What does your job entail?
No two days are the same, and that’s what is so exciting about the role. There are certain set days in the month where we have executive committee and management meetings, and many other regular meetings during the year that are preset in my diary. I also need to be flexible and able to adapt my diary to accommodate urgent meetings that come up concerning people, performance, operational factory challenges, customer needs, and then of course being available to the board and shareholders.
How did you end up in this position?
My career started off in the medical field and then progressed to fast-moving consumer goods, where I found a passion for everything sales related. During my 22 years in the industry, I have worked for some great companies such as Kimberly-Clark, Proctor & Gamble and MARS. During this time, I developed myself through formal education and experience, working my way up to leading sales teams. My focus then changed more to general management where I had the opportunity to work across functions of the business and people development.
What do you think makes you good at what you do?
I think there are many things that make me good at what I do, including a passion for change, curiosity, resilience, high energy levels and results-driven orientation, while being able to bring others along on the journey with me. I love seeing people achieve their own ambitions and it is a great privilege to help them on that journey. I am very clear on my purpose in life, which is impact positively, love intentionally and inspire success. I believe that living my purpose so intentionally every day is what makes me successful.
What advice do you have for young people at the start of their careers?
Work hard for what you want, as nothing good comes easily. You get out what you put in, so it’s up to you. Also, no career is linear; sometimes we need to take a step back to move forward. Understand where you want to go and have a plan on how to get there, but remain flexible and curious, as many growth opportunities may not fit in with your original plan, but can add so much value at the end of the day.
What do you look for when recruiting for Woodlands?
We look for individuals who have the capabilities for growth beyond their current roles, have a passion for our business and are aligned to our values of integrity, passion, environment, people and governance.
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