ILONA PIRAJEAN
Visionary process expert
HI ILONA! WHAT LED YOU TO JOIN MEIKO?
Ilona: "It all happened quite spontaneously through my father, who worked for MEIKO as a service technician many years before my time. I had heard about MEIKO ever since I was little, so when I visited the division in 1986 for a brief introduction, it immediately felt right. Just for context: Back then we had some 500 employees worldwide; today we have over 2,700."
WHAT KEEPS YOUR JOB INTERESTING?
Ilona: "The variety, no question. In our field, it’s all about combining creativity with a willingness to evolve. Processes need to keep pace with the times, and technology needs to be kept up-to-date – that’s all incredibly exciting work. On top of that, I have a fantastic team that I’ve been leading since early 2022. I'm truly happy here and I've really grown as an individual over all these years."
WHAT'S THE MOST EXCITING PROJECT YOU'VE WORKED ON?
Ilona: "Two projects stand out clearly in my mind. First, the implementation of "Variant Management", which involved integrating and streamlining the process chain between sales, engineering, work preparation and manufacturing while making it as automated as possible. This also allowed us to manage product variety effectively, overcoming the previous challenges of everyone using their own product descriptions, which often led to work being duplicated.
My second memorable project was the introduction of our ERP software Abas. I served as project manager throughout the two-year implementation period."
100 PERCENT COMMITTED TO MEIKO
"I love the traditions and the sense of togetherness at MEIKO. For example, the last working day of the year is always a special moment where people drop into multiple departments, celebrating and connecting with people outside their team. It’s a unique way to get to know people right across the company."
HOW HAS MEIKO CHANGED SINCE YOU JOINED IN 1986?
Ilona: "Obviously everything is much bigger now – the scale of our operations, the number of employees, and our turnover have all multiplied. But appreciation and respect continue to play a pivotal role here. That certainly hasn’t changed! The family spirit remains as strong as ever, and it shows itself in all sorts of subtle ways. For instance, our office has a communal space where our team regularly comes together just to chat and share ideas. That's one of the reasons why we all have such a strong bond."
HOW DO YOU UNWIND FROM WORK?
Ilona: "I spent many years playing volleyball, but nowadays I prefer less hectic activities! I love working with my hands, whether it’s painting walls, sewing or restoring cabinets. Those are the kinds of weekend hobbies that help me recharge."
WORK-LIFE BALANCE – AN OUTDATED CONCEPT?
ARE YOU MORE OF AN OCEAN OR MOUNTAIN PERSON?
Ilona: "I’m more drawn to the sea than the mountains. My husband and I love going away in our Mercedes Vito van. We enjoy getting out on the road, discovering new cultures and countries, and changing location every three or four days."
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG TALENT?
Ilona: "Be bold and don’t hesitate to point out opportunities for improvement. And even more importantly: don’t be afraid of change! It's normal for mid-sized companies to regularly adapt their business strategy. That’s why flexibility and agility are such important qualities for today's employees."
Apprenticeship as an industrial clerk at MEIKO
Quotation and order processing for large machines
IT application support for sales
Business process optimisation in sales (including projects such as variant management)
Project Manager for ERP system implementation (Abas)
ERP Business Process Manager
Head of Business Consulting