, because we continue to develop our company and ourselves every day.
Could you describe your career?
I studied European Business and Technology in Wolfsburg and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. I spent one year in the UK and did a Bachelor of Science in Engineering at Coventry University. In 2001 I joined a consulting company. In 2004, I started working at Volkswagen Individual GmbH, which later became Volkswagen R GmbH. There I developed the European export department. It was a great assignment to be able to help shape things right from the start. Later I took over the organization and managed all the properties, all 300 vehicles, the fire safety and corporate security. After many wonderful years, I was asked if I would like to take over the integration of the former European development center of BlackBerry, now Volkswagen Infotainment.
We want to understand things in order to come to a decision.
You share the corporate management of the company with Bernhard Krauße. How do your responsibilities differ?
Our focus is different. Bernhard focuses on technical issues and I focus on administrative and commercial issues. It is important that both these areas have the same strategic importance in our company, because we are a full-function company. And it is our speed in the work processes that makes us so strong. That's why Bernhard and I agreed right from the start that we would always make important decisions for the company together. That is our recipe for success. And: we want to understand things in order to come to a decision. That is an important commonality in our collaboration. In addition, we both have a good sense of humour.
How would you describe the role of Volkswagen Infotainment within the Volkswagen Group?
I believe that we are very special for the Volkswagen Group. We began to work on the digitalization of cars very early on in 2014: This involved integrating the hardware and software in the car and the product development process of the car. That is exactly what we are very good at. We work like a start-up. For us, it's all about the problem and the solution. We develop digital technologies that a car manufacturer needs and can 'put them on the road'. When it comes to the major challenges facing the entire automotive industry, such as electrification of mobility, new mobility concepts, networking of vehicles or data as a raw material, we are always part of the solution.
Which business areas of Volkswagen Infotainment are close to your heart?
It has to be the Digital Product House. Our positioning from the combination of our competences makes us very powerful. We develop outstanding solutions in all areas of our solutions every day.
Which topics are you passionate about?
I'm passionate about what makes our company special: our corporate culture and the factor that makes us so special for Volkswagen. I feel equally passionate about our new building. We're pushing ourselves so that things can move forward and the construction work can start. For someone who undertakes this kind of construction work every day, that's normal. But for us it is a lot of work at the moment in addition to our daily business. Our goal is to move into the new building as soon as possible.
Which of your career steps do you think was particularly valuable from today's perspective?
Interestingly, it was often the steps that were scary in the beginning. Afterwards, it has always felt just right. The greater the challenge, the better the situation was afterwards. This is what I would say today: People, have the courage to take the not-so-easy way forward and take an extra step for once. Step out of your comfort zone. Doing something uncomfortable really pushed me forward.
Good corporate management works for the employees: Nothing works without the people in the company.
What constitutes successful corporate management for you?
On the one hand, it's clarity. Today, our team consists of more than 750 employees. It is very important that as an employee you know what you can expect from a superior and the contribution that each individual makes in the company. Equally important is accessibility that goes beyond mere availability. None of our managers have a waiting room with a guard watching over the boss. We all have open doors and that is on purpose. Good corporate management works for the employees: Nothing works without the people in the company. With good corporate management, the team wins. It is not a one-man show.
Has there been a change in your leadership principles over the years?
Yes, there has indeed been a change. I started directly in management consultancy, that too with responsibilities in the area of human resources. I learned all kinds of things at university, but not how to work with people and certainly not how to lead people. The crucial thing for me was that I learned to trust more. Our company is getting bigger and bigger. By sharing responsibility and delegating decisions, we can ensure actionability in the company. It motivates the people in our teams when they are involved and can fully use their skills.
Why is part of the workforce based in Wolfsburg? Do you see any advantages in that?
We started as a spin-off of the EE (electrical and electronic development) department of the Volkswagen brand. The connection to the group is important for us and it is a great strength to be located right on Volkswagen's doorstep. The combination of Bochum and Wolfsburg gives us a certain independence on the one hand and emphasizes on the other that we are part of the group and very close to our customers. I very much hope that we will continue to develop our strengths, which result from the combination of the Wolfsburg and Bochum locations.
Where do you see Volkswagen Infotainment in 10 years?
From an economic perspective, I expect that we will indeed continue to grow. As long as we can maintain our ability to act quickly, a clear solution orientation, and our positioning as a Digital Product House, size is a strength. Of course, there is the question of how we work within the group. In my view, CARIAD is a real success factor for us. With it, Volkswagen is making a clear statement that digitalisation, hardware, and software development in the car are a very important factor in the automotive sector. CARIAD will therefore play a very important role for us in the next ten years.
How does Volkswagen Infotainment differentiate itself from the competitors?
We don't have to hide in competition with outsiders. We have an internal connection and have completely different insights. However, we must not rest on our laurels. We must always ask ourselves which know-how and results we can bring to Volkswagen so that strategic product developments are made in our company.
Where we do have competition is in the labor market. We are no longer alone in this. And in fact, it is crucial that we live our corporate culture and communicate it to applicants. I have come to know many companies in my professional life. I am convinced that we are a really great employer. And with that, we can gladly and proudly face the competition in the labor market.
In recent months, there has been a lot of talk in the media about a neck-and-neck race between Tesla and VW. What is your opinion?
When it comes to e-mobility or the digitalization of the car, it really does seem like a race. I think Volkswagen's orientation with the 'New Auto' strategy is exactly right. The digitalization of the car is a very relevant success factor for the future. Elsewhere, the comparison with Tesla is misleading. When it comes to the ability to produce vehicles in large numbers worldwide, to meet high quality and safety standards and to have an efficient network of dealers, the comparison with Tesla is out of place. Volkswagen is the largest and most versatile car manufacturer in the world.
How important are social networks for you - professionally and personally?
Before Corona, I didn't really use social networks that much. It used to be interesting for me to connect with my contacts who are scattered all over the world. For me, digital contact is always second best to being in contact in real life. Through Corona, that has changed, because now we are more tied to our four walls. Connecting over distances is very important again. Privately, I use WhatsApp the most to quickly exchange information or photos. With some humor content, it has become a nice bright spot for me in the meantime. Professionally, I find it natural today that we work together online as a company and establish connections with partners and interested parties in social networks. We find ourselves in an interesting interaction with our environment.
Last but not least: Which VW model is your favourite at the moment?
Actually, it's always the model I'm driving at the moment. Currently it's an Audi E-Tron, my first electric car. It's a lot of fun and I'm impressed by how versatile an electric car is.