Einride Portraits: Craig, New market expansion

Craig Roberts is a member of four different teams in his adopted city of Stockholm. Three are local football teams; the other is Einride’s Commercial team. The British expat shares what he loves about his day job – and why he has no issues remembering when he started it.

What is your role at Einride?

I’m in new market expansion, within the Commercial team. I am focused on growth in the parts of Europe in which Einride is deploying its freight mobility grids. These are cities and regions in which Einride is unlocking a new way for shippers to move goods – in a way that is smarter and more sustainable. 

Since I joined, we have expanded into Germany and the Benelux, and we’ve made significant steps toward becoming operational in the UK – a place naturally close to my heart.

Prior to this, I was a strategy management consultant working on mergers and acquisitions. And I really loved what I had been doing, but I felt that I wanted to work on something that was a bit more mission-based.

How long have you been at Einride?

Since October 4, 2021. And it was certainly no ordinary work day. I vividly recall setting up my computer when suddenly everyone was descending on the kitchen in response to an office-wide Slack message. I soon discovered the cause of the commotion was one specific Swedish baked good. That’s when it dawned on me: it was “Kanelbullens dag” – Cinnamon Bun Day. 

I had actually moved to Sweden, from the UK, three years prior on this very day. So now October 4 has extra significance. Although a few years into living in Sweden, I still find it amusing – and amazing – that certain baked goods are allocated a day of celebration in the calendar.

What attracted you to the company?

The thing that really got me excited about Einride was its offering to the market. Having worked in the transportation industry for some seven years, I could see that the sector was so far behind the curve in terms of digitalization – as well as with respect to achieving sustainability goals and finding a path to autonomous technology. And I mean, the Einride offering essentially brings all “that” to the market. 

“The thing that really got me excited about Einride was its offering to the market.”

So, based on my experience in the transportation sector plus the unique but necessary approach that Einride was shaping, I really saw a great opportunity for me to work in a space that I care about – while also being part of driving change for the better.

When speaking to prospective customers, which roles within those companies do you mostly find yourself speaking to?

I would say we’re mostly in dialogue with people from one of four areas. The first would be the executive of the company. They can be really interested and have that longer-term vision about the sustainability of the company, so that's typically who you would always want to speak to first, where possible.

Then you have logistics teams. They’re always involved in what’s going on day to day, but also often have sustainability ambitions from within that logistics team. Then there are the innovation areas of companies, which perhaps show more of an interest in the autonomous technology of Einride. And the fourth group we regularly speak to are those within the companies’ sustainability teams themselves.

Each of these groups has a different set of KPIs and pain points, so part of my role is communicating Einride’s solution – and how it truly unlocks a world of benefits for companies – but explaining it in a way that speaks best to their specific wants and needs. 

What are some common misconceptions people might have of Einride?

A lot of companies we approach begin by saying “Oh we’re not interested in buying trucks”. However, Einride doesn’t actually sell trucks, but rather, provides them and operates them on behalf of the shipper customers – enabling them to electrify their operations without all the complexities they would otherwise face. Additionally, through digital technology – namely, the platform Einride Saga – it intelligently coordinates every step of the chain to actually move the goods, sustainably, while driving cost efficiencies.

Perhaps the other misconception is that we’re only focused on autonomous vehicles. While autonomous technology is one key part of the Einride offering, for many companies this is more of a longer-term ambition. However Einride is very much about the here and now, as well as the future. Shippers face a sustainability challenge and don’t know how to solve it. We come in with a one-stop shop pathway for them to solve it, as well as the expertise, experience, and technological capacity to help them achieve their electrification goals.

What do you find most satisfying about your work?

In my experience, there definitely comes a “lightbulb" moment that suddenly occurs in our dialogues with shipper customers. The discussions have been progressing well, and lots of interesting questions have been asked and answered – and then suddenly, it “clicks” and the momentum just takes off. It shifts away from feeling like a “customer-seller” relationship to becoming much more of a partnership. You’re working together collaboratively to get the solution in motion – and curb real emissions.

“We’re bringing something that’s never been done before to the market – at a time when the world urgently needs solutions like this.”

The other thing that’s really exciting about the new markets we’re entering is that there’s just so much green field. We’re bringing something to the market that’s never been done before  – at a time when the world urgently needs solutions like this. Thus, we can really make a difference here. 

When it comes to the year ahead, 2023, what do you look forward to?

I’m especially excited about the fact that OEMs are creating vehicles that are really fit for purpose. Einride operates fleets of such vehicles, and the market is going to be even more ready for it than it was in 2022. This product fit can cover a lot of logistics needs. I’m also excited for the next Cinnamon Bun Day.

Where might we find you, when you’re not driving growth in new markets?

I love to travel. I once climbed Machu Picchu despite being in crutches with a broken ankle. I also love playing the guitar – but more so when the door is shut – and I make a mean pizza for someone who has only been to Italy once. Since moving to Stockholm, I’ve become obsessed with kayaking and camping around the archipelago. And of course, in stereotypical British fashion, I religiously watch and play football.

___________

Want to join Craig on Einride’s growth journey? Einride is always on the lookout for ambitious, creative and kind-hearted people with relevant expertise to join the team. Check out Einride’s career page to see our current open positions.

See our job openings →

‍