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Empowering innovation: Boda’s path with ABB 

Meet the people in ABB Ireland, a dynamic team that is making a real difference through being part of a supportive and inclusive work environment where we encourage each other to grow and develop skills, and contribute to impactful work that matters. 

Together, we are building a sustainable future for generations to come. 
For Boda Li, joining ABB wasn’t just a career move – it was something that felt like fate. Growing up in China, Boda’s connection with ABB started early. His father, a mechanical engineer in the mining industry, regularly worked with ABB equipment. “I knew ABB from a very young age,” he recalls. Years later, while completing his post-doctoral research at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, that early connection resurfaced when the opportunity to join ABB emerged. 

Today, Boda is a Research Scientist at ABB’s German Corporate Research Center in Mannheim. His work sits at the heart of innovation, bridging cutting-edge academic knowledge with real-world industrial applications. “We’re a small ship with high power,” he explains, describing the agility of the team at the Corporate Research Center. “We focus on new technologies and deliver know-how to the business units, supporting better, more energy-efficient solutions.” 

Boda’s work touches upon many areas, from electrical systems and hydrogen to mining, and more. “For me, it’s like solving puzzles,” he says with enthusiasm. What motivates him the most is the combination of passionate, supportive colleagues and the challenge of implementing solutions in the real world. 

“I’ve always believed that diversity is a source of happiness.”

Our values are the cornerstone of our culture. They shape everything we do, guide our behavior and interactions with our colleagues, customers, partners and society as a whole, and help us realize our purpose. By living our four ABB values, we lead by example in how we do business and behave.
The journey to ABB Germany wasn’t without its challenges. Moving to a new country with little knowledge of the local language presented cultural hurdles. “Finding housing, registering with the city – it was overwhelming at first,” Boda recalls. But what stood out to him was the support from his team. “Before I even arrived, my colleagues were sending me emails about where to live, how to handle the paperwork. It wasn’t their job, but they just wanted to help.” 

That spirit of inclusion has shaped his ABB experience. Beyond his role in the Research Center, Boda actively contributes to fostering diversity and belonging by volunteering with Europe Encompass Pride, ABB’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG) in Europe. “I can feel the passion from our allies. People want to help create an inclusive environment.” While being an active contributor to an ERG group across Europe is not always easy, Boda values the network and friendships it has brought into his life.  

“I’ve always believed that diversity is a source of happiness,” he says. “Being part of this community has helped me learn new skills – not in technology, but in how to collaborate, how to do things, how to communicate better.” 

When it comes to personal development and the collaborative environment at ABB, Boda appreciates the openness and the opportunity for anyone to pitch their ideas. “It’s never about one person making decisions here. Everything is about communication, collaboration, and ensuring that we all grow together. We all have the same goal.” 

And what does success look like for Boda? “It’s not only about me achieving something. It’s about doing something that also benefits others – my colleagues, the team, the business. I can always bring new ideas and technologies to the business unit. Maybe one day my father will tell me they’ve installed a new ABB system at his work, and I’ll be able to say, ‘This is something I designed.” 

When asked to describe ABB in just one word, Boda says: “Extraordinary.”
For Boda, ABB is not just a workplace – it’s a place where purpose, cutting-edge technology, and community come together. 
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