More than a year has now passed since I started working at Daimler Trucks Asia as a controller.

So what am I actually doing? I’m working in the Finance and Controlling Department as an operations controller. This means I’m responsible for overseeing the costs of production that occurs when producing trucks in the manufacturing plant in Kawasaki.

The main tasks are controlling production cost, monthly reporting/analysis (actuals vs plan), and standard cost setting. This as well as many ad hoc assignments.

The job is exciting since I have close communications with both business managers and other controllers. This is interesting since I get an operational viewpoint on the business, compared to the more traditional finance role. For example, thinking of ways to identify cost-saving opportunities and efficiency gains.

The automotive industry is challenging but very exciting. There are so many things happening right now. CASE (Connectivity, Autonomous, Shared, Electrification) is said to be the four elements of the megatrends that will transform the automotive industry.

Six months ago I started my new job as a Controller at Mitsubishi Fuso (Daimler Trucks Asia).

The company is nowadays a subsidiary to Daimler, the well known German automotive maker. Further back in time, the company used to be a commercial truck/bus maker that was a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Fuso is currently headquartered in Kawasaki with a manufacturing plant between Yokohama and Tokyo. The actual name derives from the old Chinese term Fusang, a hibiscus tree said to grow in the East where the sun rises, which is also a reference to Japan itself.

I first heard of this company from a University friend and am glad to have followed his advice to join. The team is international and diverse with 4 nationalities and I get to use English, Japanese, and sometimes even Swedish.

What is standing out for me since I started is the positive attitude towards work-life balance. Having a predictable work schedule with a flextime system and zero overtime goal is something I never thought I would experience in Japan.

Looking forward to seeing where this new direction will take me in my career.