Karl Van Autreve - A Metallica fan driving smart change

Hexagon Geosystems is shaping smart change driven by people working to close the gap between what is and what should be. To recognise the faces of smart change, we interviewed Karl Van Autreve, Lead Technician based in Belgium for Leica Geosystems, to share with us his work-life balance, career lessons, fun facts and more.

What is your role at Leica Geosystems and for how long you have been working with the company?
Recently I became Lead Technical Service Engineer. I joined the Leica Geosystems team three years ago.

How has Leica Geosystems helped you in your career development?
By setting goals and objectives you have to work towards, with trainings, and by keeping me up with the latest technology.

What do you enjoy most about working at Leica Geosystems?
As an employee of Leica Geosystems you are not a number but really a member of the team.

How do you balance your career at Leica Geosystems, and your personal life?
In our service department we have a very good planning so exceptions are known in advance allowing us to anticipate very easy on those exceptions.

What are the career lessons that you have learned so far working at Leica Geosystems?
An important lesson for me is to always believe in yourself.

How do you define success?
Success for me is being able to support my family with the job I like to do. And when my son says "Dad, I want to do what you do!"- That is success for me.

What does true leadership mean to you?
In my experience as a former leader of a youth organisation, true leadership is not just to be the leader but to lead your team to success.

Fun facts

Favourite book:
The Shining by Stephen King

Favourite ice cream flavour:
To be honest, I don't like ice cream...

Favourite quote:
It's all about the journey, not the destination.

Favourite meal:
That has to be pizza

Your motto:
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

People would be surprised if they knew:
Fire breathing is something I like to do.

Best vacation you've been to?
When my son and I went away last year for a few days. Just us, a nice camping, and our greatest time together.

If you were stuck on an island what three things would you bring?
My most important things: my wife, daughter and son.

What is the first concert you attended?
Metallica

Where is your hometown?
Vilvoorde, Belgium