Meet Philippe Lauper, Director and Project Guide
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Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your career so far?
After graduating in microtechnology engineering from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, I gained a number of professional experiences as a research engineer and product engineer in Switzerland and Australia. On my return from Australia, I moved into consulting, which gave me the opportunity to take part in the Solar Impulse project, sponsored by my employer. I started out as project manager, and was then put in charge of the logistics of the flight missions. On the strength of all this experience, I founded the Prefix company in 2014.
What is your role at Prefix?
I’m the director of Prefix, where I also play a dual role as senior consultant and FSEA-certified trainer. My areas of expertise cover project management and governance, with a particular affinity for collaborative methods.
What skills and experience do you bring to Prefix customers?
I have accumulated a wealth of experience in coordination and management roles, often on secondment to clients. This experience spans a wide range of sectors, including industry, academia, administration and the voluntary sector. Not forgetting my involvement in the Solar Impulse adventure. Since setting up Prefix, I’ve also broadened my skills in governance and agile methods. Finally, I’m fluent in French, English and Swiss German.
What are your emotional intelligence assets, which are crucial to being an effective consultant or coach?
I’m at ease with communication and human interaction, and have an instinct for spotting inconsistencies in systems, particularly within organisations and methods. What’s more, I’m able to adapt quickly to different personalities and situations.
Can you give an example of a project or achievement of which you are particularly proud?
I’m particularly proud of the fact that I’ve been able to find a solution for marrying the initial approaches to project management, known as predictive or waterfall, with the more recent methods known as agile. This marriage gave birth to the method I have named Circular Project Management, which is now at the heart of Prefix.
What other question would you like to answer?
How do you see the future of Prefix?
I see the future of Prefix with a varied and complementary team of consultants, who are involved as co-owners and co-managers. Together, we form an international organisation, focused on collaboration and exchange, always one step ahead of an ever-changing world.