Simone Heitmann ─ Managing technology partnerships to enable customer sourcing, transformation, and management on their road to digital transformation...
June 2, 2021 • 3 Minute Read
Simone Heitmann
Group Director, Partner Management
Computacenter
Are you looking for a leader of technology partnerships to help customers source, transform, and manage their IT infrastructure to achieve digital transformation? We know the person—Simone Heitmann!
Simone Heitmann is Computacenter Group’s Director of Partner Management for technology companies. She directs a team of around 100 across the UK, France, Germany and The Netherlands. As one of EMEA’s largest and independent technology partners, Computacenter plays a critical supporting role for its customers with sourcing, transformation and management of their IT infrastructure to achieve digital transformation. Simone and her team also have the responsibility of ensuring the right technology partnerships are in place to deliver their required business outcomes.
Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman™, Simone Heitmann.
Our 10 Questions for this IT Wondrous Woman.
Fun Facts
1. What’s the one thing about you that your business colleagues don’t know about you?
I am passionate about celebrating carnival in Cologne and love the beer, the music and the costumes.
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you flying annually?
I have never kept track of this, but was on the road on average 3-4 days/week.
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
These were “1000-year-old eggs” in Hanoi/ Vietnam. Black-green, a consistency like gummy bears and a taste I don't need.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
- My 6-Sigma Master Black Belt certification had a lasting impact on me in terms of project management, communication and team building.
- One negative experience that I grew from was a very personal power struggle with a colleague that had nothing to do with healthy competition anymore.
5. Did you have a mentor in the early part of your career and, if so, what is the biggest lesson you learned from your mentor or influencer?
I didn't have a mentor, but my second (male) boss was fantastic and I learned from him that as a woman you can achieve much more with "style-flexing" than if you only copy male negotiation strategies.
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
Study abroad for at least one semester.
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
I act as a mentor and give feedback based on observed behaviour and what reactions it causes. And I try to give talents a platform to shine - in meetings, conferences, Management calls.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
That was a while ago, but the introduction of a new material allocation logic in our German logistics centre was a highly exciting task for me at the time: with time pressure & high complexity, an “open-heart surgery”, and a team that was fantastic.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
Coaching Skills: Ask the right questions to let the coachee work out the solution himself. I am so often much less of an expert than my staff that I don't think it's right to prescribe the solution.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
My biggest personal challenge is to switch rapidly from one subject area (People-Management, Partner, Customer, Works Council, Reporting & Planning) to the next and always keep the overview and speak the “right language/ use the right abbreviations”.
