#WeAreQvest
7 Questions for Philipp Glänzel
Philipp Glänzel is General Manager - CTO at Qvest Dubai. In our interview series "7 Questions for ..." he talks about his start at the company, everyday working life and development opportunities in his department along with tips for starting your career.
Question: Philipp, when did you start at Qvest and how did you end up here?
Philipp Glänzel: I started at Qvest - at that time still Wellen + Noethen - in July 2011 as a Broadcast IT Support Engineer in the Service & Support department. After my studies in media technology at the University of Applied Sciences in Düsseldorf and my work at WDR, where I completed my thesis on the topic of "tapeless production", I developed a long-standing interest in media production and the technology behind it. The insights into professional production processes in the film and television sector led me to specialize in the design and implementation of modern production environments.
The search for system integrators in Germany quickly led me to Qvest. Compared to the competition at the time, I found Qvest to be a young and modern company on the rise, offering numerous opportunities for personal development and exciting international projects.
After now almost twelve years at Qvest with many projects and professional stations, I have been General Manager - CTO of Qvest in Dubai for more than two and a half years. I am responsible for project implementation and Qvest's technical-operational business in the MENA region.
What is your department responsible for?
Qvest Dubai offers the full range of Qvest services worldwide in the MENA region. A special focus is on systems integration and service & support for large projects in the area.
In my position, I oversee a team of 20 employees who work in the fields of pre-sales engineering, solution architecture, project management, installation and support. Together, we handle tenders, implement projects and serve our customers with comprehensive support contracts. We have been fortunate to manage some exciting large-scale projects in recent years, which are very rare in other regions.
What does your typical workday look like?
I don't really have a typical workday. Mostly, I deal with tenders or projects that we are currently working on. This means a constantly changing requirement profile at both the technical and management levels. That's what makes my current position at Qvest so appealing.
Of course, in addition to the ever-changing activities, there are also more constant tasks such as the role of "Project Owner". In this case, I assume technical and commercial responsibility for the execution of individual projects. Success here comes from the collaboration of a strong team guided by the "Technical Lead" and a Project Manager.
What do you like the most about your job?
The variety and the challenge are particularly decisive for me. We develop solutions that are state of the art. At Qvest, for example, we more than once were able to implement workflows and systems that had not previously existed in the industry. The spectrum ranges from automated mechanical solutions and innovative broadcast technology to custom software development with the latest cloud technology.
Which project (or event) at Qvest do you remember most?
I always have special memories of the projects where we started on a greenfield site and built up a complete TV station from scratch. There have been a few projects like this in recent years, such as building up the TV station Asharq News in Dubai.
These projects are characterized by their challenge, but also by the freedom you have when you can approach a project without existing technology. In these cases, there are usually many different opportunities for innovation and improvement. We are constantly evolving, and no two projects are the same.
Of course, these events are always associated with very positive experiences with your own team, as you can only ever achieve the goal together. All the joint work and effort put into each project results in one of the best teams and a unique sense of belonging at Qvest.
When you think back to your beginnings at Qvest – what has changed since then, what has remained the same?
When I started at Qvest, we were just under 100 employees - today, on the other hand, we already have more than 1,300 people spread across several international locations. This shows that major changes have already taken place within the company and will continue to do so. Qvest is in a constant state of flux and is changing with the market and its requirements.
I see the fact that Qvest is constantly changing with the market as something very positive. Because even if the company and its demands on its own quality are constantly changing and growing, the spirit of a start-up remains. The urge to keep improving and innovating - that's what Qvest is all about.
What tips do you have for applicants who want to work in your field?
In general, I can only recommend everyone to apply at Qvest. Qvest offers you the unique opportunity to get to know a broad spectrum of the media industry and to continuously develop yourself. Whether you are a trainee, student, junior or senior: If you are interested, we offer you many opportunities to work on modern and international projects in the media industry.
As for Dubai, we are constantly on the lookout for interesting applicants. We're always happy to receive unsolicited applications if you haven't found what you're looking for among our open positions.
