"Time is money, in our team, that's something we take quite literally."

> You've been working at Aurubis Olen for 13 years now. How did it all start?

My journey at Aurubis began as an intern. I studied Accountancy & Taxation at Thomas More and started my internship in March 2013. At the time, I worked on a combination of accounting and hedging tasks, including processing raw material invoices, preparing payment files, and getting my first introduction to hedging activities.

During my internship, a position became available within Finance. I found the work interesting and enjoyed working with my colleagues, so the decision was an easy one. I joined the company immediately after my internship, and here we are 13 years later.

> Your role is Coordinator Hedging. What exactly does that job involve?

Put simply, hedging is all about managing financial risk. The prices of copper and precious metals can fluctuate significantly in a very short period of time. Exchange rates also affect our business activities. As soon as we know that a batch of copper has been purchased, we effectively lock in the price in advance through financial contracts known as futures. This protects us against major price fluctuations and helps prevent financial losses.

As a result, a large part of my day is spent monitoring current metal prices and processing various transactions. We work closely with the Customer Service team in this regard. Once a copper purchase or sale is confirmed and the price has been fixed, the information is passed on to us so we can take the necessary steps to hedge the price. Our hedging activities are therefore always linked to a specific purchase or sale of copper.

> That sounds like a job where accuracy is extremely important. What does that look like in practice?

We work according to the so-called four-eyes principle. This means that every order is always checked by two people. For example, we verify whether all orders are correctly entered into the system and whether everything we expect is actually there. That is important because every fixation we miss can have a financial impact. You therefore need to work very carefully and accurately. In addition, there are daily deadlines and every order has a specific time by which it must be processed. “Time is money” is something we can take quite literally in our work.

> Is your work the same every day?

There is certainly a fixed structure to my day, but no two days are ever completely the same. What happens in the world also has an impact on our job. Metal prices can fluctuate constantly, and events on the global market can influence them. That is exactly what makes hedging so interesting to me. On the one hand, there is a clear structure, but on the other hand, the context can change every day. You can see very directly what financial impact that has.

> What makes your team an collaboration enjoyable?

Within Hedging, we are a team of four colleagues. We support each other and step in for one another when someone is on holiday, for example. You know you can rely on your colleagues, and that makes the work much more enjoyable. Across the entire Finance department, there is absolutely no silo mentality. We have different areas of expertise, but we work together as one team.

> How does Aurubis support you in continuing to grow and develop in your role? 

I think it is important that you are given the opportunity to keep developing yourself here. Even after 13 years, I am still learning. New projects and systems ensure that you continue to evolve in your job. At the moment, I am involved in a new project focusing on the connection between our hedge transactions and Accounting. It gives me the opportunity to learn beyond my own area of expertise and to better understand how different processes within Finance are connected. 

> You have ben working here for 13 years now. Why is Aurubis Olen a great employer for you? 

For me, my colleagues are absolutely number one. You can truly rely on each other. Collaboration with managers and colleagues is also based on mutual respect, and people genuinely listen to what you have to say. 

In addition, there is a great atmosphere. We enjoy a good laugh together, which makes it a fun place to work. The possibility to work from home is also very convenient. And for me personally, the location is ideal: I can be home in about seven minutes by bike. 

> What advice would you give to someone starting at Aurubis Olen today?

I would mainly say: give yourself the opportunity to explore the different possibilities within the company. You do not need to know everything from day one. I have learned a lot myself simply by doing the job and by taking on new responsibilities over the years. 

And who knows where your career might take you? I am still open to discovering new opportunities within Finance myself. Letting go of hedging would be difficult, though, because I still find it a fascinating field.

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