Hi, my name is…

….Dominik and I come from Germany. I grew up around 50 km south of Munich in a beautiful landscape close to the Alps. I spend most of my free time doing outside activities like mountain biking, hiking, skiing and scuba diving, and I love travelling across the globe. Besides that, it is very important for me to have enough time with my family, friends, and to find quiet moments for me to recharge my batteries and stay in balance.

Prior to Roche I worked for a very small software company in Germany as a Specialised Computer Scientist. I joined Roche Penzberg, Germany in June 2002. I worked in different technical areas before I had the opportunity to change my career path in 2007, moving on to leadership of global IT teams.

My typical day at work is…

...one that demands a lot of flexibility from me, which I truly enjoy. I lead a global IT infrastructure consultancy team with team members in Basel, Penzberg, Sao Paulo, South San Francisco and Shanghai. In my role, I’m accountable for ensuring successful partnering within IT, and I support our organisation in adjusting the strategy in line with fast-changing IT and Roche needs. The global lead, the people in the organisation, and my passion to learn and influence the strategy, motivate me to get up every day! In my role, I’m in contact with many people in the organisation globally, which, alongside the IT, provides me with great insights into the Roche business challenges across all departments.

The location I am working at ...

I have lived in Rheinfelden since 2013, and I work at Roche in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland. Kaiseraugst is only 15 km away from Basel and currently hosts around 1900 employees. The site is transforming massively, and many new investments are happening. There is also huge investment into IT going on: All IT functions, which are currently distributed over many sites in Basel and Kaiseraugst, will be consolidated in a “Home for IT” in Kaiseraugst. For that, 4 new modern buildings are being constructed, and they will provide space for around 1300 IT employees. In addition, a new canteen opened in 2015, and several new buildings and park spaces will contribute to a great Roche site.

My work helps Roche to …

... get the best IT service that allows Roche to make a difference to patients’ lives. IT is an important pillar for Roche and is part of all business processes. This is possible with my IT background, an experienced and engaged team, and a growing understanding of the Roche business needs. It is this which enables me, together with my colleagues in IT, to make a difference for Roche and speed up the delivery of new innovative drugs for our patients.

Roche as an employer is…

…for me, one of the best things that happened to me and my career. Career-wise I had many internal development opportunities and moved from a technical career path into management. One of my key learnings is to be open to change, new challenges, and to leave the comfort zone. Even after 14 years, new opportunities come up, and I just started a rotation into another management role to develop my capabilities. The flexible working-time model allows me to adjust my schedule to suit my personal life, and I have the freedom to work from virtually anywhere. This also helps me work with our colleagues who are located in different time zones. The corporate values of integrity, courage and passion are in line with my values. Personally, I feel respected by Roche and experience a lot of support whenever needed.

What has been your biggest opportunity to date within Roche?

My biggest opportunity was just last year, when I led a global Organisational Change Management initiative to improve the collaboration between two big IT departments. This was something completely new for me, and a big challenge at the beginning. The support of many colleagues, the trust of our leadership, and the positive response we received from the organisation made it a unique experience for me.

What distinguishes the Roche culture from the culture at other companies you have worked for?

For me, it’s Roche’s interest in people, and its commitment to making it a great place to work. I feel myself strongly supported by my team, manager, and leadership team. I have seen many examples in the organisation of people needing and receiving support, be it for personal or professional reasons. Roche actually provides this support, where others just talk about it. This gives me a lot of trust in the company, and motivates me to deliver extraordinary results.

For more information about career opportunities and open positions please visit careers.roche.ch/it.

Explore here how IT at Roche has an impact on patients' lives.