Taking a look behind the scenes of companies: In the interview series herWHY, female employees give an insight and a very personal view of their job. They report on how they got there and describe the benefits they bring to the company with their area of responsibility. Learn about the women’s varied paths and get an authentic insight into the company.
Sarah Debler (Infineon Technologies AG) in herWHY-Interview
herCAREER: Why did you choose the company where you are currently employed?
Sarah Debler: I actually started out at Infineon by chance. It makes a lot of sense in retrospect though, and I am very glad that I landed in an environment where I can contribute the knowledge and skills I learned through my studies (physics specializing in semiconductor physics, Master of Business Administration). I am able to work on topics and trends that personally motivate and interest me (energy efficiency, renewable energy, and electromobility). I also really wanted to work in an international organization and to have a multifaceted, dynamic job with plenty of opportunities to learn and grow.
herCAREER: Can you explain the “why” behind your chosen path? What drives you from a professional and personal perspective?
Sarah Debler: What motivates me above all is the fact that Infineon can play a role in mitigating global warming through products for applications like renewable energy and electromobility. For example, the products for which my team and I are responsible have a direct impact on the efficiency and range of electric vehicles. Granted, I am not a developer working on the technology evolutions that will make our chips more efficient. But my responsibilities include ensuring that our product line is focused on strategically important customers and market segments, that our developers are working on demand-driven products, and that sufficient manufacturing capacity is available to meet customer demand. In short, that our products have a sustainable future.
At a personal level, I am motivated by positive exchange and collaboration with my colleagues – I love it when we support and challenge each other and can achieve common goals.
herCAREER: How or where do you have the possibility to shape outcomes / future developments?
Sarah Debler: My team has a lot of input into product strategy and the success of certain products used in today’s electric vehicles. This is based on the work we did and the decisions we made a few years ago. I see that as a very direct possibility to shape outcomes or future developments.
Since I became team lead, selecting and onboarding new employees, and building a spirit of teamwork are the areas where I have the biggest impact. Supporting my team members on a continuous professional growth and learning path is also an important responsibility – but the opportunities for growth are also expanding and broadening as electromobility gains more and more traction in the marketplace.
herCAREER: Which three professional skills do you think are crucial for the job?
Sarah Debler: An analytical mind, a technical understanding of the applications and technologies of our semiconductor products, and insights into the marketing toolset required to define and market demand-driven products and manage their lifecycle.
herCAREER: Which of your talents in particular do you bring to the table in this job?
Sarah Debler: I am good at maintaining an overview of many different and dynamic topics. This is a useful skill in a business that is growing fast and changing quickly.
I like to work with people in lots of different functions. Since product management plays a key interfacing role within the company, the ability to collaborate across teams is extremely important. This obviously also applies to my role as manager.
When faced with challenging topics or situations, I act quickly and efficiently in defining an action plan. I suppose you would say I have good staying power. This allows me to tackle larger challenges by breaking them down step by step into actionable items.
About the person
Sarah Debler studied physics at Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). She went on to complete a short international MBA at Collège des Ingénieurs in Paris. During this period, she worked as a consultant with the French electric utility company Electricité de France. In 2015, she began her career at Infineon Technologies in Munich, working as a business developer with the Industrial Power Control division. She then switched to product marketing for electric vehicle semiconductors, where she has been leading the product management team since 2019.
