Oliver Kurtnacker

Study programme: Information Management and Corporate Communications (B.A.) (opens in a new window)

Employer: Boehringer Ingelheim

Position: Senior Manager Digital Innovation

Contact: LinkedIn-profile (opens in a new window)


Straightforward or via detours: what was your school career like and what interests did you have as a younger person?
I was fascinated by communication from an early age - how people receive information, how misunderstandings arise and how they can be avoided. My path to HNU was therefore not entirely straightforward: after training as an insurance salesman and gaining my first professional experience, I wanted to better understand how communication works strategically. HNU offered me the perfect mix of business, IT and communication - and the chance to think outside the box.


What experiences during your studies have had a particular impact on you?
My research stay at UCLA in Los Angeles was particularly formative for me. I wrote my bachelor's thesis there on internal communication in hospitals. I experienced how international research works - and how important it is to make information measurable. I also developed an app in the "Innovate4Healthcare" competition with an interdisciplinary team to improve communication between doctors and patients. Such projects have shown me that good ideas arise at interfaces - when different disciplines come together.


What is your advice to all graduates who are looking for their first job?
My advice to graduates: Don't be afraid of detours. Every job, even if it doesn't look like a "dream career", provides valuable experience. My first job after graduating was in project management for IT solutions. There I learnt how to orchestrate international teams and structure complex projects - skills that still help me today.


Please describe your day-to-day work. Which projects do you work on and which tasks do you particularly enjoy?
I currently work at Boehringer Ingelheim as Senior Manager Digital Innovation. I manage programmes that drive digital transformation in the company - from new IT systems to change management and stakeholder communication. I particularly appreciate working at the interface between people and technology: optimising processes, but also designing communication in such a way that everyone is involved.


How would you complete the following sentence beginning?
HNU... "not only gave me knowledge, but also the courage to gain international experience and try out new things. It showed me that communication is more than just talking - it is the key to successfully connecting projects, companies and people."