Raffaela Brenninger –One year living and working in Berlin

Name: Raffaela Brenninger

Age: 33

Lives in: Enzesfeld-Lindabrunn

Company: NOVOMATIC AG / Interior Design Solutions

Position: Functional Lead IDS / Project Management & International Sales With NOVOMATIC since: 06/2009

As Head of Project Planning, Marketing & PR and Sales of the Interior Design Solutions team, Raffaela Brenninger is not only responsible for the implementation of tasks and orders on time and within budget, but also acts as the project manager of international projects and is thus responsible for the smooth planning and implementation of client projects, acting as a central interface between the client, the department and external suppliers.

Such a major project was most recently the planning and implementation of the renovation at Spielbank Berlin.

“Even before construction began, I was responsible for the planning and interior design of the casino as well as the coordination with the client and the construction company in consideration of all wishes and requirements,” Raffaela Brenninger tells us. “During the renovation, which took 15 months and was divided into two construction phases, changes or construction challenges kept occurring, to which we had to react and find solutions.”

Consequently, the casino's wish was to have the project management on site. Hence, Raffaela and her two cats relocated to Berlin for a year. “Berlin is a fantastic city, with friendly and open-minded people and so many incredibly beautiful sights and places that I was able to see all. There were lots of highlights: I went to a number of concerts, events and parades and the Christmas markets in winter were also beautiful,” she says.

Also, her everyday work in her temporary office container right next to the casino was a definite highlight for Raffaela: “What I personally liked best were the people I met on the construction site. Many of them, be it workers from other trades or colleagues from the casino, have become good friends for me during this time. Not only did we work together intensively on the construction site, but we also often spent time together after work.”

Raffaela returns back home with countless new impressions and valuable experiences from her year in Berlin, both privately and professionally –including expanded technical know-how as well as a new level of stress resistance and flexibility: “For me, this year was a great experience and I am glad that I had the opportunity to implement this extraordinary project, with an outstanding team and in such a beautiful city.”