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Coffee Break with… Daniel Mardapittas

During this month’s coffee break, we caught up with one of Powerstar’s newest team members, Daniel Mardapittas, who joined Powerstar in 2020.

Here’s what Daniel had to say…

What was your first job role within the Energy Sector?

My journey into the energy sector begins here. In my training to become a BDM for Powerstar I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who have the upmost professionalism, knowledge and experience in the energy sector. Their enthusiasm for the industry as well as the exciting nature of the energy market has definitely had a great effect on me and I look forward to contributing to the growth of the company.

Describe a typical day at Powerstar

Due to the current COVID-19 climate, I have seen the weight on each member of staff increase, so their time has been very limited. This has meant it has been a fairly unstructured introduction into the position, causing my days to be very dissimilar. However, I join most meetings conducted within the grounds as well as those online. During these I will introduce myself and on the rare occasion I spot unearthed possible needs from the client’s perspective I will interject a question. Apart from meetings, I fill the rest of the day completing market research and customer segmentation, as well as covering the basics of engineering so that I can further my understanding of the products and cover possible questions the customers may have.

What do you enjoy the most about working in Energy?

I believe it’s the people that I get to meet at Powerstar and those within the sector; Clients or partners. It is an exciting market and in term of present relevance in the world I believe unsurpassed. The sustainability revolution is at its infancy and the wave of exponential growth is beginning. Bloomberg predicts an increase to 69% total world renewable generation from the current 9% by 2050. This further exemplifies the importance of the energy sector and I am proud to begin working at a leading UK manufacturer.

Are there any drawbacks to working in this sector?

A difficult question for me personally as I have spent only a few months within it. I would say that the large breadth of knowledge required to participate in the energy sector can at times be a little overwhelming, especially for someone who is a novice. In my very limited experience, I would also say that is saddens me to see so little manufacturing is conducted within the UK. This juxtaposed with the sheer amount of importing in this sector has led me to feel disheartened by the tendency for quality to be overshadowed by cheaper inferior alternatives. However, there is a silver lining, this being that Powerstar is a bastion of British manufacturing.

What’s your proudest achievement to date?

As I have done little within this industry it’s a difficult question to answer. The leap into the energy sector isn’t an easy one. So, in respect to this industry, I would say for now that ‘diving head first’ into it with a curious and open mind has been rewarding in itself.

Do you have any hobbies outside of work?

Yes, I have three in particular, although one of them is more a job than a hobby. The first is art; The mediums that I use are paint, pencil, ink, charcoal. The second is the professional outlet which is as an actor. I have trained for 4 years in Los Angeles as an actor, however due to a myriad of circumstances, it has been (professionally) challenging. Despite this I still continue this in my spare time and weekends. The third is Muay Thai (Thai Kickboxing). I have done this now for around seven years, training out of Wicker Camp Sheffield. The physical and mental discipline required for it has been extremely rewarding. I have met great people and learned many lessons that transcend just the fighting aspect of the sport.

Advancements in technology often cause significant changes in many industries, such as energy. What recent technological advances have had the biggest impact on your personal life?

In terms of my personal life, music is a large component. So, in this respect, the movement into wireless technology and the improvement of both sound quality and mobility has allowed me to enjoy those moments where music is applicable more fully.

If you had to give one piece of advice to people seeking jobs in energy, what would it be?

Due to me just starting in the industry I have no specific advice to give. However, as with anything in life I would say to start and work with all the tools at your disposal and better tools will come along the way; Or to quote Miyamoto Musashi “it may seem difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first.”

Why Powerstar?

My surname may give you an inkling as to why Powerstar, but aside from this clear reason, I would say the fact that it is a UK manufacturer. Not only that, but whilst having only been recently introduced to the industry, I have seen the vast knowledge and professionalism of the members of staff at Powerstar. I have not yet been to a meeting where a question posed was left unanswered. Not only that, but witnessing the R&D team in action and the continuous development of pioneering technology has been inspiring. Also, the money directed into the R&D department (10% of EBITDA) is market leading, highlighting the company’s iron will to continuously improve.

Describe Team Powerstar in 3 words

Pioneering, Persevering, Adept.

We’ve enjoyed welcoming Daniel into the Powerstar team, and wish him all the best within his role as Business Development Manager.