MARYAN RIZINSKI: FOCUSING ON PEOPLE AND CULTURE

Bosch.IO is the technology provider of the Bosch Group for sophisticated IoT solutions. The company’s mission is to empower businesses and improve quality of life, enabling millions of devices to be connected and managed seamlessly. Bosch.IO does the IoT "heavy lifting" in different verticals such as retail, energy, building technology, agriculture, manufacturing, consumer goods, and mobility so that customers can focus on their core strategy with confidence. With the expertise in software and firmware updates over the air, the team keeps everything from vehicle fleets and security cameras to machinery to stay continuously up to date. The solutions offered enhance productivity and safety, and conserve natural resources while reducing costs. We talk to Maryan Rizinski, Department Manager of the Technology and Business Consulting team at Bosch.IO Bulgaria, about the contribution of Bosch.IO in shaping the future of IoT. Maryan Rizinski graduated with a master‘s degree in electrical engineering from the Ss Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, the Republic of North Macedonia, where he lived until moving to Sofia in 2011 to become part of the Bosch team. He is a former math olympiads medalist and enjoys traveling.

How would you describe your professional experience in Bulgaria?

If someone would have told me 10 years ago that I would work in Bulgaria on cutting-edge technologies that connect millions of devices to the Internet, I would have not believed it. Many times I do a retrospect and go all the way back to my first day at work. I am still inspired by the dedication of my colleagues, our innovative spirit and the focus on real engineering problems that improve human lives. Ever since I joined the company, I have enjoyed working with people, both customers, and team members. I started as a support engineer which gave me a broad overview of our products and underlying technologies as well as of the way customers use them. Solving problems for customers across all software modules helped me get to know every single colleague personally. I learned their way of thinking and work preferences, and how they approach technical topics. I learned the dynamics of different teams. This created a special bond and trust that proved to be very useful when I progressed to project management. I found that navigating customer projects from initiation to completion on budget and quality is all about trust and how well the team members know each other. I tap into that potential in my current role as a department manager and leverage it to contribute even more to the team and company. I can say that my professional experience has been a fantastic ride so far and that Bulgaria has immense human potential for world-class software engineering.

What are the biggest challenges and benefits of your current position at Bosch.IO?

As a company with more than 400,000 employees, the biggest benefit is to have a professional network that spans countries and even continents. Bosch has a wide portfolio of products and services in many industries, actively investing in new areas as well, so getting to know people and what they work on is a driver for cross-team work and innovation. This is especially important for Bosch.IO as we are the technology provider of sophisticated IoT solutions for the entire Bosch Group. My biggest challenge is to find the right balance between scalable product business and project delivery. Finding ways to achieve the right balance between the two is not a trivial task in the world of IoT.

How do you define your main goal as a manager?

My main goal is to put the people first, trust them, and always give credit for their achievements. Technology has evolved immensely over the last decade. It will only continue to do so in the future at an even faster speed. New players emerge who challenge the status quo. Successful patterns today may become obsolete within a few years. In a world of uncertainty and increasing competition, there is only one variable that any manager can influence – the people and the conditions inside the organization. This is why at Bosch we focus on the people and culture. For my team, I always strive to build a transparent culture of trust, empowerment, and collaboration. I also interact with teams across the company and other department managers. We grow together by learning from one another. We dive into new topics, experiment, make mistakes, and find better approaches. We build a lot of self-confidence, adaptation, and resilience along the way. With this mindset, we are often surprised that we achieve more than we could have imagined for ourselves.

Which are the skills of a successful leader in an international environment?

The international environment is very diverse and connected more than ever before. We share many things in common, but we also bring different perspectives. Every leader should make an effort to learn, understand, and appreciate cultural differences and nuances when it comes to communication. Developing a strong network is another essential skill. Collaboration is a must on all levels. In the software industry we always meet people for a reason, so it is important to put things into perspective. The world is small in some sense. Be kind, humble, and nurture relationships. Show that you care about the people.

What do you like the most about Bulgaria and what would you change if you could?

I like Bulgarian nature with its magnificent landscapes, mountain views, and beaches. The country is very rich in culture and traditions. The weather is pleasant as it covers all four seasons. Bulgaria is also among the oldest winemaking countries in the world. If I could change anything, I would certainly improve the country’s branding as not too many people know how beautiful Bulgaria is. I would also like to see more investments in education and research. The future belongs to novelty, talent, and entrepreneurship.

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