Discover Anais in this article, shining as our esteemed employee of the month from our member NTN
Learn about Anais, a 29-year-old woman from the French Alps, and her story in the automotive aftermarket. Discover how she rose to become Product Line Manager EMEA / Product Business Developer MEA at NTN.
ABOUT YOU
- Could you tell us a bit about your background? (Place of birth, age, education…)
My name is Anaïs Le Fouler, I was born in the middle of the mountains, in a ski resort in the Alps, in France 29 years ago. Presently, I reside in the charming city of Annecy, and am part of NTN in the Automotive Aftermarket Business unit’s team.
I hold a master’s degree in marketing, that I pursued both in my home country, France, and ventured abroad to Norway, where I enriched my perspective and cultivated a global mindset. I’ve always been curious, and I experimented several jobs and fields; I was in charge of digital Marketing in a Swiss start up or Responsible for Communication and marketing in a local bank before to enter in the Aftermarket.
ABOUT THE AFTERMARKET
- How would you describe the Aftermarket to someone who has never heard of this industry?
Automotive aftermarket could be defined as the second market for vehicle parts, equipment and services. It concerns all the vehicles on the road and involves all the industry linked to the maintenance and services of those vehicles, after they have been sold by the carmaker.
ABOUT YOU & THE AFTERMARKET
- How did you become aware of, and why did you choose the Aftermarket to work in?
NTN has always been a renown and one of the biggest industries in the Alps region as a world’s leading designers, developers, and manufacturers of bearings for OE Industries.
For my side, I never considerate to enter in the industry, automotive or aftermarket world, until I join the aftermarket as part of a temporary replacement. It should have been last 6 months, and it’s been 5 years now.
I found all the positive aspects combined in this sector, that I had encountered in various previous experiences, and that align with my personality: dynamism, adaptabilities, new challenge, diverse job opportunities, team spirit, and every day is different.
ABOUT YOUR COMPANY
- Which company are you working with & which type of job?
We are working with many companies’ profiles, from the small independent garages to the biggest aftermarket OEM and Tier1 players of the world. As a Product Line Manager, you are in contact with your suppliers and your customers, meaning for example product management, purchase, or sales department.
ABOUT YOUR JOB
- What’s your job title?
I am currently Product Line Manager for the Powertrain range for EMEA in the Automotive Aftermarket Business Unit of NTN during the last 3 years, and I added a new string to my bow since 1 year by being also in charge of Products Business Development for the M.E.A. region.
- How would you describe your job?
The role of Product Manager in aftermarket it’s like to be a football midfielder. I’m indeed playing football for more than 10 years and I can feel the same connection in NTN. In order to reach one goal, either to win a match or to successfully develop, marketing, and manage products, a product Manager, like a midfielder who orchestrates plays and links the defense to the offense, a Product Manager strategizes how the product fits into the overall business goals and connects various departments.
Also, you collaborate with different teams such as your teammates, ensuring effective communication between engineering, marketing, sales, and other departments. Like how a midfielder makes decisions on whether to pass, shoot, or hold possession, a Product Manager must make strategic decisions about product features, releases, and market positioning.
Having a global role in an international company and strategic, collaborative, and dynamic dimensions makes me passionate about my job and the aftermarket.
- What do you fancy most in your job?
Aftermarket is made for you if you wish to work in a dynamic sector which can lead you to diverse and plenty of opportunities. It’s an innovative environment and continually evolving, encouraging innovation in terms of product development, technology adoption, and business strategies. It’s also animated to a major transition through electric, which is not closing possibilities but opening new alternatives. You can growth and learn every day, whether you have technical proficiency or not.
ABOUT NTN
NTN Corporation is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of bearings, linear modules, timing pulleys, strut parts, CVJs and a supplier of services. The Group was founded in Japan in 1918 and is present worldwide, with
- 5,5 billion euros turnover
- 23,000 employees
- 73 production plants
NTN Corporation covers 3 majors’ markets: Automotive, Industry and Aeronautics, with divisions dedicated to OEM and Aftermarket.
The main OE manufacturers have placed their trust in NTN Corporation.
In Europe, NTN Europe is a specialist in the automotive segment, with 70% of its operations dedicated to vehicles. As a multifaceted specialist in the OEM and Aftermarket, NTN Europe exert a forceful presence on its market. NTN Europe offers comprehensive POWERTRAIN, CHASSIS and DRIVELINE activities.
Vision and Mission
As a leader on the vehicle market, NTN Europe is a legitimate supplier of OE and Aftermarket parts for all vehicle brands. Moreover, NTN Europe is a partner in developments for electric vehicles and for the innovations of tomorrow aimed at reducing CO² emissions.
Values
Inspired by human values and a sense of responsibility, NTN Europe has a culture of proximity and commitment that stems from its human and technological legacy. The NTN teams develop specific solutions to support issues experienced by their customers, working in the spirit of dialogue and mutual progress.
Clients and Customers
In the Automotive sector, NTN Europe is a key player dealing with car manufacturers (major Asian, European & American brands) and, in the aftermarket, with leading global spare parts distributors, ensuring delivering quality components to workshops and end-users worldwide.
Market Position
NTN is a leading player in the automotive sector, successfully established on this market as a multi-specialist in OEM and spare parts. As the world leader in Wheel bearing, n°2 in Transmission, n°1 in Europe for Suspension, our aftermarket offers benefits from all our expertise as an original equipment manufacturer.