As Director of Energy at Magna International, he now stands globally for precisely what once seemed impossible: professional excellence, determination – and a clear vision of what is possible through consistent personal development.

In the lecture hall he is concerned with more than just theory.

His message is clear: opportunities do not just arise on their own – you have to work consciously to create them and have a clear goal in mind.

He actively maintains his connection with UAS Burgenland : graduates work in his team, students write their thesis at Magna or gain their first practical experience through work placements. Binder is also involved as a mentor – out of conviction.

Because he knows just how challenging this path can be.

“If my story doesn’t inspire people, then I don’t know what will,” he says, looking back. “At school, I was by no means one of the top students. Back then, I wouldn’t have believed myself capable of going on to university.”

But this is precisely where his real story begins: with the decision not to let expectations – whether from others or from himself – hold him back, and to develop his own vision step by step.

Technology has always fascinated the trained plumber. He started at Magna on the assembly line, but his potential was quickly recognised. He moved into energy supply maintenance and took on responsibility early on: at the age of 22, he was already heading up the division for the Graz site, and at 26 he became deputy head of department.

Despite this rapid rise, one thing became clear to him: practical experience alone is not enough.

“I lacked the theoretical grounding in many areas,” says Binder. As a result, he completed his Matura whilst working – a decisive turning point.

The next step took him to the University of Applied Sciences (then still known as FH) Burgenland.
“The subjects of energy and building services engineering immediately appealed to me – and the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland has an excellent reputation in this field.”

An intense period followed: studying alongside a 40- to 50-hour working week – characterised by discipline, perseverance and clear priorities. Even the Master’s programme in“Sustainable EnergySystems” was never a question of “whether” for him, but only of “how”.
“Take a deep breath and see it through,” is how he describes his approach.

At the same time, his career continued to develop: from 2016, he headed up Energy Management and Building Services at Magna Steyr, was responsible for Energy & Building Services during the establishment of a second site in Slovenia, and became Energy Manager Europe in 2019. Since 2023, he has held global responsibility for energy matters – across more than 350 sites worldwide.

For Binder, energy is far more than just an operational factor.
“Industry is one of the largest consumers of energy – and at the same time, it offers enormous potential for improvement”, he explains.

Ever since the birth of his daughter, this issue has taken on an even deeper meaning for him. Sustainability is no longer just part of his job, but also an expression of personal responsibility.

The results speak for themselves: last year alone, the Group saved over 246,000 MWh of energy worldwide. At the same time, new approaches – such as the use of artificial intelligence to optimise energy flows – are driving development forward.

But what is the real secret to success behind this development?

Binder identifies one key factor for success: effectiveness – and the balance that results from it.

“I’ve worked hard to scrutinise my working methods and make targeted improvements,” he says. During his Bachelor’s degree in particular, he came close to failing on several occasions. The turning point came with a radical focus on time management and self-management.

The effect was clearly noticeable: he completed his Master’s degree with significantly less time-effort whilst achieving better results.

Today, he consistently applies this approach. Thanks to structured and effective time and self-management, he manages to carve out specific pockets of free time in his daily work routine, allowing him to spend sufficient time with his daughter.

At the same time, his perspective has become sharper: for him, clarity, focus and working effectively are not ends in themselves, but the foundation for lasting success – both professionally and personally.

After all, it is precisely this combination that has taken him further: a clear vision, an overarching goal and the willingness to work consistently on self-improvement – without losing sight of why he is on this path in the first place.