Like a startup within a corporate group – Andreas, Vice President Cloud, on teamwork, responsibility, and new cloud products at Vector
As Vice President Cloud, Andreas is responsible for a new product division at Vector that operates like a startup within the corporate group. Together with his team, he continues to develop cloud products, shaping the future of software-defined systems. In this People Story, he explains why a passion for technology, teamwork, and the courage to step outside one’s comfort zone are crucial to him.
Please introduce yourself briefly and give us an insight into your responsibilities at Vector.
Hi, I’m Andreas and I work at Vector as Vice President of the cloud product division. My team and I are further developing Vector’s robust software portfolio and expanding it to include systems outside the vehicle.
What did you study? And what fields did you enter after that?
I completed a dual degree in electrical engineering in Friedrichshafen. After my time at Mercedes—where I worked in software development and process optimization—I entered the world of “connected vehicles”. The exciting part: I had almost no prior experience in mobile communications or networking technology at the time. My manager said, “We’ll teach you that—you bring the automotive perspective.” That totally took the pressure off me.
For over ten years, I’ve been connecting vehicles to the Internet and have had the opportunity to work with some of Europe’s most impressive automakers.
What are you currently working on?
We’re currently working on our Software-Defined Anything (SDx) platform. It helps developers build connected features much faster and more easily—and deploy them both in the vehicle and in the cloud. Essentially, it creates something like an “app store for vehicle features”: new features can be developed, distributed, and used more easily. And that goes far beyond traditional areas like music or navigation.
How would you describe teamwork or the atmosphere at Vector?
Our division is spread across three locations and is still quite new in this form. We meet in person once a month to plan the goals for the coming weeks—and, of course, for team events. Despite the short time we’ve been together, an incredibly strong sense of team spirit has developed. What I experience at Vector overall: a genuine enthusiasm for technology and teamwork.
What have you been able to learn or try at Vector that you hadn’t encountered during your studies?
At Vector, I can combine everything from my studies and my career so far: technology, process optimization, product strategy, and collaboration with colleagues and customers. At the same time, I realize that there are people in every division from whom I can still learn something. What excites me most about Vector: everyone here is so passionate about technology that it’s a joy to work with my colleagues.
What advice would you give to students who want to pursue a similar career later on?
I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone time and again—from leaving a stable corporation to join a consulting firm to building new teams and tackling new areas of focus. Every time, I was a bit nervous, but every time I realized: It’s worth it, and I can do this.
My tip: Dare to step into the unknown. If you feel like you’re no longer learning anything new, it’s time for the next challenge.
(The video is in German, please select English subtitles in the settings.)
