This week, we meet Kristián Lichtblau, our colleague who spent the entire lockdown last year on construction sites so that co-workers could return to brand-new smart offices, better suited to our new way of working.

2:30 min
Work life
Private life

Who are you? Describe yourself in a few words and tell us what you do at UniCredit.

I have been working in UniCredit Group for nearly 20 years. Before I took over the position of Head of Real Estate and Logistics in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, I worked in Vienna, as part of the CEE Division, and in Slovakia within the GBS Department. I am very passionate about my work.  When I am with other people, I think I’m sort of funny, adaptable and little bit of an introvert.  However, as a child I had a huge passion for justice, and I wanted to be lawyer.

 

What do you enjoy most about your job and what is the proudest moment or greatest achievement of your career?

I love a lot of changes, because I see the opportunity to learn something new, the chance to collaborate with different people, to innovate, help others, and challenge myself. I am very proud of my contribution and of the goals that I achieved working in  Real Estate and Logistics, especially when they are linked to  strategic group decisions such as  mergers or other major  projects.  One of my favorite experiences has been our recent transformation of HQs into smart offices. Not only did we manage to create a state-of-the-art workspace for our colleagues, in terms of design and technology, but I also had the opportunity to get to know my colleagues better while helping them move.

 

And what is the hardest part?

Making mistakes - I hate it, but of course everybody makes them.  On the other hand, mistakes push us forward – and that goes for myself and for my entire team. I was proud of the fact that due to my mistakes and lessons learned, we avoided certain glitches in the Smart Office project and it was excellent.

 

What advice would you give your younger self or somebody considering this role as a career?

Be excited and motivated by learning, winning, losing, exceeding your limits, and being recognized for a job well done. And be energized, feel good and work with joy.

How do you balance your professional and personal life?

I try to organize my day and to delegate tasks among my team members, but of course there is no 'perfect' work-life balance. The key is to try to figure out which tasks must be done immediately and which can be postponed.  I try to prioritize so that I can be ready to unplug for my family – for my wife, son and our adorable dog. And I try not to forget friends and hobbies, and always leave enough time to sleep properly.

 

What do you like to do to relax after a hard day at the office?

The trick is just to make sure that you are relaxed all day long and not let a hard day defeat you. For me it helps to take a long walk with my family after work, have some friendly chit chat, play with my son, surf social media, watch a movie, and so on.

 

What would your perfect day look like when you are not working?

Definitely spending nice time at the seaside with my family. And you may or may not believe me, but since I am of Hungarian origin, I really enjoy Hungarian cuisine.  “Pörkölt ”is my favorite dish.

 

What was the last book or the last movie you loved? And why?

My favorite is ‘Meet Joe Black’. I find the combination of current life and post-mortal life very interesting, and the movie’s story encouraged me to think about what to expect in the future, and about who makes our life effective and meaningful.