Get to know our Head of R&D – Marco Monzani | KraftPowercon

Hi Marco! Tell us about your professional background.
Sure! Where to begin. As far as I can remember, I have always been passionate about technology and product development, which led me to pursue a career as an engineer. I have had different engineering jobs and worked in several industries throughout my career. I have been in the consultancy industry, the audio industry, the automotive industry, and most recently, the marine industry. I have worked professionally in R&D since 1993, and since 2005, in management positions. Moving across different industries has allowed me to work with a wide array of products aimed at different markets. About two and a half years ago, I joined KraftPowercon as Head of R&D.

How would you describe a regular day as Head of R&D at KraftPowercon?
KraftPowercon is a global company with R&D departments in Sweden, India, and China. As Head of R&D, I spend a lot of time coordinating our global R&D efforts with my international colleagues. We work closely and utilize each other’s strengths to develop new products and solutions. I am also closely involved in talent acquisition, recruitment, and employer branding, which are areas I find very important. To be able to develop world-leading power solutions, we need talented people. It goes hand in hand.

Why do you think employer branding is important?
To attract new talent, we need to differentiate ourselves from our competitors. Engineers especially are highly sought-after – not only in our industry, but by all companies that either provide services or manufacture products of a technical character. Multiple factors dictate whether a potential candidate finds a specific company interesting or not. Things such as company culture, reputation, and even measures related to sustainability, are things people consider when comparing one company with another.

We have a lot to offer at KraftPowercon, but sometimes I think candidates get deterred because we develop products for rather niched applications. That is why I believe employer branding is crucial – as it allows us to present our value proposition in a more holistic and appealing way to potential candidates.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
As a department, we are faced with technical challenges every day – it is part of the job. On the one hand, we work to develop new innovative products and applications for our business units. On the other hand, we are continuously upgrading our existing product portfolio. It is a balancing act that demands close collaboration across different competencies and disciplines. Our engineers work with products and applications for all our business units. Whether you are interested in the technology, or rather about the application itself, we offer equally relevant challenges and opportunities for everyone to express their skills and creativity.

What motivates you in your work?
I very much enjoy the variety of my job – no two days are the same. While I like the technical aspects, my main driving force is enabling my colleagues. For me, it is crucial to cultivate a work environment in which people thrive and develop. Thanks to my engineering background, I have a good understanding of the challenges our engineers face. I speak their language, so to say. This is very helpful for me as I often act as a bridge between the R&D department, which is very technical and product-oriented, and other departments at the company.

What do you like most about working at KraftPowercon?
I like that we have a welcoming, familiar company culture and an international atmosphere with colleagues all over the world. I think what separates KraftPowercon from other companies I have previously worked at is that we genuinely put our customers’ needs at the forefront. Sure, this might sound like a cliché – but it is true, nonetheless. Whenever a problem occurs that affect our customers, we do our utmost to solve it.