“After graduating with a degree in Economics, I started working for an accountancy firm,” explains Huseyin. “I was offered the opportunity to study for my Masters in Accounting & Auditing and saw it as a great opportunity to develop myself further. However, after five years of working in the accountancy world, I knew that it wasn’t what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing. There was plenty of variety and contact with clients, but I missed the connection with the real world. It is a sector in which your attention is more focused on the past than on the future. And I was more interested in the future: Where do we want to go with our firm?”

Attractive sector          
When Huseyin decided to make the switch to the corporate sector, it was the automotive branch that appealed to him most because of its dynamic nature. “It’s a sector that is characterized by curiosity and technology. It has its eyes on the future, also from a financial perspective. You use current models while at the same time focusing on the future and new developments,” explains Huseyin. “In my previous position as a project controller, this was very important. And it’s the same at DAF. You are involved in the development process from the very first idea to the final product, and that is a great experience.”

Expertise and professionalism                 
“There are a lot of controllers in the various departments at DAF, which means there is a lot of inhouse expertise. We seek each other out and discuss things. In this way we get to help each other and keep each other on our toes, too. My colleagues are very open and helpful, and they always take the time to explain certain systems to you when required. This creates an informal atmosphere, but never to the detriment of the professionalism of the organization and its people,” says Huseyin.  

Involvement at all levels           
“I was already familiar with DAF before I came to work here. You see the trucks out on the road every day. I’m from the Eindhoven area, too, so I have a natural affinity with the product. But the company also has a very international focus, which is very appealing to me. For example, at the moment I am examining how we can extend the guarantee term for certain countries outside Europe and what the costs might be. My job is to come up with a financial overview on the basis of which a decision can then be made. You are involved at all levels of the business. And that’s not only with this project. Given that finance plays such an important role at DAF, we are always consulted before any decisions are taken. It is often said that Controlling & Finance is in the DNA at DAF, and I don’t doubt that for a minute,” Huseyin says in conclusion.