The Bridge Builder
Sita Mazumder, Member of the Supervisory Board at PALFINGER AG
PALFINGER is undergoing a process of profound change from a traditional mechanical engineering firm to an innovative technology company. Digital transformation is already part of our corporate culture. Now, the challenge is to integrate new technologies into all product lines and business processes, and to ensure the continued development of a unified system that everyone can access. This is a challenge where Sita Mazumder from Switzerland will assist PALFINGER.
Digital Transformation Specialist
“People and machines,” says Sita Mazumder, “work best when they work in combination with each other. When you bring them together, you achieve the strongest and most sustainable decisions.” That is a statement that PALFINGER can only confirm. The best possible work of people and machinery is our core competence. And how they can work together even better with the help of digital transformation is Sita Mazumder’s area of expertise.
Artificial Intelligence and Wafers
Since April 07, the Swiss national has been providing her practical and theoretical expertise to the Supervisory Board of PALFINGER AG. “It’s wonderful to be involved in helping this company enter the modern era,” says Sita Mazumder, who is Professor of IT and Economics in the field of Artificial Intelligence at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, has published eight books, and also runs her own company. Several Swiss companies already draw on her expertise as a member of their supervisory and administrative boards - as does Josef Manner Comp. AG in Vienna, which is undergoing a transformation process from a classic wafer manufacturer to a digitalized company.
Explaining Changes
Sita Mazumder’s declared aim is combining tradition with innovation while involving people in the process. “I’m a bridge builder. I build bridges between economics, science and administration, between business, technology and IT, between tradition and innovation,” she emphasizes. “Because change,” she continues, “has always existed, it is normal: in today’s world, we perceive changes to be faster and bigger. Change works when people see an advantage and an application. To encourage that, I spend a lot of time involving people and letting them get into the process.”
Seizing Opportunities
“Digitalization,” says Sita Mazumder, “often brings internal resistance. New ways of doing things come with joy and sorrow, fear and hope. To win people over, clarification is needed.” That is because people are not being abolished, but their tasks are changing. “It’s about combining people and machines. This makes jobs more interesting and safer, for instance. We are in a phase where the machines work together with people best using the double-check principle,” she explains. The machine, e.g. artificial intelligence, supports its users in reaching their goal more efficiently and effectively. “I am delighted to be able to accompany and support PALFINGER into a successful future. There are many challenges and opportunities to be seized,” says Sita Mazumder, looking forward to working for PALFINGER.
