Do you know what our IT business partners do? In this interview, we meet Franz Maier, who tell us more about his work at SR Technics, how they see the optimal collaboration between business and IT. 

 

Who? 

• Franz Maier (FM), Head IT Business Partner & Innovation – at SR Technics since January 1998

 

Q1: You are working in IT. Tell us more about your current role and your career to date. 

FM: I lead the section of the IT Business Partners and IT Project Management, where I’m responsible for project portfolio management within IT. In addition, I’m the IT Business Partner for Finance and Corporate Strategy. The IT Business Partner is responsible for understanding and assisting the business in implementing the IT solutions and services that provide the best return on investment and also for ensuring that IT provides optimal support for the implementation of the business strategy. The IT Business Partner is the advocate of the business within IT and vice-versa. 

 

Prior to this role, I worked in Aircraft Service and Line Maintenance in several planning and project positions. Between 2006 and 2014, I worked for SR Technics abroad in locations like Bahrain and Seoul, South Korea, and in 2010 I built up our facility in Malta as the Head of Planning. 

 

Q2: Franz, you worked previously as part of the business and moved recently to IT, is working in IT different from your work in the business unit? And what benefits does this bring to your current role? 

FM: SR Technics always stands for innovative and efficient products and services. For example, we were the first in the world to reduce easyJet's A320 heavy maintenance visits (6Y checks) from 21days down to 14 days. In Malta, we reduced it further to 10 days. This was only possible through close cooperation between business and IT. Much has already been achieved with the improvement of work processes, but we have achieved outstanding results for SRT & the customer by automating manual work steps and combining our unique job card system. 

 

The same applies to the projects announced in the last few months, such as Vocollect (EngineServices) Global Planning (Component Services) and the ongoing project in Aircraft Services with the digitization of SR Technics job cards and various interfaces into customer systems (CS, AS). 

 

The big advantage for me in my current job coming from the business is that I understand where automation makes sense in the business processes and where it does not. 

 

Q3: Your team is working daily with people across the organization. In your view, how do IT and business work best together? 

FM: Communication is the key word. First of all, we should understand that goals can only be achieved together. Both IT and business have unbelievable experience in their fields and if we can channel this potential properly and exploit it, we will continue to play an important role in the aviation industry in the future. 

 

Q4: Can you say something about upcoming IT projects and your key focus areas for the next 3-6 months? 

FM: First of all, we are working on a contract extension with our outsourcing partner which also enables SR Technics to use new technologies.  

 

The introduction of EMM (Enterprise Mobility Management) is the next step towards managing and deploying company apps on mobile devices. We are also working continuously to standardize and improve our IT architecture landscape.  

 

Another important goal for 2018 is to create a feasibility study on what the future SAP application strategy should look like. 

 

Earlier this year, we worked with ES on the Vocollect project, which uses speech recognition to record engine data without the need to manually enter it into our core systems. The SR Technics IT team developed and implemented the first interface on the market using the Vocollect software and SAP. Project ES 300+ is now in focus and we are working together with ES to define specific IT needs, to support reaching the goal of increasing the capacity to more than 300 engines per year.  

 

We have also been working with our Quality department to replace the current document management system, where our manuals and other documentation are created and managed before being published on the Intranet. Another prominent project is REACH compliance, where we are supporting OSHE to implement a chemicals database and reporting solution to achieve automation of our compliance process with the European Chemical Legislation and setting the basis for similar improvements in the management of hazardous materials in SR Technics. 

 

Q5: What is your typical work day like and what do you most enjoy about your role? 

FM: The interesting thing about our job is that in the morning you don't know exactly what the day will bring. The disadvantage is that you don't know how long your day will be, either. 

 

Q6: What do you like to do when you are not working? 

FM: Our two sons are very much responsible for the leisure time arrangements in the family. Since my wife is from China and my older son also speaks Chinese, I am also improving my Chinese language skills (beginner). In addition to that, I like cooking and eating, which unfortunately is reflected in my weight.  

 

Q7: You are working and living in Switzerland, what is your favorite place in Switzerland and why? 

FM: During my stays abroad, I have had the opportunity to get to know wonderful places. I love to visit the city of Zurich, especially the lakeside, but I also like the Ticino with its mountains and mediterrian climate.