Name, First Name: Thelen, Dirk
Nationality: German
City, Country: Strasbourg, France
Study Program, Degree: Process Engineering, Dipl.-Ing.
Year of Graduation: 1991
Employer, position: PPG Aerospace South Europe, Managing Director

Why did you choose the TUHH back then and was it a good decision from today's perspective?
Cost reasons: coming from Hamburg, right decision.

Can you remember the first impression the TUHH made on you?
Small university with good relationships with professors and academic staff.

What motivated you to choose this subject and this career?
Interest in the subject.

How would you summarize your time at the TUHH?
Super!

Your favorite meal in the cafeteria?
We didn't have a canteen, so the canteen in the tax office or alternatively the kebab store or the bakery was the only choice.

What was your favorite way to spend your time in Hamburg/Harburg besides studying?
Sailing.

What are your tips for a good career start in your industry?
Follow your inclinations and interests; Be open to other cultures and ways of thinking; Think about family!

What do you use from your studies for your career?
Analysis and expertise help more in professional discussions than business studies.

What does a typical working day look like for you and what skills do you need for it?
Forgetting the email flood and tackling things with a helicopter view.

If you were President of the TUHH...
... I would take even more care of the alumni.