About Alexander Efremov | Systems Architect & Executive Mentor

1993

A new country without moving

Born in a country that formally no longer exists (the USSR) and raised in a rapidly transforming Russia, the diversity in my extended family was immense: technical intelligentsia, state catering managers, farmers, and new entrepreneurs. Everyone struggled in their own way. Growing up there offered a chance to observe early on how different people can be and how to find common ground.

1998

Member of a Joint School Council

When self-governance reached my school, I became a member of a tripartite council of teachers, administrators, and pupils. This was the first lesson in how institutions really work: the importance of rules, the limits of authority in a given role, and the necessity of stepping down when those limits no longer allow you to fulfil your mission.

2003–2009

Control Systems Engineer (MSc)

Choosing my alma mater wasn't a calculated move; it simply popped up, driven partly by an affinity for computers and partly by circumstance. The trajectory was initially aimless, requiring a few stumbles to find solid footing. Yet the sheer calibre of the university left nowhere to hide: the curriculum demanded mastering formidable theoretical foundations whilst simultaneously absorbing an intense load of practical problem-solving.

2005

The first salary

A translation bureau held a competition at the university; winning a prize led to an invitation to freelance. This was the first money earned purely through my own skills. Translating had never crossed my mind as a career, despite attending a school with German as a primary subject. It served as a clear early lesson that not everything in life can be planned.

2006

The first "Why"

Midway through my studies, Prof. Yuri Mitrishkin arrived at our department. He stood out: active in the Academy of Sciences, working on a contract in Japan, and publishing extensively. Most importantly, he genuinely believed in what he did. Noticing our lack of attention during one lecture, he remarked: "You know, I really do not understand why you are here." That was the first "why" that truly landed, kicking off deep shifts in my mindset. Looking back, Prof. Mitrishkin was a genuine systems thinker without ever using the label. (R.I.P.)

2008

The first "No"

Working as a sales representative for power electronics during my final university years provided first-hand experience with international partners, presenting complex topics at trade fairs, and pitching ideas to colleagues. Yet the definitive lesson was learning to say "No" to a boss. When he demanded that the entire team cancel their New Year holidays to haul furniture to a new office, I refused to comply and refused to be intimidated.

2009–2010

Lead Engineer in Defence

My first post-graduate role was at a former Soviet defence design bureau, where I suddenly found myself appointed lead engineer. Arriving at the office explained everything: the staff consisted almost entirely of recent graduates, two retired veterans, and former military officers in management. The two enduring takeaways: learning to collaborate across a massive generational knowledge gap, and realising that enterprise change never happens simply because someone writes a memo or issues a decree.

2009–2013

Plasma Fusion Controls Research

Alongside industry work, postgraduate research and a junior researcher post at the Institute of Control Sciences ran in parallel. Under Prof. Mitrishkin’s guidance, our team published two papers, presented findings at an IEEE Conference in Maui, and contributed to grant proposals. Beyond the fundamentals of the scientific method and epistemological differences across disciplines, it instilled a deep appreciation for research itself: real science must be pursued for the endless search for truth. Period.

2010–2014

Application Engineer & Trainer at MathWorks

This was my first role inside a truly global organization marked by deep division of labour and high-trust collaboration. Serving the CIS market within a lean team, backed by colleagues across Sweden, Germany, Italy, and the US, provided extensive international travel and exposed me to diverse engineering environments from aerospace to automotive. It was the ideal blend: designing control systems while helping other engineers succeed.

2014–2015

Methodology Engineer in Aerospace

Joining the development of a commercial airliner meant entering the most ambitious engineering programme in the country. Returning to industry with stronger technical and organizational insights, I hoped to drive rapid change, but quickly encountered Conway's Law in practice: team structures must reflect the product architecture. No big-bang changes can survive in an industry where project cycles span decades — and rightly so. It was also my baptism by fire in enterprise PLM systems.

2016–2017

INCOSE Chapter President

After joining local INCOSE activities in 2013, I campaigned for chapter president on a platform of institutionalisation. We delivered: releasing an official INCOSE technical product with broad volunteer backing, launching member-driven working groups, partnering with the local IPMA chapter, and drafting the founding blueprint to formally establish the chapter as an NGO.

2016

Relocating to Germany

Mid-way through my INCOSE presidency, an offer arrived from PITERION Group in Germany (now part of Capgemini). It was a leap into the unknown: settling permanently abroad in a workplace where everyone spoke foreign languages. Being fluent in both English and German helped enormously, but the deeper mindset shift was philosophical: the traditional fear of making a "mistake" is poisonous to growth. We perform as best we can at any given moment; next time, we do better.

2016–2018

PLM Consultant at Siemens

Stationed at Siemens Industry Software for 2.5 years via PITERION, I contributed to IEC — a massive PLM initiative aimed at unifying product data across radically diverse business units, from power turbines to semiconductors and medical hardware. The sheer architectural complexity was staggering: formal ontologies, conflicting stakeholder requirements, and fragmented lifecycles. Stepping beyond standard QA tasks, I helped harmonize automated and manual testing pipelines, saving substantial time and engineering effort across both teams.

2019–2025

Systems Engineering Expert & Manager at MHP (Porsche)

Joining an engineering unit inside a predominantly IT consultancy felt like returning home to physical systems. Following early client engagements, I spent 2.5 years embedded with Porsche's Chassis division (around 400 engineers), guiding major transitions across MBSE and ASPICE. Though initially brought in for meeting moderation, I stepped into systems architecture to anchor sustainable change. The highest praise came directly from the team: "Alexander isn't just present; he shares in the suffering." Later, as manager, I shifted focus to building internal capability, mentoring engineers, and structuring practice offerings.

2022

Volunteer Interpreter at Nuremberg Refugee Centre

In late winter 2022, life took a sharp turn. Processing that upheaval would have been far harder without working directly on-site at Nuremberg’s municipal coordination centre for Ukrainian refugees. Every day for about two months, I spent hours face-to-face with arriving families, explaining registration procedures and providing immediate personal support. It began almost by chance, after encountering a family struggling to communicate in Russian with a characteristic soft "G". Sometimes an unexpected moral impulse demands immediate action, especially in times of collective crisis.

2024

Certified Systems Engineering Professional

I have never placed much stock in badges, medals, or corporate insignia. Yet I deliberately pursued the INCOSE CSEP, followed by the German SE-Zert Level A. External credentials matter pragmatically: human cognition relies on heuristics, and credentials provide a trusted shorthand that tells your counterpart where you stand from day one. Collecting dozens is pointless; having one or two rigorous anchors is simply effective engineering communication.

2026–now

Technical Leader, Mentor & Researcher

Drawing these threads together, I now work directly with organizations and individuals as an independent systems architect and executive mentor. I partner with technical leaders to tackle wicked sociotechnical challenges, navigate cultural inertia, and mentor specialists to expand beyond functional silos. Every engagement couples hard-won lessons — both setbacks and breakthroughs — with rigorous, reusable frameworks. Science and systems theory only matter when they prove their worth in living practice.

An excerpt of forty years