Dídac Peña Pérez has been part of our Spanish cbs team in Barcelona for the past five years. In this article he explained about how he helped to build up the site in five years, led international collaborations and nurtured young talents, and what he particularly appreciates about cbs.
Didac has always been driven by a desire to work on projects around the world. This drive eventually led him to Heidelberg 5 years ago, where he completed the SLT (System landscape transformation) Bootcamp for three months before moving to Barcelona to help set up the site there. He was thus the first SLT consultant in our Spanish cbs team. At that time Didac and his team were still working in a coworking space, but they have since moved into their own office. The Barcelona site celebrated its 5th anniversary this spring and now employs over 40 people, in SLT, Authorizations, GTS (Global Trade Service) and E-Invoicing.
The role of the SLT team in Spain
Didac’s SLT team in Spain is now the second largest after Heidelberg. The demand for SAP consulting in Spain is high, especially in the international area. At the moment, the team is mainly working on international projects with German customers. However, there are also some local projects that did not even require marketing.
Cooperation with the German and Austrian SLT teams is crucial for Didac and his team. At the same time, he is aware that cultural differences in working methods can occur. Saniards, for example, frequently prioritize their private lives, which is a positive aspect of their culture. However, this does not equate to less productivity, the prioritization is merely different. If you don’t manage these different expectations, it can lead to problems. He appreciates that cbs shares this philosophy that longer working hours don’t necessarily produce better results.
The SLT trainee program in Spain
An important aspect of the work at cbs is the promotion of young talent locally. In addition to the German trainee program, there has also been a special SLT trainee program in Spain for two years in cooperation with the team from APAC. The cbs Graduates Programme aims to develop local talent at an international level. In addition to an introduction to general SAP systems and a deep dive training in SLT, the trainees are involved in projects at an early stage.
The cooperation with APAC is coordinated in such a way that the joint training sessions for Spanish trainees take place in the morning, which corresponds to the afternoon for the colleagues from APAC. Didac is proud of the program as it is exceptional in the consulting industry and underscores cbs’ commitment to its employees and the development of young talent.
What makes it special to work at cbs
When asked what Didac appreciates about working at cbs, he doesn’t have to think twice. cbs cares about its employees, he says, and you can tell that care is taken to make sure everyone is happy and enjoys their jobs: “We want to listen to people and their needs.” However, the high level of transparency and flexibility can also be a hurdle for new employees, he says. He has experienced this himself a few times during the onboarding process. Many applicants are not used to having such freedom from their previous careers and then become suspicious.
Another aspect that Didac appreciates about cbs is its strategy of sustainable growth. Investments are only made where necessary, without overburdening employees. This approach differs from his experience in previous positions and makes cbs a unique employer for him. “We are more humble than others and we try investing what is just needed to be invested without risking too much.” Keeping the balance here is not easy and he appreciates that cbs makes such an effort. This gives him the feeling that they may not be growing the fastest, but that they are on a profitable path. This is particularly important from his subsidiary point of view.
Future plans
Didac is confident that his team in Spain will continue to grow in the coming years, as demand in terms of projects increases. While his team will continue to focus on international projects, there are also plans to increasingly serve Spanish customers. The market not only opens up opportunities for the SLT sector, but the Authorizations business unit, which was recently added to the cbs portfolio, also has great potential in Spain. Currently Didac is also in talks with colleagues of other BUs who want to do business in Spain.
One highlight for Didac is the regularly held Comeptence Center Days, where all SLT team members come together as recently in Barcelona and Frankfurt. On the agenda here, in addition to presentations and workshops, is of course a big celebration in the evening, where you can also get to know long-time colleagues a little better in private.
Dídac Peña Pérez ‘s success story at cbs is an inspiring example of individual development and site growth in a global company. We are proud to accompany Didac and his team in Spain on their journey and look forward to many more years of successful collaboration.
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