Kaweh Feyzi has been with IAV for 15 years. He has been to China for the company and has managed the foreign subsidiary in two stages.

“At that time, IAV gave me the opportunity to take on a leadership role in an automotive company as an absolute career changer,” says Kaweh Feyzi.

Today, Kaweh Feyzi is Senior Vice President Vehicle Solutions & Automated Driving at IAV. In his first years at the company, he was responsible for various projects. Among other things, he built up a hall for driver assistance systems. After some time, the desire arose to change and take on a job abroad. One Thursday evening, Feyzi was visited by a representative of senior management: “I was offered the management of IAV China. I had until Monday to accept or decline the offer.”

There wasn’t much time to think about the family’s move to Shanghai and the foreign culture that would await them in China. “I then sat down with my wife on the weekend, and we first did a SWOT analysis. In the end, it was clear: We’re going to China.”

The fact that IAV has a Global Mobility Policy also helped in the decision-making process. Among other things, this policy means that the children of IAV employees abroad get a place at a German school. “This is very valuable; it puts you in a secure situation,” says Feyzi. “Of course we had concerns, but as soon as we arrived in China, all doubts disappeared.”

From the very beginning, Kaweh Feyzi followed the principle in China that IAV in Germany and the branch office in China belong together and represent one company. That is why he gradually introduced the same standards in Shanghai as at the GmbH.

“Processes, controlling and project management, we handled everything like in Germany, adapted for China and a bit better,” says Feyzi and laughs.