She walks into a meeting with a smile that feels like a sunny day — warm, open, and instantly disarming. Colleagues call her Summer not because of the season, but because her laughter and warmth make every room feel brighter. In her fifth year at AESOLAR, that warmth has helped Rita turn complex projects into long-term partnerships—and this year, it also helped her step into a new role as Co-Region Director, Europe.

Rita’s story is not a tale of overnight success. It’s a steady, human-paced journey of learning, persistence, and a belief that business works best when people feel seen.

From chance meeting to chosen career

Joining AESOLAR was, as Rita puts it, “a fortuitous turn.” The renewable sector was taking off, and a German-rooted company with strong engineering DNA and international reach felt both exciting and stable. Rita was drawn by AESOLAR’s blend of rigorous quality and an inclusive team culture—an environment that allowed her to travel, learn from European markets, and grow professionally while staying true to what she values: trust, craft, and genuine collaboration.

Her day-to-day as a sales professional—and now as a leader—moves between two main rhythms: coordinating closely with European partners and actively developing client relationships on the ground. She manages the details that keep projects moving—logistics, event planning, on-site visits—while also doing the human work behind every deal: listening, aligning, and sometimes sharing a meal or a joke that dissolves tension and builds trust.

A reliable problem-solver with a designer’s eye

Rita describes her role’s core as being a “reliable problem solver.” That means spotting issues early, crafting practical solutions, and keeping things moving forward. She’s become what she calls a “polygonal warrior”: adaptable, resilient, and multidimensional. Her architectural sensitivity to design and detail, combined with a pragmatic sales instinct, enables her to translate technical specifications into outcomes customers can trust.

One favourite memory captures this blend of work and warmth: a client who posed a photo of AESOLAR’s Albert mascot with his newborn. The image—part pride, part private joy—was a reminder that the relationships behind deals are personal. It’s those warm, unexpected moments that Rita treasures most, because they show that partnerships can be commercial and heartfelt at the same time.

Culture shaped her — and she’s helping shape it back

AESOLAR’s multinational culture has been a catalyst for Rita’s growth. Regular product trainings, exposure to factories and R&D, and the opportunity to represent the company in European trade shows gave her both the technical literacy and the confidence to step into leadership. She credits the company’s mix of German precision and human-first collaboration for helping her develop the calm confidence she shows today.

As Co-Region Director she’s already shifting from singular execution to collective enablement: coaching colleagues, designing processes that scale, and encouraging a culture where challenges are shared and wins are celebrated. The balance of high standards and mutual support is something she now passes on—mentoring colleagues to act with the same steady optimism that defined her own growth.

Life beyond business: travel, concerts, and the joy of being present

When the laptop closes, Rita’s world opens in other directions. She recharges through travel—sampling regional cuisines, soaking up local culture—and through live concerts that reconnect her to emotion and spontaneity. Those experiences aren’t just leisure; they are creative inputs that feed her work. A good concert, she says, trains her to read a crowd; a weekend trip teaches her to notice small cultural cues that later become the difference between a signed deal and a stalled conversation.

Rita’s energy comes from simple pleasures: the satisfaction of a well-organized trade fair, the shared laughter at a long dinner with partners, and the quiet pride in seeing a project flip the lights on for a community. That human-first orientation—combined with solid process and product know-how—makes her leadership both effective and warmly persuasive.

Advice from Summer: small kindnesses, big outcomes

Rita’s advice to young professionals—and especially to women entering the renewable sector—is practical and deliberate: stay curious, be persistent, and build relationships with intention. Technical knowledge is essential, but the ability to listen, to attend to a partner’s unspoken concerns, and to be dependable over time—those are the traits that create lasting value.

She hopes to keep growing AESOLAR’s footprint in Europe while nurturing teams that are confident, competent, and compassionate. As she puts it: “I want to be a small firefly in AESOLAR’s big sky—sending out light that helps others find their way.”

👉 Stay tuned for more stories in our #AEFaces series — meet the people who bring light to life, one connection at a time.