Marlene Warter

Even as a kid, I was the one who happily copied the class schedule by hand and sorted my pens by color gradient. Chaos? Only the controlled kind, please.

After completing a business-focused high school diploma, two humanities degrees, and a brief detour into marketing, it became clear to me: I belong where deadlines rule – in project management.

Today, I manage projects of all sizes with structure, a sense of humor, and an open ear for my colleagues. Because one thing’s for sure: great projects don’t happen by chance – they’re well managed.

I keep an eye on costs, timing, and resources, organize and optimize workflows, and make sure the team has the support they need. I like working with structure – but even more with a sense of humor, because surprisingly, the two go really well together.

Bringing clarity and order to a project is something I’m passionate about, while always making sure not to slip into micromanagement. What I enjoy most is driving projects forward while giving creatives the space they need to do what they do best: come up with truly great ideas. For me, good project management works best when it stays in the background – but is still absolutely essential.

In project management, you regularly find yourself in the craziest, most stressful, and sometimes completely absurd situations. What I’ve learned is this: panic doesn’t help – but keeping a cool head does.

First, take a deep breath, focus on what really matters – and then find a solution. There’s always a way forward (or at least a decent workaround), even if it looks like the world is ending at first glance.

My motto: push through – but with a plan. And with the confidence that, as a team, you can handle (almost) anything if you’re well prepared and don’t let the chaos throw you off course.