One to zero for the controller

[Transnational networks work when there are people behind them who communicate openly, pursue common goals and respect each other. With this look behind the scenes, we introduce you to employees within the European Food Network who, with their know-how and enthusiasm for the job, ensure that your food products are available across Europe every day.]

In this article, Riccardo Anselmi, who is Sales Controller at DACHSER Italy Food Logistics in Pradelle, reports why he enjoys dealing with numbers even more than playing football and why "team spirit" is a guarantee for success in both disciplines.

"Football is the most important of the unimportant things in the world," said Carlo Ancelotti, currently one of the best coaches and record holder with four Champions League victories. I can only underline that. Because I play football actively and with great passion in a team. But I am even more passionate about numbers. I studied economics and data analysis, and the job as a controller in a large company like DACHSER is exactly mine. Because my work requires a special focus on numbers and on complex analyses. In addition, good personal interaction is fundamental, as I am in direct contact with almost all departments of the company. Here, a quality is essential that I also value in football: a player, but also a controller, has to be a team player.

I usually start work at 9 am. The first part of the day is usually spent checking my emails and getting an overview for the day. Then I take care of the daily tasks, which are very diverse and varied. In particular, my tasks include recording, evaluating, analysing and aggregating all accounting-related invoice items, regular reports to management and helping with budget planning. The particular challenge is that I have to be very meticulous and keep good time management. The preparation for my activities alone takes a lot of time, because I need a lot of information and data. I also place a particularly high value on reliability and precision.

I like that my work adds value to the company. For example, I like to see that some of my analyses result in concrete measures and lead to measurable results. Even if it's not always easy, I have the ambition to find the right solutions quickly when problems arise. It is an advantage that I am in contact with colleagues from all over Europe every day and every exchange of information makes me better. In addition, official training courses are offered at regular intervals, which I gladly accept whenever possible. For example, all controllers took part in the International Controlling Forum in Warsaw at the beginning of the year. It was really nice to exchange experiences with colleagues.

I hope that I was able to give you a little insight into my daily work and that you enjoyed reading. My beer tip: I really enjoy drinking a well-chilled Peroni Nastro Azzurro with my friends.

Your Riccardo Anselmi