Thursday 2024-01-25

Name
Heike Wessels

Position
Head of Controlling Business Group Electronics

Location
Plant 5, Recklinghausen (Germany)

Age
38 Years

Marital status
married, 1 daughter (3 years), 1 son (18 months)

Training
Studied business administration at the Technical University of Dortmund, specializing in production and logistics. Final Thesis on ramp-up management in production.

Previous Positions

2009: Career start at RWE in the distribution network
2010: Joined HELLA in Production Controlling in Plant 5
2011: Establishment of the Finance & Controlling unit of HELLA Brazil
2012-2016: Establishment of the new International Production Controlling department for BG Electronics
2016-2019: Head of HELLA Sales Controlling
2017-2019: Collaboration on the major Apollo project
2020: First maternity leave
2020-2022: Head of Automotive Standard Controlling for BG Electronics and Lighting
2022: Second maternity leave
2022-2023: Head of Standard Controlling BG Electronics
Since 1.7.2023: Head of Controlling BG Electronics

What fascinates her about her job

"I love the fact that I am right in the middle of the business, very close to production, processes and products, and that I am actively involved in shaping the future of the company. After all, controlling does not mean moving Excel tables with columns of numbers from left to right. Although, of course, I have to do that sometimes (laughs). Above all, however, my team and I are very closely involved in the planning of the business activities of my Business Group. We create forecasts, challenge and review business development and create the basis for important decisions, for example about where investments are best directed."

What shaped her at HELLA

"I've had a lot of great experiences here. I particularly remember my time in Brazil, when I got the chance to build up the controlling department there. I was also influenced by my work on the project 'Location Search for Eastern Europe'. We have traveled across Eastern Europe and worked closely with various chambers of commerce abroad to identify the best location for our Eastern European business. In the end, the choice fell on Lithuania, where everything simply fitted together. During my 13 years at HELLA, I was given a lot of confidence. This trust has perhaps had the greatest impact on me and I now bring the same to my own team. I am convinced that trust is the greatest asset when working together."

What is important to her professionally

"My team is very important to me. We work in an agile way and have to be well organized. This is also due to the fact that not only I, but also my colleagues have small children at home and some of them work part-time. It works very well, which makes me very happy. My network is also important to me. I have traveled a lot at HELLA, so I have close friends not only in Germany, but also internationally, for example in Romania and China. The exchange with them is very important to me; it opens my eyes to new perspectives and approaches."

What is important to her in her private life

"Spending time with my family is the most important thing for me. This also means that I want to put my children to bed at night. This means that I can't attend appointments after 6:00 p.m. five times a week. Fortunately, HELLA is flexible and accommodates my schedule very well."

What she likes to do in her free time

"I am a child of the Ruhr area and deeply rooted in Recklinghausen. Since I became a mom, the cargo bike has been our faithful companion. You can often see me with my children on the way to kindergarten or on weekends for shopping. When I find the time, I also love to go geocaching. I also really enjoy escape room games. And especially in the winter months, I like to work with wood. At the end of last year, for example, I created a Secret Santa world for the children."

What she would like to pass on to young female colleagues

"Take the chance to develop internally! HELLA offers all the opportunities for this – from the L.E.A.D. Summer School to seminars, training courses and online tools. I've always tried to take everything with me and to continue to qualify internally. And believe in yourselves! Here at HELLA, you can do a challenging management job even with very young children. That's what I'd like to set an example."