I probably got my enthusiasm for other cultures and countries from my grandfather, who travelled half the world, even though he came from a very humble background.I decided to study interpreting with Russian as my first language because I had always been extremely interested in the Soviet Union and its economic system. However, I soon realised that I was a ‘doer’ and that my path lay in entrepreneurship. The leading Austrian bank offered me the right career start and sent me to Moscow after my banking training to build up the credit and leasing business for corporate customers there. In Russia, I managed to land new loan and leasing business with a volume of more than USD 150 million using a self-developed sales strategy. And I realised that people like to be inspired by my ideas and rally around me.LLC Raiffeisen Leasing Aval, which I founded in Ukraine, is certainly my masterpiece: after three years, RLA was the market leader with annual new business of more than USD 300 million and the benchmark for all relevant KPIs, including the return on equity (over 20%) and the cost-income ratio (under 50%). Among the nearly 100 employees, there were a handful of exceptional performers that I had personally recruited and provided an environment in which they could develop their talents and quickly advance their careers. I am still in contact with many of those for whom I was a mentor and role model.After getting my MBA at St. Gallen University, I fulfilled a long-held dream and founded ATT advanced thermal technologies GmbH, a high-tech supplier for the automotive and aviation industries. As Managing Director, I developed a comprehensive strategy ATT with a special focus on innovation and technology, manufacturing as well as integrated financial planning. With this master plan, I led the company into the profit zone in 3 years and put together a team that was characterised by above-average expertise and very low staff turnover (less than 5% per year).After 10 years in Europe, I missed the dynamism and the business climate, but also the people of the post-Soviet region. My wife, who is from Kazakhstan, and I decided to move to Almaty and start a trading company for technology goods. From the very beginning, I have been able to rely on an extensive network throughout Central Asia, which I owe in part to my time at Raiffeisen, in part to my Kazakh relatives and in part to intensive business development over the last three years. I enjoy travelling the vastness of Central Asia on business and exploring the region in the process.