“I actually wanted to be a flight attendant – but during the application process, I was told I wasn’t ‘malleable’,” says Eleni Katsamaki with a smile. “Today, I’m glad things turned out differently.” Esther König also recalls: “I come from a background in elderly care and never imagined back then that I’d one day be planning events with thousands of guests.” The fact that their paths eventually crossed at LAPP was the result of living out their values, having the courage to embrace change and a supportive working environment. Today, they are among the defining figures at LAPP and have been actively shaping the culture of the Stuttgart-based family business for over two decades. They fulfil different roles but share a common ethos: people are always at the heart of everything.
Trust is the starting point
Both women came to LAPP via very different paths. Esther König joined in 1993 as a bachelor’s student specialising in marketing and human resources. After successfully completing her degree, she initially joined the sales team, but moved just one year later to the newly founded Lapp Service GmbH as a training coordinator. There, she quickly took on responsibility and, over the years, established a training centre as well as key departments such as event, facility and fleet management. Today, these departments are firmly established at LAPP, and Esther König organises major international events that bring people together and bring the LAPP spirit to life worldwide.
Eleni Katsamaki joined LAPP in 2000 on the recommendation of a former nursery friend and found her professional home there. Having grown up in a Greek migrant worker family, she learnt early on to bridge cultural divides and navigate a wide variety of social environments – a strength that would later stand her in good stead on the works council. She started at LAPP in customer acquisition, but found her true calling in supporting her colleagues as a works council member, care coordinator, representative for people with severe disabilities and, later, as a member of the supervisory board. Her start was unconventional: “I’d handed in my notice at my old job before I’d even received a contract from LAPP – I’d only been given the go-ahead with a handshake. That was my first leap of faith, and I wasn’t disappointed.”
Helping to shape change and growth
Over the course of more than two and three decades respectively at LAPP, Eleni Katsamaki and Esther König have not only witnessed technological, structural and cultural changes – they have actively helped shape them. Esther König remembers the early days of digitalisation well: “The transition from the electronic typewriter with a mini-display, via SAP terminals, to the first PC running Windows – that was a real step forward.”
This was followed by numerous projects and memorable moments, such as the visit by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the launch of digital events, and the organisation of an in-house vaccination centre during the pandemic. She also played a leading role in the relocation of the Oskar Lapp Academy, the opening of the European headquarters at the main site in Stuttgart, and the planning of the new staff canteen, the LAPP Casino. “I was able to shape so many things. I fondly look back on the 130th-anniversary celebrations: Ursula Ida Lapp’s 80th birthday, 50 years of ÖFLEX®. There was a real sense of community in the air. And I also have fond memories of the almost private soundcheck with Anastacia, whom we’d booked as a surprise act for an event for our employees,” says Esther König.
Eleni Katsamaki experiences the change from a different perspective: as a staff representative, she supports her colleagues during periods of upheaval. “The pace of change is accelerating. That takes energy, but also the courage to stand your ground,” she says. She knows the personal stories behind the people and has become an important voice within the company. Her most memorable moment came in 2004: “Back then, Andreas Lapp personally served champagne when we’d smashed a sales record. I’ll never forget that feeling – of being part of something big.”
Sticking together in challenging times
Yet even with such a long career, challenges are inevitable. Eleni Katsamaki is convinced that many workplace conflicts can arise from a lack of appreciation. “I used to always want to come up with solutions straight away. Now I know: you have to listen before you speak.” Her training as a mediator has sharpened her understanding of interpersonal dynamics. For her personally, it was particularly touching to maintain contact with her team at LAPP whilst she was battling breast cancer. “I took part in the meetings every week. That gave me a lot of strength and a sense of connection,” says Eleni Katsamaki.
Esther König, too, is familiar with situations where strong nerves are essential: whether it’s last-minute changes to events, scarce resources or rising expectations – she has learnt that the key lies in working together: “You don’t have to do everything on your own. The team and team spirit are crucial.” An experience that remains symbolic to this day is her first international football tournament in Mexico in 2001 – organised without the internet or mobile phones. The fact that, a few years ago, she also took on the role of head of emergency management for LAPP’s Stuttgart site is therefore less surprising than it is the logical consequence of her many years of experience. Together with the teams at the Stuttgart site, she ensures that LAPP is as well prepared as possible to act in a planned, structured and effective manner should an incident occur.
Growth requires recognition
Today, both women bear responsibilities that extend far beyond their original roles. Esther König heads up the Corporate Meetings & Events, Fleet Management and Facility Management departments. Her driving force is to forge connections: “Whether it’s an event, a space or a vehicle fleet – ultimately, it’s always about people coming together, feeling at ease and being able to flourish in their work.”
Eleni Katsamaki is dedicated to helping others and is currently active as works council chair, representative for people with severe disabilities, care navigator, business mediator and employee representative on the supervisory board at LAPP. “In each of these roles, it’s all about people. I learn from young colleagues every day – and they learn from me too. That’s a gift.”
What drives both women is not solely career prospects, but a sense of belonging. “I want to contribute to the spirit at LAPP. For me, ‘One LAPP’ is a blend of professionalism and family-like solidarity,” says Esther König. Eleni Katsamaki also emphasises: “I value the culture and the freedom that LAPP gives me. I’m allowed to put ideas into practice – with trust and support.”
Their career paths show just how diverse individual development can be when structures do not restrict but rather foster potential. It is not a rigid career plan that has kept both women at LAPP to this day, but the opportunity to grow continuously, both personally and professionally. Two different career paths, yet underpinned by a shared foundation: LAPP has given them recognition and scope to shape their own paths – and they have filled that scope with responsibility.
Nicht ein starrer Karriereplan hält beide Frauen bis heute bei LAPP, sondern die Chance, persönlich sowie fachlich kontinuierlich zu wachsen. Zwei unterschiedliche Laufbahnen, aber getragen von einem gemeinsamen Fundament: LAPP hat ihnen Wertschätzung und Gestaltungsspielraum gegeben – und sie haben ihn mit Verantwortung gefüllt.