People in Lighting: Saphia Touhami
Companies are defined by the people who work for them: for over a century, Schréder has been at the forefront of lighting because of the innovative thinking of our employees worldwide. Life@Schréder is where we tell the stories of the people who make Schréder what it is, across the 70 countries where we do business.
Comatelec Schréder has a long and illustrious history in France: it was our first expansion outside Belgium. Iconic projects in l’Héxagone include Orly Airport, the Champs-Élysées and a whole lighting system for the Channel Tunnel. We have helped the City of Paris reduce its energy use on the Rue de Rivoli and beyond, and we have helped the Ville Rose show its true colours after dark.
Behind all these lighting solutions is a wealth of experience from across the company, brought together by the team behind our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The recent transition to a new system has been a success thanks to the tireless efforts of colleagues like Saphia Touhami. She joined Comatelec Schréder in February 2019 as a sales assistant and is now Sales Operations and ERP Transformation Manager. She’s an integral part of our mission to bring French design flair to urban spaces of every size.
I didn’t plan on working in Paris…
I did a Master’s in International Business, which mainly focused on foreign languages applied to business and marketing. I did an ERASMUS year in Spain, in Alicante, and a few months working in Mexico as well. I wanted to work abroad, but life has its twists and turns, and I ended up in France. I still speak Spanish with my Spanish colleagues though, which is nice.
And then I discovered the world of sales…
In fact I became a functional lead on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, supporting organisations with their sales and order management processes. I worked for a big multinational for a decade, before I joined Comatelec Schréder.
It was an opportunity that came at just the right moment…
I had gained experience in a variety of roles at my previous employer and was eager for a new challenge. I felt that Schréder offered a range of new challenges, and I’ve been really fortunate - a lot of things have come up in my time here so far!
In 2023, we transitioned to a new ERP system...
Schréder has been operating for over a century, with each of our companies having their own systems. It was time to migrate everyone to the same platform. It was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it - we got Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (D365 F&O) up and running across the whole group. It was a huge project and it’s the work I’m proudest of in my time at Schréder. It also meant that I worked in three roles in six years, so it’s been a real personal journey, as well.
My role is both operational and strategic…
I’m responsible for implementing and upgrading our ERP system. Together with the sales team, we’re constantly working to improve processes, especially when it comes to orders. It’s a really interesting job because I get to collaborate with almost every department in the company. Of course, this work wouldn’t be possible without the constant support of the teams behind the scenes - including Customer Service, Engineering, IT, Finance, and Supply Chain. Their expertise and commitment are essential to our daily operations, and I want to thank them all for their invaluable contributions. When it comes to our customers, each and every one of us has a role to play in keeping them happy!
I’m part of a global network…
Together with the other countries, we hold regular workshops where we discuss ways to improve and submit requests for issues we identify. Each company has its own business, its own customers, its own orders so our needs are unique and must be served by a single system. When it comes to an upgrade, therefore, we need to ensure that the solutions will work well everywhere and for every team. We then review the solutions – every country has a representative, and we assess how things are developing and make adjustments as necessary. France is one of the biggest markets, we have 50 people in our sales team. So it’s a lot to think about, but it's also a really interesting process!
We get together for tests and training…
We sometimes meet in person as well, usually at the head office in Liège, for example when testing a whole new system or function or providing training. However, we usually stick to online meetings, as it's simpler given that there are so many countries involved and the support team is based in Ukraine.
There’s no such thing as a typical day…
My priority is to keep the internal sales team and all the commercial staff who take orders every day informed about changes and updates. We think a lot about how to keep things flowing smoothly through the system, to reduce obstacles. My goal is to have a fluid system that works well for customers and processes orders as efficiently as possible. I also provide training to ensure that my colleagues know how to use the latest tools and facilitate SWORD meetings to keep everyone up to date and informed about their activities. It's a significant amount of support for various parts of the company. No two days are the same and there's no routine, which is something I love about this job.
It’s different working for a family-owned company…
From the moment I started at Schréder, I noticed their focus on people. It’s a company where employees are really supportive of one another, and I immediately wanted to match that energy. I could also see that there are opportunities for growth, which made me consider my next steps. I therefore threw myself into the ERP transition. It’s an inclusive, supportive company with strong values, and I really like that.
My favourite product…
I really like the Schréder SIGNATURE projects – these are bespoke solutions where we co-design with our customers to create a unique luminaire or lighting column – any kind of structure to reflect their character. Admittedly, they are slightly more expensive than our standard products, but they are extremely stylish and really set us apart from our competitors. Customers really recognise the quality and the Comatelec Schréder touch. These customised projects are tailored specifically to each town, and we should talk about them more. I love seeing them when I travel!
In my free time…
I have three children, which takes up a lot of my time! When I’m not busy with them, I’m really into cake design. I make themed occasion cakes for birthdays and events. I’ve been doing it for a few years now and I love it. It takes about 4-6 hours to put a cake together, plus extra time for designing it and baking it the day before. It’s really relaxing to focus on the craft without looking at my phone or talking to anyone – just creating something beautiful and tasty.
Connect with Saphia on LinkedIn.