Martin is a Business Development Manager at HSE. He explains why it doesn’t feel like work when you follow your passion and what you can find in his home office.
What do you do at HSE?
In my first year at HSE, as a Principal System Engineer, I was responsible for system development projects. This covered everything from the proposal to concept development and design engineering through to the final product – in close collaboration with the other company disciplines.
I also had the opportunity to gain my first experience in the Sales department. I liked this so much that I switched departments in May 2024 and became a Business Development Manager.
What’s your background?
I worked for almost ten years as a Principal Engineer and partially as a Product Leader in Molecular Diagnostics at Roche. I was mainly involved in the lifecycle management of instruments for nucleic acid purification and PCR – things that were suddenly needed everywhere during the Corona pandemic.
Before joining Roche, I worked at QIAGEN in Hilden, focusing on developing an innovative Lab-on-Chip system. Following my tenure there, I transitioned to Roche. It’s noteworthy that during this period, QIAGEN Instruments in Hombrechtikon was closed, leading to the foundation of HSE•AG through a management buyout of QIAGEN Instruments.
Why did you choose HSE?
I was truly amazed by how professional and innovative the organization is, stemming from its roots in QIAGEN. HSE•AG is a perfect fit for me, illustrating how a smaller team, compared to larger corporate structures, can move quickly and maintain professionalism. I was particularly stunned by the portfolio developed in Hombrechtikon by the former QIAGEN team. Their ability to innovate and execute at such a high level solidified my decision to join HSE•AG.
Is the role all that you imagined it would be?
I’m surprised at the extent to which I can make my own decisions, act, and then implement things. Thanks to the flat hierarchies, there are short decision-making and escalation paths. This not only makes my work faster, but also gives me more responsibility.
My projects here bring me into close contact with customers. Direct customer contact is so important for my work because you can achieve much more when you hear the customer's point of view, challenges, and problems first hand.
What do you find professionally exciting?
It doesn’t feel like work. Health care was, and is, what drives me. This was what inspired me to study biology. It always feels a bit like a mission.
What do most people not know about you?
I have a colony of ants at home and I’m also a plant freak. I really like to grow plants and my home office is a jungle.
