End view of steel pipes.

GMCA alum forges ahead at global steel firm

2 November 2017

The article at a glance

Doris Haselsteiner has spent 14 years carving out a career at the global organisation voestalpine. With over 50,000 employees worldwide and annual …

Category: News Programme news

Stack of steel pipe background, front view, 3d illustration

Doris Haselsteiner has spent 14 years carving out a career at the global organisation voestalpine. With over 50,000 employees worldwide and annual turnover of €11 billion, the steel company is a leading player in mobility and energy.

Doris worked in various roles specialising in the steel market before being assigned the Managing Director role at voestalpine UK, overseeing the team based in Hammersmith, London. In total, voestalpine counts 650 employees in the UK over eight separate locations.

Doris explains “The steel sector is heavily male dominated which I always saw as a great challenge and opportunity. Steel is a fascinating material to work with; it’s everywhere you look and integral to the functionality of so many industries and daily life. I was drawn to the opportunities of working within the steel industry, with its range of people and the diverse businesses you can influence and learn from.”

Working within a largely male-dominated industry, Doris was committed to developing her authentic leadership style. This is why she chose the General Management Certificate of Achievement (GMCA) at Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS) to help her develop in her role.

The insights I gained around situational leadership for example have been invaluable; I’m constantly adapting my approach to suit the context and the challenge.

“As well as the various industries with a focus in mobility and energy and the diverse client base, I have a very mixed team with 13 languages spoken in our London office alone. Managing teams with diverse cultures does require a clear understanding as well as a particular leadership style so I was seeking to expand my knowledge and experience. I was looking for an opportunity to learn from the experts whilst also meeting and exchanging with other managers who face similar challenges.”

The GMCA offers participants a choice of five two-day programmes that help to develop the individual leader, bringing both theory, practice and experience in to the classroom. The CJBS academics offer research led insights in a small and personal setting that allows individuals the time to both reflect on their own experiences and learn from their fellow attendees.

Doris adds “The international participant group was really strong; I met so many interesting people from diverse professional backgrounds. There was a significant amount of shared experiences and business cases which helped us all to learn from each other and develop our individual plans for the future.”

Doris continues “It was extremely valuable to share experiences with others, men and women in equal measure, in order to get perspectives from both ‘worlds’. I frequently draw on what I learnt on the GMCA. The insights I gained around ‘situational leadership’ for example have been invaluable; I’m constantly adapting my approach to suit the context and the challenge.”

“I would certainly say that my enhanced skills and ability have had an immediate impact at work. As far as measuring the outcome for my business, GMCA has been a solid investment with immediate returns.”