“I’m a numbers person,” says Fatma. In her free time, she solves sudokus; at work the financial accountant is known for her analytical eye: “You have to be observant in my line of work, and that includes being able to recognize risks and communicate them.” But Fatma doesn’t just crunch numbers, she also has to be able to deal with people. “I’m approachable and adaptable,” Fatma says. She can be firm when she needs to be, but is never loud: “I think it’s important to talk to each person as an equal.” She wants everyone to feel comfortable asking questions. “There is no such thing as a stupid question, only a stupid answer.” Fatma is particularly keen on handling mistakes in a constructive way. “Where there are people, there will be mistakes. What matters is that we learn from them and then move forward.”

Fatma’s team consists of 23 employees, including two team leaders, as well as student interns and temps. “Our team is diverse. It’s what a person brings that matters, not their background.” Fatma experienced a lot of discrimination when she was looking for a training position in Hannover back in the nineties. “400 applications later and not a single offer.” She landed a job at a mineral oil company through an internship and completed her training as a management assistant for wholesale and foreign trade there. “I gave it my all and proved myself through my performance.” She moved to Darmstadt to be with her partner:  Fatma continued to impress with her standard of work. She put everything into working for a credit institution and then for an automotive supplier. “I studied to become a financial accountant in my own time. I wanted to keep progressing in my career and not stay where I was. A manager once said that 'standing still is falling behind,' and I couldn't agree more."

Fatma joined Röhm in May 2020. Something she likes about being at Röhm is having the opportunity to contribute ideas, for example in matters of process optimization. “I love how much I get to implement here. And it’s the best feeling when everyone pulls together to achieve a positive result.” This includes large scale projects, such as the upcoming migration of all data to a new version of administration software. “I also really value the friendly way people interact with each other. We are on a first-name basis and we help each other when there are problems. At Röhm, you are accepted for who you are.”

Given all this, Fatma likes to recommend the company to friends. As a practicing Muslim, Fatma enjoys bringing in small gifts to mark special holidays/months, thus developing a better understanding for each other. Education is also very important to Fatma, because many prejudices arise from ignorance. That is why she is privately involved in an educational association for Muslim women in Darmstadt.

After a day of work, Fatma likes to relax with her son by reading to him and playing with Lego together.