Successful cooperation in Lisbon
What started as a hybrid collaboration four years ago has developed into a real success story – together with our colleagues in Portugal.
Business trips and personal exchange on site have been an integral part of our cooperation from the very beginning – they not only strengthen mutual understanding, but also team cohesion.
The team started their week in Lisbon with clearly defined topics, including the development of a new endpoint security infrastructure for Audi and the upcoming global rollout of the Trellix Firewall for the future Windows Office client.
Thanks to the agile and dynamic way of working of the Portuguese colleagues, another topic could be introduced at short notice: the planning of a proof of concept (PoC) for device control (DC), i.e. the targeted control of interfaces to increase IT security. The ESS team will carry out the introduction of port security within Volkswagen Group Digital Solutions Portugal. For the PoC planning, the IT-OPS colleagues from Lisbon were involved at an early stage in order to directly pass on the know-how already available in Germany on the software used. In addition, it is planned to involve Portuguese colleagues in future internal training courses.
Through direct exchange, we were able to develop new ideas that often get lost in everyday life. The combined expertise on site has helped to optimize existing processes and find new approaches for the further development of our security solutions.
A central goal of our business trip was to talk openly about the challenges and pain points on both sides. In a personal exchange, we were not only able to identify existing hurdles, but also to develop initial solutions together. This direct dialogue helps us to improve processes, avoid misunderstandings and make daily cooperation more efficient – with the clear goal of strengthening the motivation and satisfaction of each individual in the team in the long term.
"I am always happy to visit my colleagues in Lisbon. The personal exchange on site is very important for our team. This makes working together much better and also much more fun. I will be able to draw motivation from the results of this trip for quite a while.
For anyone who has the pleasure of traveling to Portugal, be it for business or pleasure: Fresh Pastéis de Nata are a must!"
"Business trips are always among the highlights of our year — a valuable opportunity to connect in person with colleagues we collaborate with daily across Europe.
Once again, the connection was immediate, with shared goals and strong teamwork evident from the very beginning.
We’ve always considered ourselves one team, working seamlessly across borders between Germany and Portugal. Now, being part of the same group only confirms how important and valuable these moments of in-person collaboration truly are."