We would like to introduce – Peter Waldherr

Career:

Growing up on a farm in the Bucklige Welt in Lower Austria, I was always interested in farming and forestry. Hence, I decided to study agriculture at the Francisco Josephinum in Wieselburg and the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna. In addition to my education, I’ve completed numerous internships and had many part-time jobs at farms and institutions in Austria and abroad. These have given me a broad range of expertise and extensive insights into agricultural practice.

Current tasks in the AIL:

As an Innovation Manager in the Agro Innovation Lab at RWA, I will play a decisive role in shaping our planned innovation projects. My main focus this year will be the implementation of our challenge programmes in the areas of seeds and agricultural technology. The aim of these is to scout and evaluate innovative solutions from startups. We will then enter into cooperation with the best startups in order to further promote and develop their innovations and speed up their market entry. My role also involves constantly communicating with the specialist departments about the latest issues and gaining a foothold in the innovation scene through networking programmes.

That’s what I like about this job:

For me, one of the special things about this job is the opportunity to deal, every day, with the latest technologies and innovations in agriculture. I have the privilege of taking up and driving the implementation of ideas both internally and externally. The range of topics ensures constant variety and offers me extensive opportunities to develop professionally. In addition to this, I’m part of a young and motivated team that wants to establish the central role of innovation in the RWA Group. This is what makes this job so interesting and exciting.

What skills do you bring to this position?

Openness and an interest in new solutions and strategies as a means of driving innovation. With my agricultural background, I try to provide important input in the evaluation of the practical applicability of new technologies. Furthermore, my broad agricultural network and my commitment to more efficient and resource-friendly farming help me to perform my role.

That’s where I get new energy:

I try to organise my free time in a way that enables me to recharge my batteries for my work at the AIL. For example, I like to work on my parents’ dairy farm by helping them with direct marketing, especially at peak times during harvest. I’m also an enthusiastic sportsman and enjoy spending time on outdoor activities such as hunting and mountaineering. And it’s also important for me to keep up with friends, which I do by exchanging ideas and discussing the latest issues. These often give me food for thought, which helps me to do my job at the AIL.

Peter, we are very happy to have you in our team.

Photo: (c) RWA, Robert Gebauer