As a commercial manager for several Actemium Germany business units, Lukas Pflaum has acquired a real taste for learning – and for passing on knowledge. A QUARTZ trainer, he has embraced a business culture based on trust and responsibility.
As a child, he wanted to be a teacher; as a teenager, he would have liked to have become a chef. This mix of dreams, between education and precision, speaks volumes about the man Lukas Pflaum, Divisionskaufmann (Divisional Sales Manager) at Actemium Germany has become: attentive to others, meticulous in execution and driven by sharing.
Aged 17, he began as an apprentice electronic technician in a small family business. “Thanks to the small size of the company and its horizontal structure, I learned about every aspect of the business,” he recalls.
He quickly identified his own strengths: customer communication and a sense of organisation. He continued his education with a degree in engineering and business administration, which he obtained as a dualstudent with Actemium, the VINCI Energies industry brand. “This double skill set – technical and commercial – helps me take an overarching view of the projects Isupervise.”
A career path shaped by a range of skills
Since 2011, Lukas Pflaum (now aged 36) has been developing at Actemium, where he has gained broad experience. “I became a multifunctional employee who likes to get off the beaten track and play an interfacing role between teams of experts.” He speaks with gratitude of the managers who have inspired him: “I learned from them that you need to respond individually to every colleague, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and learn how to motivate them.”
In the role of divisional commercial manager at Actemium Cegelec Mitte, he leads four business units in southern Germany, soon to be joined in 2026 by four others from the new Special Machines & Services Division formed in the creation of the new pole, Industrial Solutions South.
“Trust is the cornerstone of everything else – it allows open communication, mutual support and sincere cooperation.”
His missions are varied: budget management, reporting, contract coordination, and supporting teams. “My day-to-day work is demanding, but never dull. What I appreciate most is the diverse range of subject matter and the richness of the interactions with different teams.
Sharing to learn more effectively
However, if he had to choose a role that defines him, he would say that of trainer. Since 2018, Lukas Pflaum has been running the “Discovery”, “Budget”, “Projects” and “business unit monitoring” sessions for QUARTZ, the internal VINCI Energies programme dedicated to Group culture and management. “I like sharing what I know, but it’s a reciprocal process: I learn a lot about my own style of teaching.”
What he particularly likes about QUARTZ is its universal scope. “The programme is not limited to the professional sphere – it also offers a really useful way of thinking for everyday life.” This is a mindset he promotes in his teams made up of a dozen or so people: to encourage, delegate and empower. “I give my team members the freedom to make decisions. My role is to identify their strengths and provide them with opportunities to grow.”
Again, if he had to choose just one VINCI Energies value, it would be trust. “It’s the cornerstone of everything else. Trust allows open communication, mutual support and sincere cooperation.” He shares a practical example of this: “On a project, a minor error appeared in the budget calculations. Rather than look at that negatively, we analysed it together as a team. Errors are opportunities to learn and to strengthen the team.”
This conviction informs his whole managerial style – a mix of listening, high standards, and kindness. “I believe that learning happens in four stages: listening, applying, sharing and questioning.”
Commitment and preparing for the future
In addition to his managerial role, Lukas Pflaum likes to get involved with Actemium’s solidarity projects. “We recently opened a training centre in Munich, the first for Actemium Germany. We are supporting 20 apprentice electricians, soon to rise to 30.” This is an initiative close to his heart. “Training young people is to take on a social responsibility, offering them prospects and a professional future.”
In addition, Lukas Pflaum is involved in the DKMS (German bone marrow donor register) typing campaign in one of the Actemium BUs, seeking to register potential stem-cell donors. “A few days ago, a colleague got a call informing her that she was actually a potential donor. She just had her first meeting with the DKMS.”
From the family recipes he learned from his grandmother to the training of future managers, Lukas Pflaum’s philosophy remains the same: the meticulous approach pairs well with the joy of sharing. “I love to learn, share and watch others grow.”
Photo: ©Emanuel Klempa
03/16/2026
