In conversation with Christophe Mouchené,
Commercial director at Satellite Office
Christophe Mouchené has been working at Satellite Office for seventeen years, and has been Managing Director for the commercial area for over four years. Is it a coincidence that particularly original and creative solutions are also described as trick 17? We don’t think so, because as managing director at Satellite Office, unusual paths are part of his repertoire. However, Christophe Mouchené began seventeen years ago with pure number reproduction – today the spectrum is much more complex. It is still about reporting but much more about future projects, planning, budgeting and presentation figures for banks and partners. In addition to financial issues, he is also responsible for the company’s entire contract management – from the coffee machine to the cleaning company. “The job has become huge. We used to talk about a few thousand euros, but now we’re talking about millions,” says Christophe Mouchené, who has grown steadily with the company. Incidentally, he considers this personal and entrepreneurial growth to be his greatest privilege. The best professional moment for him is when a new location opens. “I really enjoy planning and negotiating new centers. When we negotiate in new metropolises with people who are initially strangers and see everything take shape over time, it’s very fulfilling for me. The opening of a new location is then a real moment of happiness, pure fulfillment,” says the Managing Director enthusiastically.
What do you think is best for Satellite Office customers?
Christophe Mouchené: “It’s difficult to pick out one thing. But I think it’s our authenticity and high individuality. We have been in the market for so many years and at all times we pay attention to individual wishes and requirements for each customer. That’s the freedom we have as an independent company, unlike investor-driven systems. Every day we experience what it means to work for us and feel comfortable. This also radiates to the customers.
What do you like best about Satellite Office?
Christophe Mouchené (laughs): “Unlike many of our customers, I don’t have a height-adjustable desk, and the taste of our coffee doesn’t really suit my French palate. No, seriously, I spend almost twelve hours a day in the satellite office. What I like best is the infrastructure. I can work secluded and completely concentrated in my office. But when I’m looking for contact, I meet colleagues and customers right outside my door with whom I can exchange ideas. I can go to the roof terrace to get some air or I can walk through the small streets around Ku’damm when I want to think. The feeling of being in the middle of it all, being able to use everything but not having to use anything, that’s the very best thing for me.
With eleven locations now, may I ask which one you personally like best?
Christophe Mouchené: “I particularly like the smaller locations, Ballindamm in Hamburg and KUD15 GLORIA BERLIN, here a few meters down the Ku’damm. Both the aesthetics and the “cosy” atmosphere are stunning. However, I must admit to not being completely unbiased. Since I’ve been involved in the creation of each center virtually from the very first second, I have certain reservations.”(grins).
And what is your favorite place to work at Satellite Office?
Christophe Mouchené: “The coworking area is not mine, but I am still extremely accessible, my door is always open. I like to work alone in my office because I can’t concentrate otherwise. I lack the talent to not get distracted. I have moved my office so often that I have now found the most beautiful office in the world, right on Ku’damm with a balcony! My familiar colleagues are just one door away. It is my favorite place to work! Due to the enormous workload, I spend almost twelve hours a day here. But I really like working here, I have the most beautiful view of the old buildings and the Ku’damm. Just casual luxury working (grins)!”
What is your trick 17? So the secret of your success?
Christophe Mouchené: “I’m said to take a lot of things with a sense of humor, and my French origins mean that I’m perhaps a bit more relaxed about things. Otherwise, I think that my family background with my German wife and two teenage children also ensures that I don’t allow myself to get carried away.
Thank you very much for the great interview, dear Christophe Mouchené!
