Where the energy industry meets information technology
An interview with Johann Schütz, enspired's COO & CISO
1. How has your professional development shaped your career path? What were the most influential periods in your life?
Despite having worked in the IT sector for more than 20 years now, I would consider myself a career changer. I started out as a trained car mechanic, but IT was something that interested and excited me. And then I thought why shouldn't I make my passion my profession? After attending various night schools and intensive trainings, I got an opportunity to work as an IT administrator for a large company, and after some time, I got the offer for a management position. Since I enjoy working with people and feel comfortable in leadership roles, I quickly advanced my skills, and after a few years, I was leading a team of about 50 people spread across the CEE region.
Then, some more years later, I got a call from my former work colleague Conny, asking me if I could imagine working at a smaller company. Since I love challenges, I accepted the offer to start my new job as Head of Operations at the software producer VisoTech. It was also my first step into the energy industry. I'm really glad I made this decision. Not only was I able to gain a lot of experience, but I also learned to appreciate the advantages of working in a small business.
2. Why did you decide to become a part of enspired?
I can still remember the first conversation I had with Jürgen (enspired's CEO), and the idea of "fully automated energy trading" immediately intrigued me. The thought of being able to build something from the ground up, together with great colleagues, seemed very appealing to me and was a new challenge that I could not miss out on, so I said yes.
3. In your view, what constitutes a modern IT infrastructure, and how has this changed over the years?
I could write a whole discussion paper on this topic. The factors that characterize a modern infrastructure are availability, performance, flexibility, and, of course, the security aspect. For me, availability and security always come first. In the past, you had to think about how, for example, to distribute your infrastructure across at least two data centers and what security components or measures are needed for this. Now have infinite possibilities with various cloud solutions. Having a cloud setup is indispensable these days, and of course you need professional cloud developers to cover the issues of redundancy, availability, fast scalability, short time-to-market, cost efficiency, and high security.
A lot has happened in the IT security and data protection area in recent years, and the scope of resources is enormous. This development is particularly beneficial for SMEs. Every company, no matter how small can build modern, highly available, and cost-effective infrastructure. Nevertheless, a lot of well-invested work goes into the planning of modern infrastructure. one is spoilt for choice from a multitude of offered services, which have to be selected according to one's needs.
4. Where do you find inspiration for work, and how do you keep up to date with the latest developments in your field?
The daily exchange with colleagues is one of the most important inspirations for me. When I come across new ideas on various online platforms, I make sure to discuss them with my co-workers and get their opinions. Beyond that, I regularly attend lectures and workshops to stay on top of industry developments. I am also part of a CISO online community, which is great for gathering new information finding inspiration.
What's it like to work at enspired?
