IN T E RV I E W A HANDS-ON APPROACH TO THE BUSINESS As one of the founding members of FINK Mobility, Edith Klien has overseen some momentous changes in the Brazilian moving business. Dominic Weaver spoke to her son Thomas Klien and FINKs CEO Laura Ganon about the history of Ediths involvement in the company and the legacy of her unique approach to ensuring its services are of the very highest standard W LAURA GANON, FINK CEO AND FIDI PRESIDENT ith only three years to go until her 100th birthday, Edith Klien is no longer involved in the day-to-day activities of FINK Mobility but her presence as a cornerstone in one of Brazils longest-established moving companies is still felt keenly in the firm today. Her singular approach is evident in FINKs ongoing focus on quality and loyalty to its market, which Klien instilled from her very first involvement in the business. Edith was born in 1926, in Vienna, during one of her mother Josefas return trips to her native Austria to see relatives. The second of three daughters, she moved to So Paulo at the age of 19 to help with her father Josephs fledgling packaging and transportation business. 42 FF307 September-November 22 pp42-45 EdithKlienInterview.indd 42 On the recommendation of friends in the country, Joseph Fink had travelled to Brazil because of the severe economic turmoil in Europe in the wake of World War I. He initially worked as a live-in gardener for an American family in Rio de Janeiro, but after acquainting himself with the region and learning the language he set up his own small business in the packaging and transportation sector, in which he had worked previously. His Austrian roots encouraged him to search for international jobs, as well as for domestic work. However, it also meant that during World War II with Austria part of the German Reich, and Brazil allied to the US Joseph was detained with other Austrian and German citizens in a light prison camp in Rios Guanabara Bay. At this point, Edith, her older sister WW W. F I D I FOC U S . OR G 06/09/2022 07:37