Welcome to … Hamburg!

The harbor, the Alster lake, a relaxed "moin" – that’s Hamburg – according to the current YouGov Umfrage, the most attractive city in Germany. And the headquarters of Beiersdorf for more than 130 years. In a little pharmacy near the St. Michael’s church, just about 750 meters from the edge of the harbor, the history of today’s DAX-listed company began in 1880. Since then, a lot has happened and a lot of water has flown down the river Elbe. Today’s Plant 1 is in the popular neighborhood of Eimsbüttel, while a few hundred meters away in Plant 5 research is being done on new skin care concepts and Plant 3 is where the famous NIVEA Creme is produced for all of Europe.

And that’s why, there was no doubt which place would kick off our update series “Welcome to…”. In these short news articles, we will introduce you to our affiliates and show you the different places all over the world where you can work for Beiersdorf. The perspective will always be that of our employees who are just as international as our affiliates.

Hamburg through the eyes of a Hamburger? Boring, we thought. That’s why we asked those who have come from faraway corners of the world:

Estelle D’Cruz comes from Australia, is 27 years old and works in HR as Global Project Lead on engagement projects for employees.

Cyril Macé, 41, is French and in International Marketing is responsible for projects in Integrated Innovation Management.

Dwi Mudriah is 35 years old and came to Hamburg from the Production Center in Malang, Indonesia, as a Warehouse Assistant Manager.

Cyril: State-of-the-art facilities in the heart of the city housing a bustling concentration of experts in all fields.

Dwi: Beiersdorf headquarters in Hamburg is so big …

Estelle: Yes, Beiersdorf headquarters makes me realize just how enormous, global, complex, and successful we are as a business!

Dwi: The Coffee Shop. Because we did not have one in Malang in Indonesia. I like to have meetings with my colleagues there. We can have a discussion in a relaxed atmosphere but still get work done.

Estelle: For me, it is the fantastic team, who have been incredibly supportive and caring. My team and the broader HR community have made me feel very welcome. Our core value CARE is truly lived here.

Cyril: Well, I start a typical day by taking the pulse of colleagues already at their desks. Grabbing a hot drink, I am then off to my first project team meeting of the day. In between I bump into a few colleagues with whom I discuss the latest internal news. Time for a lunch break in a well-catered company restaurant, before moving to the next meeting on the latest trends, wondering what the guest speakers from Google will treat us to. I’m then ready for some work that requires a bit more uninterrupted concentration, so I book one of the retreat rooms to finish it off.

Estelle: Moving from a local HR Business Partner in Australia to a Global Project Management role, has meant I’ve had to very quickly learn the global business and structures – this was critical for my role. Now the challenge is that I need to ensure that although I have a global mindset, I never forget my local/regional mindset!

Also not understanding the language makes the small things difficult – operating the photocopy machine, navigating my way around the intranet site – and in private life grocery shopping for example is an interesting experience!

Dwi: I have the opportunity to travel in European countries, see different cultures and even experience different weather conditions. Since I come from a tropical country, it was very special for me to see snow for the first time. Now, in spring, I notice every plant as it starts to bloom and I feel so happy if the sun comes out and the sky turns to blue. Working here is special because of the diversity of the team. My team consists of people of different cultures, ages and experiences. They really inspire me and we have one thing in common: Professionalism and a great team spirit. I think when it comes to these two points, we all have the same core values.

Estelle: The weather is also a challenge for me coming from a relatively warm, sunny country, the cold and grey skies take some getting used to. Also, Germans really are precise with their time management. It is not just a stereotype! They are really ‘time’-focused. This has really forced me to sharpen up on my punctuality. Meetings do actually finish right on time here – I like this and see it as a positive, the meetings are productive and succinct!I love that coming here has pushed me out of my comfort zone! Hamburg is a pretty city, seeing and learning more detail about German history is incredibly interesting and the architecture is charming. And the transport system is amazing and always precisely on time :) …

Cyril: Biking to work through a lot of green areas, working in the heart of the city and encountering an international mindset every day (Hamburg is known as a door open to the world thanks to its harbor) make life in Hamburg special. The Hanseatic culture is also something typical from Northern Germany that you can see and feel: a kind of neat reserve with a twist of assertiveness: in the architecture, in people’s fashion, in the way you can win people’s minds and hearts. It is not the easiest to get into, but once you crack the code, you can make trustworthy friends and working relationships that last.