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#BYWU - Magna Mountaineer: Peak Experiences

Perched along the France-Italy border, Mont Blanc attracts climbers like Magna’s Corneliu Buciuc who seek to test their endurance abilities and advance their skills on the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe. After reaching the summit with a group of friends in August 2020, Buciuc enjoyed the breathtaking view, made a short video, and reflected on the achievement.

“The top of this mountain is just the bottom of the next,” recalled Buciuc, an alpinist and a Magna IT team leader based in Iași, Romania. “Continue climbing.”

“We have something to learn from each other every day. It’s true on the ground and in the mountains”

Mountaineering has taught the longtime climber lessons in collaboration, a Magna Core Value.

“On the mountain, you share hundreds of decisions for every step,” said Buciuc, who was born near the Romanian mountains and began climbing at 16. “Our projects at Magna require the same mindset. Where to go? How fast? How far? ‘Be collaborative’ defines me. We have something to learn from each other every day. It’s true on the ground and in the mountains.”

The similarities between Buciuc’s work at Magna and peak experiences are striking. The technical climbing challenges remind him of his supporting role in helping Magna’s electronics solutions and technologies improve lives and shape an autonomous future. The mobility technology company’s global reach and worldwide teams recall the camaraderie he found on Mont Blanc.

“We stayed in huts along the three-day route and shared meals and bedrooms with people from other countries,” Buciuc said. “In my daily work, we share new platforms and new software with new people. We climb the mountain together.”

In mid-summer, Buciuc set out to explore Romania’s Rodnei Mountains, one of the wildest areas of the Carpathian Mountains. He packed his usual supplies: mountaineering gear, a small tent, chocolate and lots of coffee. The goal: “See the sunrise and sunset from the summit.” At the same time, he has a realistic, not romantic view of his favorite pastime.

“The peak is only the halfway point on the route,” Buciuc said. “You need to consider that, and have the energy to come back down.”

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