What do you do? What does Aon do? And what does it really mean? Aren't those the questions we get asked so often? In the series: Meet Aon Krakow Colleagues, we want to present to you in a simple way what our colleagues do on a daily basis. Here's the interview with Slawek Kluzek.
In simple words: what do you do in your job?
I am Senior IT Project Manager & EMEA IT Project & Portfolio Management Team Lead at Aon. I joined Aon in September 2018 and I’m certainly enjoying the ride. Apart from IT Infrastructure projects, I also have pleasure of leading the team of exceptionally skillful Project Managers and Project Coordinators. On a personal side, I’m a former professional table tennis player with over 30-years career. Recently, I discovered that my latest passion is e-sports, so from time to time, I like to see a good online match, which I often enjoy more than a regular sport.
What does your team/department do?
Our team is responsible for overseeing and managing the successful execution of IT projects/programs in Aon. Our main goal is to ensure the projects are completed on time, within budget and according to specific requirements. We contribute to Aon’s overall success by helping with project planning, project team coordination, risk and issue management, progress monitoring and reporting, as well as stakeholder management
What technology/projects do you use/support)?
I support Aon Technology in many areas, starting from projects related to Technology Life Cycle Management, Cloud Capabilities, Network Transformation, End User Computing, Compliance and DR, Data Centre Technology Refresh and many more.
Can you share a story from your team?
Back in 2019, I was privileged to take part in the UCCaaS project as a project coordinator. This project was all about removing the phones from our desks and replacing them with new “softphones” integrated with Webex Teams. In order to use softphones, colleagues needed headsets. Imagine a situation where one day prior deployment in the biggest office in Spain – Madrid, your partner (vendor) responsible for providing headsets, tells you that they will not deliver it on time because your package got stuck at the customs. Canceling it was not an option, as there were many parties already engaged and the cost of canceling was simply to high. Everybody was working so hard to get it done, and now are we going to lose it all because of headsets? This would be devastating for the team’s morale. So… after almost admitting there is no available option, we went for a lunch and over the lunch, joked that we need to have wings to deliver it from our warehouse in Poland to Madrid within 24 hours. After lunch, I asked the leading project manager, if I can try to talk with the vendor one last time. I contacted the vendor and proposed we deliver those headsets (almost 1000 pcs) by plane, sending 2 of the vendor representatives, equipped in 4 suitcases each, full of headphones by a regular flight to Madrid… To my surprise, the vendor agreed! In the next hour I was driving to the airport to supply the vendor with the needed documents and ensure those guys get on the plane to Madrid as planned to save the day 😊. That was a wonderful day!
What do you like about working for Aon?
Aon is a company with a global reach and impact. I have a chance to work on projects with an international scope and make an impact on a global scale – this is so cool, isn’t it? The projects I manage are diverse, challenging and intellectually stimulating. I feel every day is different - new challenges, new problems to solve, but what I value the most is great people to work with, great people to laugh with, great people to learn from, and a true atmosphere of cooperation even in the era of hybrid working.
