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My story at LEONI
My name is Mohamed, and I have been working at LEONI in France since 2000. My path has been dynamic, with a degree in mechanical engineering from Morocco and an MBA from France. From SNEP and VALEO to LEONI, I have managed projects, led teams and driven innovation.
In February 2021, following the restructuring of NextGen, I moved to the role of Product Design Senior Expert within LEONI's product development team. My main focus is on providing product design expertise to OEMs in the French region, including companies such as Stellantis, Renault Nissan and Volvo. In addition, I take responsibility as sub-process owner of the Technology RfQ (Request for Quotation) process for the LEONI Wiring System Division and act as deputy to the Head of Product Development in France.
This is my job
As part of the Product Development team, our tasks primarily involve developing best-in-class, innovative products to add maximum value for LEONI and securing profitable RfQs. In my role as a Product Design Senior Expert, I support Designers and Specialists in French area OEMs (STELLANTIS-RENAULT-NISSAN and VOLVO) by:
- Providing inputs to the Product Strategy team based on customer feedback
- Identifying and developing standardized product technologies
- Executing customer pre-RfQ concepts
- Offering effective processes for RfQ execution
- Developing new tools and methods to enhance RfQ execution and product development efficiency
As Deputy Head of Product Development France, I:
- Provide various department-related reports
- Collaborate with the Head of the department to define and adjust the budget
Additionally, I interface with customers' technical experts to promote LEONI's products and services.
My daily routine
The most exciting aspect of my role is the absence of a predefined daily routine! Daily agendas vary due to diverse topics and close interactions with customers. However, if I were to outline a typical day, it would be as follows:
Start of the day:
I take my kids to school, then I drive to work. During the commute, if there is no early teleconference meeting, I listen to the news (politics, technology, business, etc.). The world is changing every day, and so are trends, which is why our solutions and way of working should be continuously updated and adjusted. That’s why it's very important to stay up to date every day!
If I am not working from home, I arrive at LEONI between nine and half past nine. I take five minutes for a brief discussion with my teammates. It’s crucial for maintaining team spirit. Then I follow the agenda: for example, a meeting on an RFQ from customer A, where we review the content of a bill of materials (BOM) to ensure it is consistent and robust, followed by another meeting on a pre-RFQ concept with customer B, where we analyze specifications for connector solutions for a new electrical architecture.
Lunch break
Between twelve and one pm, it’s time to have a lunch break. The inter-company restaurant is located 1 km from LEONI, so we take this opportunity to walk in a group of colleagues for 10 to 15 minutes, discussing different professional and personal topics.
Evening
Further meetings or workshops follow in the afternoon on different topics related to new product technology development or RfQ process optimization. For example, how to define a standardized BOM process and template for RFQs, or how to link the RfQ process to the development process.
End of the day
Around 5:30, meetings and workshops usually end. So, it’s time for me to work on specific topics like updating KPIs, following up on team workload, or preparing a presentation for the next customer meeting. Before I leave the office at around 6:00.
My highlight
I have several experiences within LEONI, so I don't have one best exciting moment but at least one for each experience. The most exciting so far is succeeding as a team to achieve our target. One recent example was our management of a big strategic RFQ. We defined a plan together with all internal stakeholders, analyzing the needs for the RFQ, the strategy to follow, and the different actions to execute. We followed the plan, adjusted it when necessary, and in the end, we won a 1 billion order intake RFQ!
The NextGen organization change was a particular challenge that I had to overcome because before NextGen, I was in the leadership stream managing teams for more than 10 years, and afterward, I moved suddenly to the professional stream as Senior Expert! It was hard to understand at the beginning, but I took it as an opportunity to discover this new professional stream, being convinced that there is not only one way to serve LEONI but several ones, and that new interesting opportunities come with the change.
My view of LEONI as an employer
LEONI is a special employer because LEONI people are special. And here is the recipe: A lot of know-how added to different cultures and good proximity with customer teams, along with very intensive communication between management and employees. All this makes LEONI a good workplace where we learn a lot of things!
