Kitty Fritz-Nielen

I can look back on 37 successful years as a businesswoman and sometimes I ask myself, is it really that long ago? As they say "time flies when you're having fun". My career in purchasing began 37 years ago; in 1983 I started working for the U.S. Military in Frankfurt am Main. As a newcomer, I learned from scratch what purchasing is all about whilst in parallel studying at the Logistics Management College of the United States Army. I started out buying all the supplies needed by the troops in everyday life and during maneuvers, at a later time I dealt with highly complicated contracts (leases, sales contracts, and development projects) made between the allied states of the United States and really everything was included in my product portfolio. My next professional steps took me into the world of clinical health care, working for a well-known foundation in Frankfurt am Main, with an excursion into the world of finance and accounting. Subsequently, the world of sales (IKEA, Kabel Deutschland and Berlitz Publishing) captured me for several years and added to expanding my business knowledge. In 2001, I accepted an offer which brought me back to the purchasing department, again back to clinical health care, to the Procurement & Logistics department of the University Hospital Frankfurt am Main. There I helped with the re-organization and managed the purchasing department, together with the head of the materials management department, until 2009. Here again, I found a broadly diversified product portfolio. From disposables to high tech surgery robots, MRT’s or the introduction of an e-procurement tool and SAP upgrades, everything was included. As I have a great affinity for technology, this was a real enrichment. The next stop took me to research, the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics asked me to join in 2010 as purchasing manager and later in 2012 I joined the European X-Ray Free Electron Laser, which just started construction and offered me the position of purchasing manager. I could not say resist such an exciting project and together with my family, I decided to move to Hamburg. The X-Ray Free Electron Laser (www.xfel.eu) successfully started operations in fall 2017, the campus is still growing and it is still an exciting task to see this project grow and be a part of it. To me, the purchasing department is a service provider to the company/organization, holding the role of an internal mediator for the company as well as an externally representing the company as a competent business partner. Research institutes have a different focus when it comes to procurement and is not really comparable to the industry; therefore a trustful cooperation with suppliers and scientists is essential for survival. What I have learned in the many years -success is the team working with you -always keep your sense of humor -stay creative