PROUT EMPLOYER Infineon Technologies AG
“I am striving to live and promote the value of diversity in my direct area of responsibility, but do not shy away from supporting beyond that.”
Raphael joined Infineon in May 2016 as a Senior Expert for Ethical Hacking and Incident Management. Before joining Infineon, he worked as a Security Consultant for various national and international companies. In 2017 Raphael took over his first management role at Infineon setting up the Cyber Defense Center as a global team. In 2020 he then took over as Head of the Cyber Security team – in June 2023 the role has been extended to cover all security topics as Head of the newly merged Cyber & Corporate Security teams. Raphael was always part of multinational teams and companies which he enjoyed a lot.
Raphael graduated from University of Tübingen in 2013, where he studied Computer Science. He is married and has two children, lives in Munich but was born in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Fun Fact: His swabian is as bad as his “Hochdeutsch” ;).
You were immediately ready for an interview – thank you again
for that! Why is it important for you to support queer topics?
Raphael Otto: Diversity in all dimensions, being it gender, nationality, physical / mental ability or sexual orientation just to name a few, is very close to my heart. I believe that as a society we benefit from different perspectives. I also believe that as an employer we have a responsibility when it comes to living and promoting our values. I am striving to live and promote the value of diversity in my direct area of responsibility, but do not shy away from supporting beyond that. So, when I was asked if I would be available as a sponsor to our LGBT* & Friends Community, I felt very honored and agreed immediately.
What initiative related to equal opportunities for queer people was successful at Infineon?
Raphael Otto: In June, during Pride Month, Infineon participated in several pride parades (e.g. Munich) to show support and raise awareness for the LGBTQIA+ community, their history, culture and ongoing work for equal opportunities. The very positive feedback we received from our employees and external stakeholders has shown that our commitment is well received and motivates us to continue with our support for LGBTQIA+.
What are your wishes and goals in your role as sponsor for the Infineon LGBT* & Friends community?
Raphael Otto: While the LGBT* & Friends Community already achieved a lot, we are still in the beginning of a journey here at Infineon. My wish is to support the community by providing advice, visibility and hands-on support during various activities and events. In particular I want to support the colleagues when addressing LGBTQIA+ inclusion globally. As we are a globally operating company, we face the reality of different levels of awareness and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ issues which can be challenging for our internal community. I hope I can help with that and advocate for them.
How do you react when people question the importance of
queer inclusion?
Raphael Otto: As for every dimension of diversity and inclusion I am typically trying to listen to the argumentation behind the reservation first. I will challenge the arguments highlighting the importance of diversity for successful teams and the need for all humans to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance in society and of course in the workplace. I make clear that everyone wants to be accepted as they are and that this is a human right which should not be questioned.
What motivated Infineon to become a PROUT EMPLOYER and
what would Infineon like to see in this cooperation?
Raphael Otto: At Infineon, we want to offer a workplace where everyone is accepted, feels a sense of belonging and can bring their authentic self to work. Participating in the PROUT EMPLOYER Program is a great chance for us to express our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion and to further increase our knowledge about how to support Infineon’s LGBTQIA+ members as a PROUT EMPLOYER. We are very happy about the cooperation with PROUT AT WORK, which will accompany us with their expertise to create the best Infineon for people of any sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Dear Raphael Otto, thank you very much for the interview!