From generalist to specialist

“I started with Mondelēz International in 2001 working in Chocolate, then moved to Biscuits. Backed by mentoring and formal learning including Mondelēz International University courses, my journey here has been one from generalist – taking in Quality, Production, Business Development and Engineering – to a specialist role in Research, Development & Quality.

“I design the process for our biscuit products. How we prepare the dough and form it to fit the project specification, how the biscuit is baked and in which type of oven to give it the right moisture is down to me and my team.”

Swedish assignment

“As part of a programme to give people more development opportunities, I went on assignment to Sweden for six months. This certainly moved me out of my comfort zone – I worked in coffee production, something I knew nothing about! They gave me a project to work on: ‘here’s what you’ll be doing over the next six months and here’s your manager if you need support’. It was a challenge but a fantastic experience which opened my mind to new ways of working which I took into my next role in Business Development.”

‘Being at My Best’

“The ‘Being at My Best’ personal resourcefulness training has proved to be invaluable to my development as I have moved into a leadership role. The first module was a one-to-one session related to thinking about my behavior, knowing myself and what my limits are. The other was about empowerment, looking at the resources and tools I need to manage my daily workload. It’s made me much more aware of the way I do things and improved skills such as time management – so important when we’re busy.”

Taking control

“I’ve had the final say in every move I’ve made within Mondelēz International. And it’s great that every decision has been an informed one. My mentor, managers and HR have been brilliant sharing their time to discuss opportunities and offer me career advice. If something grabs my attention, I bombard people with questions. And if a new role comes up that might be of interest, you always hear about it, thanks to our global open posting policy.”

Personal secrets

“On my way to high school, there was a bakery and I loved the smell of the biscuits. Strangely, there was also a bakery on my way to college. And what have I been doing for the last 16 years? Working in a bakery – I never tire of the smell of biscuits! “I’m really proud to be part of the team behind our products. If I had to pick two favourite brands from our worldwide portfolio it would be our Triscuits snacks and Milka chocobakery products. Delicious!”