Employee Spotlight: Felix Gunzelmann

Question: Felix, there are a few clichés about the consulting profession. Which one does not apply to you?

Felix: The cliché of the consultant who is constantly on the road and lives in hotels. I can do most of my work remotely, which suits me very well.

What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on a data migration project in a pharmaceutical company. The customer modernizes an important software tool. This system records, for example, the data from drug samples that the company routinely stores and must regularly check for quality. As part of the team, I am currently working with a colleague to migrate the data for a new standard module that is to be introduced.

So you have technical tasks?

Not only. On the one hand, we have to work with data, but on the other hand, we also have to coordinate with the involved departments, informing them about the planned change and getting them on board. Are all processes that are linked to the current system going to be covered in the future? What data do users still need with the new system, and in what form? There are a lot of details to clarify.

Felix 2023, on the road during his semester abroad in Japan:
Buddha statue at the Kōtoku-in temple in Kamakura

Was there a learning experience for you during your time on the project?

Understanding the complexity of large-scale projects. To see how everything is connected and how a small delay can trigger a chain reaction.

How did you join grosse-hornke?

A former fellow student told me about his job here. This gave me a realistic insight. I liked the fact that, as a young professional, I was able to take on responsibility quickly and do something different every day.

What do you like about your work?

The diversity and the combination of technical issues and management topics in which we work closely with the departments on the customer side. This is also close to my studies.

In what way, what did you study?

Business and Information Systems Engineering. These were also my main subjects in secondary school: economics and computer science. Only the technical side would have been too dry for me, even though I enjoy programming. I prefer to take a pragmatic approach to technology. That helps me in my job now: I have a good understanding of technology, but I can also assess what makes economic sense.

Japan fan Felix in front of the world-famous entrance gate (Tori in Japanese)

of the Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Miyajima

As a technology fan, how do you experience the current development of large language models such as ChatGPT?

That’s super exciting. I was already fascinated by machine learning during my studies, but it was clear to me that AI programming is a supreme discipline. I see it more from the user side and experimented with ChatGPT quite early on, even before the 2023 hype. Our current customer already works partly with ChatGPT, with certain confidentiality requirements. This creates many new opportunities, for example for internal knowledge management.

When you think back to your childhood, what was your dream job back then? And how did you get into consulting?

I have to admit that I didn’t have a clear dream job as a child. I found out pretty quickly during my studies that consulting was my thing by working in a student consultancy. I can only recommend this to anyone who is considering going into consulting later on. Take advantage of such offers if you have them at your own university.

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How do you prefer to spend your free time?

I’ve been playing badminton since I was at grammar school, and I used to play in the youth team and then in a hobby team. Now I only do it to compensate and no longer in the team, it’s easier alongside my job. I also enjoy playing volleyball and going jogging. Video games are a completely different hobby of mine. I also meet up with friends from time to time. But not very often, because you’re just sitting around again, which is not the balance I need after a day at work.

A good book you’ve read recently?

I can recommend “The Defining Decade” by Meg Jay. It shows how important the phase of life between 20 and 30 is for one’s own biography. This has encouraged me to gain as many experiences as possible that will help me move forward. For example, my semester abroad in Japan was something that gave me a lot.

What brought you to Japan?

It’s been a dream of mine for a long time. I really wanted to experience Japan, the unique culture, the beautiful nature and the unique architecture. I only knew all this from pictures and from series and movies. It was my first big trip alone, and then to a country whose language I barely spoke. That was very exciting and left a lasting impression on me.

On the Shibuya Sky viewing platform in Tokyo

2024-04-26, grosse-hornke

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