An interview with Alexis Huteau, Business Development intern at Intercel.

How nice to meet a Frenchman at Intercel. What exactly do you do?
“As a completion of my Aerospace Engineering studies at ESTACA near Paris, I get to do an internship at Intercel. A broad internship where I look at different aspects of the organization. I try to translate my knowledge from aerospace into opportunities for Intercel. I also just work along and identify the best-suited companies to approach for a partnership or other relationship with us.”
What an interesting study! Were you young when you were captured by aerospace?
“Definitely! For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be part of the fascinating skies and infinite space. As a child, I watched endless documentaries on these subjects and read every book I could find. And not only what you can see with a telescope. Anything that can be examined with a microscope also had and has my interest. By the age of eight I already had a semi-professional microscope in my room.”
How did you find Intercel?
“Intercel found me. Robin (recruitment) approached me with a call and soon there was a video call where I was invited for a tour a few days later. I immediately clicked with the Intercel family, because of their knowledge and the atmosphere I quickly said yes. Now I have been working here for quite a few months with great pleasure. I really hope I can stay here and develop further as a sales engineer.”
What sets Intercel apart?
“For Intercel, sustainability really is a mindset. With this mindset, we also actually change our collective behavior. It affects everyone, both producers and consumers. Batteries are the method to realize an important part of the energy transition. This is the future but above all the present and that is great to be able to work on.”
Why is that so important to you?
“Sustainability is important because the earth’s temperature is rising. We have to do something about that now. I think it’s great to make a direct contribution to that. The goal is to stop using fossil fuels. That’s not quite possible yet but we have to try. Unfortunately, the transition is not going as fast everywhere, but I want to be a driver in this process.”
What do you do privately about sustainability?
“I try to do a lot about that. I turn on the heating minimally, it’s 18 degrees maximum at my place in the winter and that’s just fine. I separate my waste very strictly and use little water to shower. I buy only second-hand clothes and also, for example, a used mattress. In everything I do I try to think about what effect it has on the planet. In supermarkets in France you can buy vegetables that are ‘ugly’, unfortunately this is not yet possible in the Netherlands.”
What do you think of your colleagues at Intercel?
“I can really only think of nice things. They are very helpful, respectful and just really nice. Everyone speaks English so there is never a communication problem. On my first day I felt very special because all my colleagues were there to welcome me. After only a few weeks I had also made real friends with whom I now regularly meet up at the cafe or somewhere else.”
What is your dream for the coming years?
“Further career advancement at Intercel. If I can start playing a role in the French market and find a customer or partner in the aerospace industry that would really be the realization of my dream!”