EMEA Recruitment Podcast

We were proud to welcome René Behr, Chief People Officer at IWC Schaffhausen, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “True success lies in shaping a future when people and business grow in tandem, leaving a legacy that transcends time.” René has always been fascinated by human dynamics and interactions. He believes that Human Resources is the most influential function in business, because people are critical to success. He cites figures like David Ulrich, the “Father of Modern HR”, inspirational speaker Simon Sinek, and former Google VP of People Operations, Laszlo Bock, as key influences. He also reveals the unexpected profession he's trained in.  Reflecting on his 25-year career, René is most proud of the lasting impact his efforts have had on businesses and people - an impact that goes beyond any single achievement or project. He shares a story about an IWC apprentice from a challenging background who was initially resistant to positive change. Through persistent effort, the apprentice passed his exams and went on to open his own business, where he now educates young apprentices with similar backgrounds. When asked what he would do differently if he had his time again, René highlights that failure makes you stronger. He emphasises the importance of listening to your gut - though it should inform your decisions, not lead them, he adds.  Paul highlights the quote René shared on his LinkedIn profile: “Be the change you want to see” by Gandhi. René explains that he interprets this as championing change and leading by example, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The conversation then turns to IWC Schaffhausen's resilience programme, which has been rolled out from the senior team across the organisation over a two-to-three-year period. This holistic programme equips teams to manage stress, adapt to change, and face challenges. It includes in-person workshops and lunch and learn sessions aligned with monthly themes, exploring personal resilience and extending into leadership. The sessions aim to break the stigma around mental health, with the goal of creating a supportive environment where conversations can lead to real changes in practice. René stresses that the programme's success is measured both qualitatively and quantitatively through engagement surveys, tracking productivity, job satisfaction, and retention rates. It's not just about making people feel good; burnout can be far costlier if not addressed. It's also a long-term KPI that can't be measured during the interview process or when onboarding new hires. When asked what advice he would give to his 21-year-old self, René focuses on embracing challenges and failures as learning opportunities, taking risks while remaining authentic, and staying curious. René's next big dream is to continue shaping the future of work by creating an environment that empowers colleagues to innovate, collaborate, and grow. He looks forward to helping the company navigate changes in its business model and being part of a future where HR has a permanent seat at the table.  The episode ends with René sharing his gratitude. He is thankful for his first manager, who saw potential in him and helped him transition into HR, and for his partner, who has supported him unconditionally. René reminds listeners to work on your personal relationships just as much as your business ones - don't stop. If you'd like to learn more about René's career, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.   To find the part of the episode most interesting to you, please use the timestamps below: 01:15: The last thing that made René smile 03:50: Why René pursued a career in HR 07:00: René's biggest career success 09:40: What René would change in the past 12:15: “Be the change you want to see” 14:00: Holding himself accountable 16:15: The Building Resilience to Power Performance programme at IWC 25:50: Measuring success 31:15: Advice for René's 21-year-old self 33:10: His next big dream 36:05: Gratitude and what René appreciates most   EMEA Recruitment is proud to partner with Operation Smile. To learn more about their vital work around the world or to donate to the cause, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/partners/emea-recruitment/  If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes, please reach out to marketing@emearecruitment.com  #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #renebehr #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #recruitment  

“You're changing a child's life, but you're also changing this world to be a better place.” We're delighted to welcome Kathy Magee, Co-Founder, President and CEO of Operation Smile, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  Operation Smile is a medical charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with cleft lip and cleft palate. Paul Toms, our Founder, shares a strong personal connection with the charity, which inspired EMEA's long-standing partnership with the charity, now in its 4th year.  To begin, Paul asks Kathy about the last thing that made her smile. She shares that smiling children bring a smile to her face, referring to those whose quality of life is improved by the treatment they receive.  Kathy goes on to detail some key aspects of her role; driving key decisions, leading various teams and the strategic planning needed to be able to care for more children and their families in the future.  Next, Paul and Kathy delve into the establishment of Operation Smile in 1982. Kathy shares that she was a paediatric nurse and her husband Dr Bill Magee a paediatric plastic surgeon with both dental and medical degrees, specialising in facial surgery.  In 1982 the couple joined a team of 15 medical professionals visiting the Philippines to offer free treatment to local children with untreated cleft conditions. She tells us how the team were overwhelmed to find 300 children waiting when only 40 were able to be treated. Upon leaving, the team discussed a plan to help and now, over 42 years later, Operation Smile operates worldwide with a network of more than 6,000 volunteers, plus school clubs where students get involved in fundraising to help those in need.  Kathy describes her husband as the visionary and herself as the implementer. In 1999, they set a goal: visit 18 countries in nine weeks and operate on 5000 children. To achieve this goal, they borrowed a medical plane and were able to complete the mission, nicknamed the ‘Journey of Hope'.  Among many accolades, the Magees were recognised with the President's Call to Service Award by George W. Bush in 2007, and in 2009 U.S. News and World Report named Kathy and Bill among “America's Best Leaders”, an honour for which Kathy credits the entire Journey of Hope team.  In this line of work, emotions run high. Kathy shares a heart-warming story of a dentist on the team helping a seven-day-old child in Vietnam who was struggling to eat. That child survived and a year later was one of the first to receive full corrective surgery courtesy of Operation Smile.  Volunteers and donors are vital for the charity, which not only provides surgeries but also comprehensive care, such as speech therapy and nutrition at partner hospitals and during Operation Smile programmes. Kathy describes Operation Smile's volunteers are as incredible; they care for the patients as if their own children, and run a wide variety of programmes including the ‘Champion' programme – a scheme whereby experienced volunteers who've been with the charity for several years directly train the staff in district hospitals, and “Women in Medicine” that has the objective to help more women enter the medical field. There have been five all-women Operation Smile programmes so far around the globe and the charity provides education to support this aim.   Paul asks Kathy if she is still as motivated as she was in 1982. She discloses that she recently visited Rwanda and was inspired upon meeting President Paul Kagame by his ambition to provide better healthcare for the people; a mission which Operation Smile is proud to take part in delivering.  Kathy then talks about the students who undertake programmes with Operation Smile and are committed to giving back – an all-important aspect of this charity's work.  Paul has written a children's book, Sloathar the Sloth, to help raise funds and awareness for Operation Smile, with all profits donated to the charity's incredible programme of work. To order your copy, visit https://amzn.eu/d/awn1td7   Timestamps: 02:25 The last thing that made Kathy smile 03:50 How it feels to be Co-Founder, President & CEO of Operation Smile 07:35 How Operation Smile was established  13:45 Family-led impact and the shaping of Operation Smile 23:55 Being recognised with awards, including one from President George W. Bush 25:30 Managing emotions when in this line of work 31:55 The significance of volunteers to the charity's programmes  35:45 Kathy's participation and motivation forty years on    The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager. To share your feedback on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact: marketing@emearecruitment.com     #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #kathymagee #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #recruitment  

We were delighted to welcome Terhi Nori, Global Lead for Project Workstream at ABB, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “We create our own journey and our own story… it's just a matter of choosing the next step if you want to pursue opportunities or make a change.” In this episode, we learn about Terhi's passion for change management and her 20-plus year career at ABB, as well as her opinions on artificial intelligence, and the importance of authenticity.  As the podcast is in partnership with Operation Smile, Paul Toms asks Terhi about the last thing that made her smile. She shares a heartwarming story of helping a man with dementia who required extra support. Terhi and the man enjoyed each other's company for 45 minutes and found it sad to leave each other once support arrived, but she was very happy to experience that moment and help him get back home.  Terhi has spent over 20 years at ABB and enjoys helping and meeting new people. At such a large company, she has had many opportunities to work with different people over the years; she enjoys continuously learning from each other. Staying with a company for over 20 years brings the opportunity to change roles and continue to meet new people in different functions, she explains.  Paul asks if Terhi has ever experienced the “fear of missing out” as a result of remaining at ABB for so long. Terhi replies that it is human nature to think about what else there may be. However, she has not experienced that fear and hasn't worried about missed opportunities outside of ABB, adding that she has enjoyed the journey and where she is today.  She also believes that, if you really want to have certain opportunities, you have to open yourself up to them and seek them out. If you do that and you really want something, there is nothing stopping you from achieving that goal.  Delving into a discussion around change management, we learn that Terhi likes organising her thoughts, using creativity, solving challenges, and putting the pieces back together. For Terhi, change brings excitement and creates a snowball effect; there is usually something very valuable brought to life after creating something new.  However, change does come with uncertainty. But, in Terhi's opinion, it is about learning to observe your mind, acknowledge these feelings, then practising self-talk, embracing the changes ahead, and taking it as it comes – there is always a solution. Also, trust your team and remember you cannot control everything, she says.  Terhi's passion for change comes from the many changes she has experienced in her life. She explains that change is good, and she has learned to love it. Once you face change and the potential fear, you will grow.  Moving onto the topic of AI, Terhi believes that the artificial nature of the technology can complement human authenticity. People and the world have already embraced other kinds of industry evolutions, she adds.  The development of AI allows us to reduce information overflow and use our intelligence and creativity, Terhi explains. It's the beginning of a new era that will change leadership, she adds. The best way to approach it is with curiosity.  Exploring the recruitment process, Terhi finds it important for candidates to be true to themselves. We must look at the different skills and knowledge base needed and how that would build into the current team.  The recruitment process is exciting for Terhi; she enjoys finding those who can bring something new to the team and creating joint team development. Her current team learns from each other, with unique skills and experiences that bring a depth of richness.  Paul shares his personal experience working with ABB and its culture. He explains that he has noticed the longevity in the staff members and the growth experienced by those who have joined the company in the last five to six years.  He adds that the company onboards very good people, aligned with the culture, who stay with the business much longer than the industry average. Terhi agrees, and comments that there is great diversity in the company, too.  To end the episode, Paul asks Terhi about the one thing she wouldn't want to change. Listen to the full episode to find out what Terhi wouldn't compromise!     If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01:45 - The last thing that made Terhi smile 04:50 - A 20+ year career with ABB 08:00 - The fear of missing out 10:35 - Why Terhi enjoys change management 12:50 - Coping with the uncertainty of change 21:10 - Simplifying challenges 22:00 - The root of Terhi's passion for change 23:45 - Terhi's opinion of AI and future technology 29:45 – How authenticity has helped Terhi progress in her career 35:40 – Is authenticity ever a challenge in the workplace? 38:30 – The recruitment process 44:30 - The one thing Terhi wouldn't want to change If you'd like to connect with Terhi, you can find her on LinkedIn.    This episode is brought to you in partnership with Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. We're proud to support Operation Smile by raising vital funds and awareness for the cause. Find out more about their work: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager. Learn more about our full range of professional services recruitment through our website:  You can also follow us on LinkedIn: Or connect with Paul on LinkedIn: Alternatively, find Paul on Twitter:   To share your feedback on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact: marketing@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #terhinori #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #recruitment  

To celebrate World Menopause Day, we were honoured to welcome back Sally Higham, Director – Head of Talent Attraction at Lonza and Executive Menopause Coach, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “I want to be able to shake the shame and start a conversation.” In this episode, Paul Toms and Sally discuss menopause: the symptoms, the challenges, and advice for those it affects directly and indirectly. To start the episode, we learn about Sally's experience with menopause and entering this new stage of life. Many people assume menopause happens to people who are “old” and greying. For Sally, her symptoms began at the age of 46. The average age at which menopause arises is commonly between the ages 45 and 55 for women worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation, 2022.  While living in Singapore, Sally went for an annual medical exam and was offered a bone density scan. Her results showed that she had osteopenia – a diagnosis that suggests a loss of bone mineral density, resulting in weaker bones. When someone goes through menopause, their levels of oestrogen and other hormones drop sharply, leading to the loss of bone density over time. Nevertheless, Sally's doctor did not mention the menopause at this time. Some of the other symptoms that Sally had - and is still experiencing to some extent - are mood swings, fatigue, and achiness of the body. Some doctors unfortunately misdiagnose patients and prescribe the wrong medication to combat symptoms, she explains.  Now living in Basel, Switzerland, Sally changed her medical support. The gynaecologists in Basel generally prescribe non-medical treatment to start with to see how the body reacts. Sally also had a conversation with her mother to hear about her experience with menopause and non-medical treatments; Sally tried evening primrose oil and black cohosh to help with her mood swings, which had a positive effect for a while.  Sally is now taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which has been its own journey. HRT doesn't eliminate all of Sally's symptoms, but certainly helps. She doesn't suffer from the night sweats or hot flushes that are typically associated with the menopause. Like a lot of females, Sally has had to piece her treatment together herself.  The spark that encouraged Sally to talk openly about her experience was trying to understand what was happening to her and be able to provide advice to others, including those in the workplace. Bringing the subject up with managers can be tough. However, in Sally's case, she has been lucky to have managers who listened – both of whom were male and younger than herself.  It is important to reiterate that menopause is not an illness; it is a natural life event. Talking about it is the first step to breaking the taboo and changing the narrative in the workplace. It is a sensitive topic, and there can be a cultural layer to it, as well.   Sally's advice to others is not to be embarrassed by it and to talk about it - by doing so, you will inspire others to do the same.  Sally discusses the fact that we are living in an ageing population. In the Victorian era, for example, the average woman died at the age of 59. Now, in the UK, one in four females will live to 100 years old – meaning that they will be hormone deficient for half of their lifetime, as the average age for menopause is currently 51.  By 2030, it is estimated that over one billion people will be menopausal or post-menopausal (National Library of Medicine, 2019) across the globe. It is clear that workplaces will need to offer support for this.  Sally was open and honest about how she was feeling and shared her story during a leadership call. For other females, they do not recognise that menopause is happening to them. Workplaces, organisations, and employers can support managers and employees in a range of different ways. As a suggestion, lunch and learns could be implemented, which can often lead to lightbulb moments for attending individuals.  As an Executive Menopause Coach, Sally obtained her qualification from the Kathryn Colas Academy. The organisation uses a menopause traffic light system to provide structure on how businesses can approach the subject and work with communications/wellbeing teams to put a communications plan in place.  The key for any organisation is to first share awareness, so that people can identify their symptoms and seek medical advice if they wish to. The best thing managers or employers can do is create awareness, acknowledge the knowledge gap, and create a psychological and safe environment to talk about it, Sally believes.  Next, talk to leaders at varying levels, educate, and identify the workplace adjustments and policies that can be brought into the workplace.  However, be aware that managers will not have all the answers for those affected; even as an Executive Menopause Coach, Sally is open about not knowing all the answers.   Paul then shares his personal story regarding his wife, Kelly. He mentions reading Menopausing by Davina McCall, which helped expand his knowledge on the subject and gave him a lot of respect for his wife. Try your best not to judge situations and things that are said and done when people are experiencing menopause, he says.  The menopause can have an impact on people's careers. The perimenopause is the phase before menopause that can take place four to 12 years earlier, combining into a lengthy period that can impact both work and home life. She explains that this usually collides with females reaching a certain point in their careers, with ageing parents, and teenagers at home. Sometimes, women question their confidence and capabilities. Sally references a survey the Guardian did in 2022 with 2,000 women. Out of the 2,000 women, 62% said menopause impacts their work, 33% said they do not talk about their symptoms, and 43% were too embarrassed to ask for support.  Again, Sally reiterated her advice of seeking medical support, as everyone is different. Try to assess your lifestyle habits, diet, and general health – this should also help regain your confidence.  Furthermore, try not to make any rash decisions, like turning down a promotion or leaving your career. For example, decision makers and managers may not know the origin of your decision to leave a company and take that at face value. Whereas, if they are made aware that you are going through menopause, the decision can be questioned further, and support can be provided.  Priding herself on being a tough individual, Sally admits to struggling and adapting in the workplace. She shares a story of sitting in the office car park and crying as she physically couldn't bring herself to attend a meeting, resulting in two days out of work. There is then a debate about how organisations note this absence, as the menopause itself is not an illness. Therefore, the need for organisations to host sessions and talk about experiences and symptoms can help others out there, both internally and externally. If you do have a negative reaction from a manager, Sally recommends going to HR or finding the individuals in the organisation who you can have a more fruitful conversation with. You can also reach out to Sally on LinkedIn for further help and advice.  In the long-term, Sally's overarching goal is to shake the shame and start a conversation. This includes raising awareness, helping support and change the narrative in the workplace, and ultimately helping those who may be struggling.  The more the conversation is approached, the more people can open up and talk about it. This will then create a spiral effect and have an impact on others.   Organisations should support women going through perimenopause or menopause and that transition of life, she says. Hopefully, organisations will also see this as a positive initiative to help retain their workforce.  We're pleased to share a range of resources recommended by Sally, which you may find useful:  https://henpicked.net/ https://kathryncolasacademy.com/ https://www.emmabardwell.com/ https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/ https://www.theagingproject.com.au/   To help you find the most relevant part of the episode for you, please use these timestamps: 03:35 - Sally's experience with menopause 08:35 - The spark that made Sally want to talk about menopause 11:50 - Planning for conversations with managers 20:25 – Advice for managers, employers, or organisations 29:10 - Having the conversation with men vs. women 35:00 - How to deal with a manager who downplays your situation 39:35 - Sally's long-term goal   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is produced in partnership with international medical charity Operation Smile. If you'd like to learn more about the work Operation Smile's volunteers do around the world, please visit https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager. You can read more about our specialist recruitment services through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also stay up to date with our latest news and initiatives through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to message Paul, please connect with him via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    To share any feedback you have on this episode, please email: marketing@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #sallyhigham #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #recruitment #menopause

We were honoured to welcome Susanne Rothstein, Vice President Finance Hydro Building Systems at Norsk Hydro, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “When I have the opportunity to help young women in their careers, I take that opportunity.” To kickstart the episode, Paul Toms, our Founder, asks Susanne about the last thing that made her smile. Susanne is generally a positive person, however, receiving photographs of her nephew never fails to make her smile. Positivity is something that comes naturally to Susanne; she always strives to see the positives in the smaller things. Delving into Susanne's career, she explains that Finance was not an ambition of hers while growing up. Before attending university, she gained a realistic view of working after high school and enjoyed the prospect of a career in an international setting. Susanne began working in Finance, then moved into Strategy, and became the VP of Sustainability CSR, working with branding and internal communications. Five years ago, she decided to return to Finance. At Norsk Hydro, Susanne's amazing team challenges her to become the best version of herself. She thoroughly enjoys her role, along with having the opportunity to constantly learn in a dynamic function that touches everything in the business.   In a global organisation, new things appear often. For example, having previous experience with sustainability helps when the business model is anchored in sustainability and circularity.  Susanne has had nine different roles within the past 16 years at the business and credits the company for rewarding good work and providing opportunities. Susanne really enjoys manufacturing and dealing with a physical product. Her advice for those contemplating staying or moving to another organisation is to consider that, if you stay, you are building knowledge and competence in an industry that becomes transferable, you also get to know the people in your network and identify those who can move the needle behind the scenes. Alternatively, jumping between industries, you start from zero. Although this provides an opportunity to reinvent yourself, you will have to formally follow the hierarchy for support before you get to know people. We discuss how Finance remains a male-dominated discipline. In her first position as Business Controller, Susanne's original contract used the pronoun “he” and Susanne was the only woman in the room. As a female, you are more visible, which you can sometimes use to your advantage, but Susanne admits there have been challenges. In the past, she felt like she had to fight to have her voice heard, but has had plenty of good managers who didn't care what gender you are, as long as the job is being done. She stresses the importance of choosing the right type of manager for you.   Reflecting on the progress within the organisation, three out of four Business Unit heads are women in Susanne's division. She feels proud to have the opportunity to help young women in their careers and has removed the gender pay gap she experienced when she joined. Discussing an efficient and effective recruitment process, Susanne explains that she works in collaboration with a Human Resources Business Partner. Diversity is important when recruiting, as a balance of different perspectives and viewpoints is crucial for good team performance, she adds. Personally, Susanne prefers to focus less on what people have done and more on what the person has the potential to do; what allowed them to achieve the things they have done is maybe not what will be needed to take them to the next level. She adds that people in the organisation shouldn't view the career journey as a ladder, but instead view it as a jungle gym – it is not always up and down, sometimes there are side steps. Paul and Susanne explore the true cost of the wrong hire. Firstly, it is rare to hire a rotten person; the issue usually arises when it's a bad match to the role or the manager's expectations. The real cost of the wrong hire is more difficult to measure when the job is done insufficiently. As a result, the team and manager usually have to step in to pick up the workload and de-prioritise other tasks. It is important to take the time to complete the recruitment process correctly the first time around – that, in itself, is a skillset. We uncover Susanne's strategies for managing and prioritising her workload. She cycles to and from work, which helps structure her mind for the day. Susanne wishes someone had told her sooner the importance of prioritising health and delves into the benefits of physical exercise on the brain. Paul ends the episode by asking Susanne about her goals for the future. She shares a personal aspiration of tackling a challenging hike next summer. Her professional goal is to always continue learning.   If you're interested in a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01:40 – The last thing that made Susanne smile 02:25 - Susanne's positive attitude 04:15 - Why Susanne chose a career in Finance 07:15 - The importance of always learning 09:00 – 16 years at Norsk Hydro 11:20 - Advice for those contemplating a career move 13:20 - The fear of missing out 14:55 - Women in Finance: how it has changed 21:30 - Being the only woman in the room 28:35 - An efficient & effective recruitment process 32:44 - The true cost of the wrong hire 30:30 - Prioritisation & structuring time 42:30 - Susanne's goals for the future    EMEA Recruitment is proud to support Operation Smile through this podcast. Operation Smile's volunteers deliver life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate around the world. If you're interested in finding out more or would like to donate to this cause, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   The podcast is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. You can learn more about our people-first recruitment services through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  We also share regular updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  To connect with Paul, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Are there any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes? Please reach out to our Marketing team: marketing@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #susannerothstein #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #recruitment #finance  

We were proud to welcome Hugh Tamlyn, Director – Treasury & Prudential Risk at Beacon Search, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  This episode focuses on our partnership with Operation Smile, the international medical charity delivering free surgery to children with cleft lip and palate. Hugh and Beacon Search are on a mission to fund 100 surgeries by raising £15,000 during 2023. To donate, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/beaconsearch100smiles2023. You can also follow Hugh on TikTok or Instagram to follow his journey - @hughtamlyn To start the episode, Paul Toms asks Hugh about the last thing that made him smile. Hugh smiles daily, but most recently visited India where he went on a safari and managed to see some tigers in the wild. He adds that his dog, Cooper, also makes him smile and reveals the humorous reason behind Cooper's name.  Uncovering the reasons why Hugh began a partnership with Operation Smile, he shares that he was born with a cleft lip and palate and, as he aged, he felt like he should contribute to the community and help others.  He began fundraising via a charity bike ride, which has adapted in length over the years and eventually cultivated in a corporate partnership.  Delving deeper, Hugh reveals that he didn't talk about his condition for several years up until his late 20s. Speaking about his differences more regularly helped him become confident in himself. He now provides a pathway for children and is happy to have conversations with parents, answer questions, and provide a level of support. Fundraising efforts ramped up after Hugh started his own company, allowing him to dedicate more time to training for events. For Hugh, partnering with Operation Smile made sense for several reasons – taking ownership of his condition, social responsibility, and a passion to give back. Both Paul and Hugh open up further about their experiences, the benefits of being open to people, touching on a more accepting world, and the importance of helping others, especially in the developing world.  Next, we find out Hugh's impressive agenda for future fundraising efforts:  Ford Ride London An indoor 100-mile challenge on a static bike in London Everesting Challenge - 8,849 meters of uphill cycling in South Wales Irish Ride Challenge - 100 miles a day for 15 days ending on 6th October (World Smile Day) at the Operation Smile office in Dublin London to Brighton - 60-mile bike ride  Hugh began cycling and racing between the age of 12-16 and later swapped cycling for rugby. It was only when he moved to Amsterdam four to five years ago that he integrated himself into the Dutch culture and took up cycling again.  The next bucket list challenge for Hugh may involve mountaineering - although he doesn't want to complete all seven summits and refuses to do Everest. Kilimanjaro has been on his list for a while.  Paul later shares EMEA Recruitment's fundraising activities and mentions our London Marathon fundraiser, which was completed by Associate Director, Neil Cope. Paul also gives a synopsis of the children's picture book he is creating and writing for Operation Smile.  Moving away from his charity efforts, Hugh discusses his career journey. He has always enjoyed working and helping people. Originally, he planned to do a football-related career in Wales, but he ultimately took a risk and moved to London, eventually joining a recruitment company. As the business grew, he helped set up an office in New York and, later, Amsterdam.  During COVID, Hugh felt confident in setting up on his own and has always been competitive, self-motivated and willing to take risks. So far, it has been a rollercoaster experience, but he is enjoying the process with a new challenge every day.  Paul shares EMEA Recruitment's backstory, which involved building the business alongside his wife using their personal networks and reputation, without having a business plan in place. Ultimately, EMEA grew, built on trust and an aligned mindset. Towards the end of the episode, Hugh shares his greatest achievements. He emphasises that there have been many small wins throughout his life. The opportunity to live and work in different places with different cultures was one of his greatest achievements, and completing the Irish Ride Challenge and raising funds for Operation Smile will be another.  You can follow Hugh's journey on social media @hughtamlyn  The episode ends with Hugh attempting to persuade Paul to get involved in the London to Brighton 60-mile cycle!    To find a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps: 00:40 - Last thing that made Hugh smile 01:30 - The reason Hugh's dog is named Cooper 02:10 – Partnership with Operation Smile 04:20 - The turning point: Hugh accepting himself 07:25 - Confidence and bringing change 10:25 - The benefits of talking about experiences 13:05 - Hugh's fundraising activities 16:25 - When Hugh began cycling 19:20 - The next activity on Hugh's bucket list 20:40 - EMEA Recruitment's partnership with Operation Smile 23:20 - Becoming the owner of an international recruitment company 28:20 - Taking risks and Hugh's approach to opportunities 32:50 - EMEA Recruitment's backstory 35:15 - Hugh's greatest achievement 36:55 - Following Hugh's fundraising journey   We're proud to work with Operation Smile in bringing you the EMEA Recruitment podcast. If you'd like to find out more about the work they do around the world, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Marketing Manager.   To share your feedback on this episode, please reach out to Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #hughtmalyn #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #recruitment 

Thank you to Pehr Magnus Karlsson, Head of Finance Transformation at EF Education First, for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “Learn to deal with complexity, but also learn to simplify.” In this episode, Paul Toms begins by asking Pehr about the last thing that made him smile. Pehr had a call with a few technology specialists who were able to provide him with a demo solution and think outside the box, cultivating a great interaction. Next, we learn why Pehr has spent over 20 years with EF Education First. He shares that he has been surrounded by great people and has worked with great managers. He adds that it's never boring, as things arise unexpectedly, and he enjoys a challenge. In essence, being stimulated and surrounded by great people is what keeps Pehr loyal to the company. As Head of Finance Transformation, Pehr compares his role to a rollercoaster that is slowly ascending to the top – fun, exhilarating and a little scary. The company is about to go live with a new accounting system that will affect 50,000 people in 100 countries, which Pehr is looking forward to implementing.  For those who wish to replicate Pehr's rise to the top, he emphasises the ability to simplify complexities. In Finance, the role requires you to sort, absorb and simplify information for the business, people, or processes. Later in the episode, Pehr lists a few leadership qualities that help him in his role. These are: having the ability to teach, but not lecture, and having the ability to listen. During his extensive career, he has been given opportunities throughout the function, leading Pehr to become a generalist, enhancing his ability to jump into different situations and provide solutions. Discussing his time management skills, Pehr reiterates the importance of communication in his role; with a lot of meetings in place, he must be mindful of the tasks he has to tick off.  Onto the pandemic, we learn that Pehr did not find the COVID period very tough personally; he felt supported by the company, and working from home wasn't an issue, due to becoming accustomed to other conferencing tools and methods.  He adds that people were innovative during the pandemic, coming up with new ways of working. However, he does acknowledge the struggles other employees may have endured.  Paul asks Pehr about the next goal he wishes to fulfil. He shares that he loves to travel in his career and has spent time with colleagues in Latin America, which has inspired him to lean Spanish.   Listen to the end of the episode to find out if Pehr has any hidden talents.   If you're interested in a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 00:00 – Introduction 00:45 - The last thing that made Pehr smile 01:55 - Why Pehr has stayed with EF for over 20 years 05:20 - Head of Finance Transformation at EF 07:45 - Advice for those looking to secure a leadership role 10:20 - Characteristics of a Finance leader 17:45 - Time management 21:25 - Connecting with people during COVID 26:10 - The life goal Pehr wishes to achieve 29:10 - Finding out if Pehr has any hidden talents   EMEA Recruitment is a proud partner of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children with cleft lip and palate. To support us in our goal of creating 100 new smiles through this partnership, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager. To find out more about our specialist recruitment services, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/   You can also stay up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com  #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #pehrmagnuskarlsson #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #recruitment #finance

We were happy to welcome Stefan Gebauer, CFO International at Elanco, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  To kickstart the episode, Paul Toms asks Stefan about the last time smiled. He shares that he has three children - aged between two and 12. Often, when he smiles, one of them is involved.  At work, the upcoming annual talent review and succession management workshop also makes Stefan smile, as people management discussions are an enjoyable part of his role.  Discussing the routine of a typical day, Stefan credits his wonderful wife for managing operations at home. At Elanco, there is no typical day; flexible working arrangements provide balance, but Stefan is glad to be back in the office connecting with people.  Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Stefan believes the way companies view flexible working is more positive, as it is shown to increase productivity and help integrate personal and professional lives. However, working 100% remotely is not sustainable and reconnection is important, he adds. Speaking about value creation, Stefan explains that first, as a Business Partner, you need to understand what creates value for the business and other BPs – know how to bring your strengths, regularly inspect your activities, the business needs, and the things that move the needle.  Secondly, managing expectations is something that also needs to be considered; align with your BPs upfront and discuss what's possible and what's not. If something is not possible, suggest alternatives to see how you can create value within the possibilities. Thirdly, remove complacency and continue to set the bar higher for yourself. To do this, leave your comfort zone, seek feedback, and challenge yourself; that will help you deliver value for the business and your colleagues. Stefan has spent over 15 years with Elanco, something that was not part of the original plan, but is far from something he regrets. Stefan remains loyal because of the opportunities presented to him and the continuous journey of personal and professional growth in different roles and locations.  Stefan enjoys his role, the people around him, and the opportunities he has had. Simply, if the chemistry works, people will stay with the company, he says.  Stefan claims that Finance is a great place to be, as it is a highly diverse function and keeps you on your toes; in Finance, you are connected to management and the business itself. If you aspire to become a CFO, you will need the right mix of hard and soft skills, he explains. The hard skills include knowing the craft and gaining exposure to different areas of the business. The soft skills include the ability to build strong teams, foster engagement, and create a collaborative environment.  However, a big differentiator is having the ability to jump from the big picture to the essential details – if you can do that well, that will differentiate you from others. The first step is gaining exposure to senior management. Stefan describes being CFO International as an exciting role and his dream job. Ten years ago, when he did his career map, the role of CFO International didn't exist. When the initial public offering (IPO) was released, the business was split into the US side and the international side, allowing Stefan's aspirations to come true. All the acquisitions, projects and integrations have added to his great experience at the company. He also shares what he is looking forward to in the future. Stefan splits his key learnings from multiple integrations into three parts: business, processes and systems, and people.  The business side focuses on pre-integration preparation, how to get value out of acquisitions, and post-integration planning and structures. For processes and systems, it depends on if you have a transitional service agreement (TSA), which means you can continue to rely on the other company for a period to figure out how to integrate. If not, on day one, you own everything, which comes with its own challenges. You also need to consider how talent can be retained in that process.  That leads to the third part - people. When staffing for a transformation, the main objective is to cause no major disruption. Over transformation periods, the team is essentially split into the operational team and the transformation team.   Stefan believes that talent retention must be a fair and transparent process with open communication; acknowledge that you cannot make everyone happy and share what you can – but be mindful of legal restrictions on what you can share and when. Looking at attracting talent onto the project team staff, find ways to make them comfortable and reintegrate them afterwards, managing that proactively, Stefan recommends. He advises always overstaffing - as you may uncover things you were not aware of previously – and planning for productivity. Stefan shares that he is a very analytical person and possesses a lot of “blue energy” listed on his insights profile, allowing him to dive into the details and boil them down to the key points - ultimately enabling him to summarise things in an elevated speech-type way. We explore the recruitment challenges when retaining and attracting talent. Stefan explains the strategies in place at Elanco.  The annual review includes assessing the processes in place to acquire talent and increase visibility, and the way of matching critical roles with your talent pipeline. Having a regular dialogue with employees and talent on career maps and development plans, and building that pipeline for the roles of the future, is significant.  Nonetheless, no matter how well you plan, Stefan mentions that there will always be some regrettable losses and roles that cannot be filled internally. This is where bringing in an agency, such as EMEA Recruitment, can help with finding fresh talent and new ideas for the business.    If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, use the timestamps below: 02:00: The last thing that made Stefan smile 04:00: Planning, priorities and a typical working day 06:15: Views on flexible working 07:45: How to create value as a Business Partner 11:35: Stefan's strengths and his L&D 13:45: Why Stefan has stayed with Elanco for over 15 years 16:15: Insights into Finance and how to become a CFO 21:15: Scaling a big picture down to the nitty-gritty 21:40: Stefan's journey to becoming CFO International 26:10: Key things to consider when undergoing a transformation 33:40: Stefan's analytical mind 35:40: Attracting and retaining talent 40:35: Why Stefan enjoys people management and development Would you like to reach out to Stefan? Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-alexander-gebauer/    Operation Smile is the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. We're proud to be raising vital funds and awareness for Operation Smile's volunteers to continue delivering life-changing surgery to children with cleft lip and palate. To find out more about our partnership, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/    This podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, Founder of EMEA Recruitment, and Rose Jinks, our Marketing Manager.  You can find out more about our specialist recruitment services – including senior Finance positions – through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also learn more about us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, please visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  And follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Do you have any feedback for us? Please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #stefangebauer #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #recruitment #finance   

We were proud to welcome Tshidi Khunou, Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding Lead at SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “We try to become the champion of those that don't have a voice.” For Tshidi, 2023 is the Year of Yes, which involves trying new things that scare him. The last thing that made him smile was skiing in the Swiss mountains – an activity at the top of his list to conquer.  Paul Toms discusses the benefits of moving to Switzerland, with Tshidi revealing the reason he moved with his family. The main driver was Tshidi's young son, who loves the outdoors. And, with both sets of grandparents getting older, there was a growing desire to enable his son to build a relationship with them. However, Tshidi doesn't recommend moving during a pandemic!  Exploring the motivation for creating a YouTube channel and with 17 years of recruitment experience, Tshidi explains that he wanted to help candidates excel in interviews to prevent the loss of opportunities. He began answering questions on LinkedIn, but found videos more effective and time efficient.  Tshidi originally moved into Talent Acquisition through university, working at a call centre and calling prospective students. As soon as he graduated, he was approached by his manager about a new role.  Two months after Tshidi started in TA, the person in charge of recruiting throughout the whole of Africa resigned, empowering Tshidi to take advantage of the opportunity and travel across Africa, the Middle East and Australia for six-and-a-half years, before trying an agency role. He then moved into graduate recruitment, and other roles and companies, ultimately leading to SMG. He still loves the challenges that TA brings daily. Since joining SMG, his role as Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding Lead has been one of the best challenges Tshidi has experienced. Having joined the company six months after it was formed, he built everything from scratch and learned more about recruitment in Europe.  Discussing what an efficient and effective recruitment and retention process looks like, Tshidi believes that candidates are more forgiving if prospective employers are honest about the challenges the company is experiencing.  Secondly, he feels the question: Why do you want this job? is outdated and subjective to where the person is in their career. Instead, asking: What is the best opportunity for you and what does it look like? enables the employer to get unfiltered information from the candidate; that way, you are no longer mapping the job to the person - you're mapping the person to the job.  Leading onto the cost of the wrong hire, Tshidi believes that you can't always quantify the effect it has on the team. Wrong hires have the potential to destroy a fully functional team and its synergy.   For Tshidi, he's been conscious of the fact that bad hires can lead to the loss of great talents - the same way promoting the wrong individual could prompt other talent to leave. He adds that people often don't leave because of the company, but because of the leader. Therefore, hiring the wrong leader can deliver the same outcome as a bad hire.  Addressing the impact of business intelligence and data on Talent and Huma Resources of the future, Tshidi acknowledges that it can bring huge benefits, but he believes SMG isn't ready to use data in a TA space.  Towards the end of the episode, Paul asks Tshidi about prioritisation and time management. Tshidi seeks to address and prioritise solving issues where things have gone wrong first. He credits a great Senior Recruiter in his team who always volunteers to step in to help. Believe in your team, focus on what you must do, and delegate to capable people who are happy to receive stretch projects, Tshidi concludes.    Are you looking for a particular part of the episode? Use these helpful timestamps:  01:55: The last thing that made Tshidi smile 04:35: Moving to Switzerland 08:40: Creating a YouTube channel 14:30: Tshidi's journey into Talent Acquisition 24:45: His role as Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding Lead 31:50: Efficient & effective recruitment & retention 42:30: The effects of tech on TA 48:25: The importance of maintaining relationships with candidates 52:50: Time management & prioritisation  If you're interested in learning more about Tshidi's platform on LinkedIn, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/company/topofthemorning-with-tshidi/ You can also find Tshidi on YouTube.    EMEA Recruitment is proud to support Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. If you're able to help us in our goal of creating 100 new smiles, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   The podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, Founder of EMEA Recruitment, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager.  We're experts in professional services recruitment – including TA and HR positions. To find out more, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with us through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to contact Paul, please connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes, please reach out to Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #tshidikhunou #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #recruitment #talentacquisition  

We were honoured to welcome Madlaina Brogt, Regional Head & Recruitment Delivery, and Sally Higham, Director – Head of Talent Attraction, at Lonza, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “To see that people with a joint goal can make the impossible possible is an experience I will never forget.” Speaking to Paul Toms from the Lonza Tower in Basel, Madlaina reveals that the last thing to make her smile was the local Swiss chocolates she received from Lonza to celebrate its 125th anniversary. For Sally, her son always brings a smile to her face; she finds it nice to step back and listen to a 13-year-old's perspective on life.  To celebrate International Women's Day in March, Lonza hosted a calendar of events and was even joined by a female astronaut from Houston. Sally admits that Lonza has come a long way on Diversity & Inclusion, but still has a long way to go.  As an organisation, Lonza has selected some of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals – gender equality being one of them. Lonza is collaborating with hiring managers to make sure there is a diverse slate as they go through the recruitment funnel; hiring managers also need to understand why D&I is important for the organisation, the culture and the brand. D&I is a journey that never stands still, they add.  Exploring how the pair fell into a recruitment career, Madlaina shares that her plan was different originally, but she enjoys the challenge of being a recruiter and being part of Human Resources. As a recruiter, you are involved in shaping the future of the company and you need to acquire many different skillsets, she says.  On the other hand, Sally fell into the industry having started her career in advertising. She loves her role, and has even lived and worked in Asia in past positions.  Discussing how to attract and retain talent, we explore why it is important to showcase what employers can offer. At Lonza, a clear employee value proposition and strong storytelling is super important. From Global Talent Attraction, the use of programmatic campaigns helps attract talent and penetrate new markets. The use of strong experts in key roles to pipeline talent for the future and a focus on good candidate experience is also important.  During the COVID period, Lonza recruited 2,000 employees, thanks to a strong team that was driving in the same direction. During the pandemic, there was a spike in activity and innovation, and a growing need for medicines. The company's value proposition, “making a meaningful difference,” was exactly what they could offer prospective employees during that time; the cantonal and federal authorities were also able to assist Lonza in hiring people outside the EU.  We also discuss the importance of listening and empathy. Madlaina describes the personality traits as cornerstones that give a human aspect to stakeholder management. The culture at Lonza is very strong and shaped by strategy, with a huge focus on development and retention; both listening and being empathic keep that alive.  Delving into hiring efficiently and effectively from a Global Talent Acquisition point of view, Lonza's talent referral programme and career sites are global pillars. There are different initiatives in different countries, but there is a structure and a process in place to enable a good candidate experience, irrespective of where they apply for a role. Exploring the true cost of the wrong hire – including wasted salaries, training time, effort and loss of productivity – we found that it can cost up to three times the annual salary of the employee.  To avoid hiring the wrong person, organisations need to understand the disconnect in both expectations and personality fit, which goes much deeper than a review of technical skills, and make any necessary changes.  Paul asks Madlaina and Sally what they are most proud of. For Madlaina, she is most proud of being able to make a meaningful difference by contributing to projects that helped overcome a global pandemic, which has fostered a great sense of belonging and motivation for her.  For Sally, growing a Talent Acquisition team and watching them deliver support for HR, people and the business has been a real joy.  The episode ends with finding out who has inspired the duo over the years. Sally credits Jay Shetty (author of Think Like a Monk), Queen Elizabeth II and Caroline Barth – the CHRO at Lonza - for her drive and determination.  Madlaina also credits Caroline for being a strong leader with a clear focus on people and culture, adding that Caroline joined Lonza at an important time during lockdown, helping inspire people and defining a strong HR strategy.   To find the part of the episode that most interests you, please use the timestamps below: 01:50: The last thing that made Madlaina & Sally smile 04:45: D&I at Lonza 09:00: Journeys into a recruitment & talent career 15:05: How Lonza attracts & retains employees 21:30: Recruiting 2,000 people over the COVID period 25:48: Personality traits to leverage stakeholder management skills 29:35: The importance of listening & empathy 32:00: Hiring efficiently & effectively 38:40: The cost of the wrong hire 42:40: Changes in the retention plan during COVID 49:45: What Madlaina & Sally are most proud of 53:15: Who has inspired the duo over the years?  If you'd like to connect with Madlaina or Sally, you can find them on LinkedIn.     We're proud to work with Operation Smile to bring you this podcast. Operation Smile provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate around the world. To find out more about their work, please visit: emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by our Founder, Paul Toms, and our Marketing Manager, Rose Jinks.  To find out more about how we can support you in hiring into your team, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with our market insights through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  Connect with Paul on LinkedIn if you'd like to get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Do you have any feedback? Please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com   #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #madlainabrogt #sallyhigham #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #hr #humanresources #iwd2023  

We were delighted to welcome Tania Micki, Group CFO at Tecan AG, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “Dream big, stay unique, make it count.” In this episode, Tania reveals that it's the simple things that keep her smiling; spending time with her son in the mornings and dropping him off at school.  In terms of time management, Tania believes it's all about priorities and balance. She has always been ambitious, and strives to continuously learn and evolve in her career, now taking part in mentoring to help others.  Paul Toms asks Tania what it feels like in the role of Group CFO at Tecan AG. She recalls coming back home from the office feeling great and smiling. Tania adds that, when you are doing something meaningful, it makes the work much more enjoyable. At Tecan AG, there is a focus on people and culture, which shines through. Tania discusses joining the company during COVID, which she found challenging. However, she had already had lunch some colleagues before lockdown, which made relationship building easier; even though relationships can be created virtually, it does not replace the face-to-face interaction, she believes.  Touching on Tania's optimistic approach, she explains that, through life and experience, you can either cry and complain or you can do something about it and find a reason to smile. Exploring the qualities of a leader, Paul commends Tania for the great recommendations listed on LinkedIn referencing her leadership and work ethic. In her role, optimism definitely helps, alongside being a role model, having clarity in your goals, and offering freedom and trust.  Speaking about the younger generation and their attitude to work, Tania claims that the vast amount of information available means that they are looking for change at a faster pace. Instead, Tania is a fan of internal rotation and “asking the question”; you cannot learn about the company and your role in its entirety within 18 months, so have a conversation with your manager about opportunities before moving on – patience is key.  Onto the future of the Finance function, Tania believes that artificial intelligence can support the function, but it will not provide all the answers. The added value is knowing the actions you are going to drive from digital tools and their results.  Furthermore, Tania believes that qualifications can provide you with the foundations of knowledge and an understanding of the discipline, but you must update that on a regular basis, alongside your business acumen and common sense. As CFO, you must understand a wide range of topics that will bring change to the table. To end the episode, Paul and Tania discussed change, diversity, and women in the workplace. Tania has created a CFO/CHRO women group, who meet quarterly and exchange information. She is also a believer of natural change from an equality and equity point of view, and feels that a change in mentality is helping.    Are you looking for a particular part of the episode? Use the timestamps below: 01:20: The last thing that made Tania smile 02:40: Setting priorities 06:55: What it feels like to be Group CFO 10:20: Joining Tecan AG during COVID 13:35: The optimistic approach 15:30: Qualities of a leader 19:05: The importance of trust 21:50: The benefits of staying with a company for 10+ years 27:40: The future of Finance 36:00: The importance of qualifications 40:50: Change, diversity, and progress If you'd like to reach out to Tania, connect with her on LinkedIn.    EMEA Recruitment is a proud supporter of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides free surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. Can you help us change a child's life? Please give anything you can to support this cause: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/ The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Marketing Manager. Full details of our professional services recruitment offerings, including Finance & Accountancy, is available on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  To contact Paul, please reach out to him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    To share your thoughts on this episode, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #taniamicki #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #finance  

We were happy to welcome Andries Feikema, Global Director Procurement Digitalization and Transformation at DSM, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “It's not tool implementation, it's business transformation.” Speaking to Paul Toms, Andries explains how nice it is to see people face-to-face again; he recently had the opportunity to meet someone he hired a year ago face-to-face for the first time since travel restrictions were eased.  Andries also shares the last thing that made him smile, which was finding out his youngest daughter was selected for one of the two seats being offered at an academic hospital for an internship. In terms of time management, remote working has made Andries' life much easier. Working from home means less time travelling and the ability to be more present.  However, he admits that it is still important to meet people in person and to find the right balance. At the beginning of the pandemic, Andries really enjoyed remote working, but now, with people returning to the office, he is also enjoying that.  With nearly 11 years at DSM, there is never a dull moment for Andries, as there are many opportunities and challenges at the company. He mentions the upcoming merger, which will bring some new dynamics to his role. He is also very passionate about digitalisation, sharing the benefits it can bring to a Procurement function and to the wider organisation. DSM started its digitisation journey in 2013/14. Since then, it has been extended further and matured. In 2018, with the design of the business case and funding for the journey, the fundamentals were put in place as part of the digital roadmap.  Andries stresses the growing need for information. In order to get the right information, you need the right data, he explains. And, to obtain the right data, you need to have digital processes in place to supply the information to build upon sourcing strategies. He also emphasises the increasing importance of advanced and predictive analytics versus descriptive analytics. From a personality perspective, being open minded is the stand-out trait that Andries believes has helped him in his role. Being open to change, feedback and ideas, as well as being organisation sensitive, people sensitive and culturally sensitive, is an important skill, he believes.   Referencing Simon Sinek's Start with Why, Andries claims that organisations must be able to explain why they do what they do, otherwise it's difficult to make change.   Paul asks about the start of Andries' Procurement career. 20 years ago, he began a traineeship at a bank and completed a Procurement assignment. From there, he met people at the right time and came in connection with NEVI (the Dutch Association for Procurement and Supply Management). Looking at how to find the right people for the organisation, Andries starts with the profiles he is looking for, the aspirations of the organisation, and makes sure he is supported by the HR department or external recruiters.  The skillsets required to get into the discipline – and the skills needed to become better business partners - include analytical, conceptual and advisor skills, along with the ability to collaborate with the business and suppliers.  Throughout Andries' career, many people have inspired him. He mentions a previous Chief Procurement Officer at a huge oil company, who inspired Andries on a leadership level and how to make a change. Andries will be giving talks at summits and roundtables throughout the year talking about DSM's digital transformation, sharing knowledge and building a network. If you would like to find out more, please connect with Andries on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andriesfeikema/  The EMEA Recruitment podcast is available wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you're interested in a particular part of the episode, please use these timestamps:  01:30: Travelling after COVID 03:30: The last thing that made Andries smile 05:00: How Andries manages his time 05:55: The flexibility of working from home 08:00: Approaching 11 years at DSM 09:10: His role as Global Director Procurement Digitalization and Transformation 11:20: Digital ways of working 14:20: Biggest challenges for the next few years 18:35: Personality characteristics that help Andries in his role 20:15: Focusing on the why 22:25: How Andries started his Procurement career 27:30: Key steps for getting the right talent 32:00: The effect of BI & data on the Procurement function 33:20: The skillset needed to get into the discipline 35:40: How cultural awareness helps Andries as a leader 38:00: Andries' opinion on remote working 40:30: The people who have inspired Andries 42:00: Keynote speaking 44:00: Future events   EMEA Recruitment is proud to support Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides free surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. We're on a mission to create 100 new smiles through our partnership. If you're able to support in any way, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager. To learn more about our professional services recruitment, including our specialist Procurement & Supply Chain division, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to reach out to Paul, please find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  You can also follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Do you have any feedback for us? Please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #andriesfeikema #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #procurement #digitalization

Thank you to Mark Steele, Director Corporate Planning at International Air Transport Association (IATA), for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “There's always a solution, and we will always find a way to deal with it.”  To begin the episode, Paul Toms delves into Mark's international career. Mark previously worked at Nissan for 22 years across Europe - in the UK, France, Finland, the Netherlands and Switzerland.  In today's market, 22 years in the same company is uncommon. However, for Mark, the years went by quickly; the longest he stayed in the same role at Nissan was for three years, before having the role expanded or changing location. Mark admits he has been very lucky to meet great people in great places. He explains that, in any situation, you can always find common ground. His advice for others considering an international career opportunity is to weigh up the pros and cons, but to not be afraid - life is short. If you do decide to accept the opportunity, give it at least six months before deciding the job is not for you, he adds.  Paul askes Mark about his role as Director Corporate Planning at IATA. Mark finds the scope of his role excellent and praises his outstanding team, which is respected across the organisation.  As a leader, Mark is a firm believer of trust, honesty, inclusivity and consistency. He gives mention to a previous manager at Nissan, named Rob, whose managing style has influenced Mark's own approach.  To gain top quality people, Mark says you must be crystal clear in what you want and the job description of the role, as well as to not over-spec or under-spec.  Discussing the future of the Finance function regarding business intelligence and data, Mark discuses the sheer mass of data IATA currently holds; the company represents 300 airlines, which is over 80% of global air traffic.  As a function, Finance is extremely focused on data. Mark believes that data is great, but does bring its own problems – deciding which reports are useful, which aren't, and which ones can be improved to make this data more useful for the organisation is the next step in the process.  Mark accepts there is a risk of employee burnout. During COVID and its corresponding restrictions on travel, IATA lost huge amounts of revenue and underwent a restructuring. As a result, 20% of positions were lost – four of which were in Mark's team and have yet to be replaced. This means they must be extremely critical in tasks they accept and laser sharp on prioritisation.  Listen to the end of the episode to learn about how Mark looks after his wellbeing outside of work and the advice he would offer to his 18-year-old self.   To find the part of the episode that interests you most, please use these timestamps: 01:35: The last thing that made Mark smile 03:40: Key takeaways from Mark's international career journey 06:15: Working for Nissan for 22 years 10:20: Advice on international career opportunities 16:20: Mark's role as Director Corporate Planning 19:10: Managing a team at IATA 22:55: Qualities of a leader & the manager who inspired Mark 25:30: Making the recruitment process efficient & effective 28:45: The impact of BI & data on the Finance function 33:00: The progression of the Finance role 35:10: The risk of burnout 37:35: How Mark looks after his wellbeing outside of work 40:50: The importance of family & advice for your 18-year-old self If you'd like to contact Mark, connect with him on LinkedIn.    Operation Smile is the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. We're committed to creating 100 new smiles through this partnership. If you can help raise awareness or funds for this cause, please visit emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode was hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager. To learn more about our international recruitment services, please see our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited  To connect with Paul, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Are there any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes? Please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #marksteele #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #finance

We were proud to welcome Cyrille Desbazeille, Chief Procurement Officer at Franke in Zurich, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “Shifting a culture of an organisation takes time and resilience, but once the willingness is there and you are progressively creating the critical mass, you can really move the needle.” Speaking to Paul Toms, Cyrille reveals the last thing to make him smile – it's a sustainability-focused response!  Cyrille has recently faced similar challenges to other CPOs around the world in terms of supplier issues and inflation. However, as Franke is privately-owned, the company has a good cash position and is not strained by results, but by business continuity.  Cyrille shares the reasons he joined Franke, along with insight into how the culture is much different to his previous workplace, Coty Inc. Franke is currently undergoing a transformation and merging three different divisions into one.  Cyrille also mentions the root cause of his passion for people development. At one of his previous employers, Danone, investing in people is key. The idea that you're recruiting a person for – ideally - a minimum of two roles (the current position and a potential, developed role) is something Cyrille believes in.  Discussing patience in the hiring and development process, Cyrille addresses the desire for employees to have things immediately. In his opinion, this is inefficient, because people deliver their best around the 18-month to two-year mark. If people are with the company for a period shorter than 18 months and do not learn from their mistakes, there is a high possibility that they will be unable to implement their learning in the next organisation. When it comes to finding the right candidates for the role, the process will begin with the recruitment manager. However, there is now a large need to sell the organisation to the person. Since Franke isn't as big as its competitors, employees have a chance to make a lasting impression compared to multi-national companies, where it becomes difficult to evidence tangible results.  Cyrille offers his advice for those debating whether or not to go into Procurement. He states that Procurement is the only function facing upstream, along with Research & Development. He adds that Procurement allows you to have a full scope of responsibility to find the right people and suppliers; it also has its complexities, but is a very exciting function, overall.  Interestingly, at Franke, business intelligence (BI) and data is yet to have an impact on the Procurement function. However, Cyrille admits that BI and data will make Procurement more interesting; if you have a robot or AI managing the transactional elements, professionals will have more time to do the strategic thinking fed by information coming from BI.  Cyrille shares his outlook on time management, focus and prioritisation - he has always been clear on prioritising his family. At work, he focuses on the areas where he can bring value and defines what is important. If you do not make the trade-off yourself, someone will do it for you – protect your agenda and your health, he says.  Listen to the end of the episode to learn about how a 40-year relationship with a supplier had to be reshuffled in just 12 months.  If you're interested in a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01:00: The last thing that made Cyrille smile02:30: What it feels like to be CPO at Franke05:20: Cyrille's past roles  09:30: Where Cyrille's passion for people development comes from13:10: Why patience is important in the hiring & development process20:20: How to source candidates effectively 25:30: Advice for people looking to move into Procurement30:50: The impact of BI & data on Procurement34:30: Time management, focus & prioritisation37:50: Reshuffling a 40-year relationship with a supplier in 12 months You can find Cyrille on LinkedIn if you would like to connect with him: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrille-desbazeille/   EMEA Recruitment is a proud partner of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. If you can donate anything to support this cause, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Marketing Manager. Learn more about our specialist recruitment services – including Procurement & Supply Chain – through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  We also regularly post updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  To connect with Paul, please reach out to him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  You can also follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Are there any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes? Get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #cyrilledesbazeille #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #procurement

Thank you to Edgar Magyar, CFO and Global Client Finance Lead at Publicis Groupe in Zurich, for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “Go and show the world you're able to do it.” To start the episode, our Founder, Paul Toms, asks Edgar about his relationship with his wife – the two are considered a Finance power couple. Edgar shares how they met in the workplace, and grew to take advantage of many opportunities in various companies and industries. He also explains the benefits of having a partner who can challenge and advise you on your work-related decisions.  Edgar talks about his management and leadership style, and how this benefits the team. He is a firm believer of trust and suggests solutions without dictation. He adds that leadership positions are offered within his team to people who are trusted and can work well together. We discuss the strategies that make an effective recruitment process and how high-quality candidates come to be selected at Publicis Groupe. As a hiring manager, you must be clear about the needs of the business and transparent about the business itself. The technical aspects are important, but consider the character traits, cultural fit and the current team – introducing the prospective candidate to the team will benefit both parties in the long-term. Highly motivated teams are built with strong team culture, Edgar believes.  Delving deeper into Edgar's management style, he shares that coaching is another critical element and team contribution leads to far better outcomes. He also expresses his distaste for being involved in operational processes, as he much prefers designing and fixing processes to obtain the most effective solutions.  As well as being CFO, Edgar has additional Finance responsibility, looking after the legal matters for two global clients, UBS and Stellantis. His job is never boring and he find it to be a very exciting role. In terms of time management, he says one can only be efficient when you don't carry problems. He reiterates the need to trust your people, as you cannot manage everything. Make time for decent sleep and exercise, and always make time for your family and friends, as they are the ones that will always be there for you, he says.  We explore the impact of business intelligence and data. In Finance, there are huge quantities of data, with increasing complexity, that need to be managed. Edgar highlights that Excel is a great tool, but the amount data has become too heavy – data visualisation tools and tools that can automate processes (like Power BI) are becoming increasingly essential to obtain more sustainable solutions.  We learn about the Executive MBA in Digital Transformation that Edgar completed. He is now putting his learning into action, and developing a global platform that will work to make processes more manageable and leaner, ultimately adding value for the key group clients in the future.  Listen to the end of the episode to hear about the CFO's 50th birthday celebrations and his friendships that span over the decades. If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01.55: Positives of COVID-19 on Edgar's personal & work life03:40: A Finance power couple06:00: Edgar's leadership style12:50: Recruiting quality people21:40: Effective management strategies24:35: The defining moment in Edgar's career26:55: What it feels like to be a CFO33:00: The importance of time management38:00: The impact of BI & Data on Finance42:30: Edgar's Executive MBA48:00: Edgar's outlook on life50:00: 50th birthday celebrations If you'd like to reach out to Edgar, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.    We are proud to work with Operation Smile to bring you the EMEA Recruitment podcast. Operation Smile is an international medical charity that provides free surgery to children with cleft lip and palate. If you'd like to find out more about our partnership, see our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. Are you hiring into your team or looking for a new role yourself? Find out more about our full range of recruitment services through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also stay up to date with us via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to contact Paul, please connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  You can also follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If you'd like to share your feedback on this episode, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #edgarmagyar #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #finance

We were honoured to welcome Lizi Jackson-Barrett, Confidence Strategist, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “Have the confidence to have huge goals and say them out loud.” In this episode, Paul Toms explores the service Lizi provides to clients, with the overarching goal of increasing the confidence of others strategically to accelerate business growth and success.  Firstly, we learn how Lizi started her business. She noticed a gap in the market when people were constantly saying, “I know I should be… but…” - that's where the lack of confidence would come into play.  Lizi was open in sharing her hair loss story, but found it difficult to find someone to turn to for help in increasing her confidence. She has now developed a framework that consists of five Cs, beginning with identifying the areas of improvement and affirming what they would do if they were able to develop this soft skill.  Paul asks Lizi about her public speaking experiences. Lizi is a keynote speaker and has given TEDx speeches, originally starting on small stages. She explains her love for the stage, sharing that it is a different way to reach people and make a difference in people's lives. She shares the wonderful feeling of gaining feedback from people in the audience, who get in touch to tell her she has made improvements in their lives without ever talking to them in a one-to-one setting. Lizi explores the issues clients usually approach her with. She highlights the fact that even the individuals who are in high positions share the same worries, which become harder when these people are expected to have no confidence wobbles and know exactly what they are doing. The other challenges seen – more so in solo entrepreneurs, especially creative ones - is knowing their worth and charging a fair price for their work. Relating back to her business model, she initially started with an orientation towards females, but this has since changed. Without generalising, she has observed that men are keen to jump straight into the programme, whereas women are keener to explore the feelings behind the lack of confidence – ideally a mix between both is needed to create change. The highlight of Lizi's career was being able to evidence the profound influence of her teachings on clients. She shares a few examples of qualitative and quantitative results, which reveal her work continues to make a difference in a meaningful way, even after the programme has ended. This is done through equipping clients with the tools to push themselves forward, instead of fleeing from challenges. Lizi's sessions can be completed in small groups within two-hour blocks, or on a one-to-one basis completed hourly, over eight sessions. The sessions are very goal-driven, with more things coming into focus as the programme progresses alongside the five C framework.  It is important to note that we all have things we aren't good at, Lizi emphasizes. It's the strength of acknowledging those struggles and getting the help to get better at those things. Additionally, consider the fact that there are some things you can lack skills in and, ultimately, that is fine. Close to the end of the episode, we uncover the person who has inspired Lizi the most. Her mother embodies the very work Lizi tries to allow others to strive for, sharing her mother's story and achievements. The key point? If you let yourself chase these big goals and acknowledge you want them, there's so much that is within our reach than we think isn't. For Lizi, she only has to look to her mother to see proof of that. Listen to the end of the episode to discover the superpower Lizi would choose to have.  If you are interested in the work Lizi conducts and want to find out more, you can connect with Lizi on LinkedIn, or reach out to her via Instagram or Facebook.   To find a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01:25: The last thing that made Lizi smile02:40: The evolution of Lizi's job title03:35: Introduction to the service Lizi provides05:40: The difference between confidence coaching and life coaching08:40: How Lizi's business started 10:15: Lizi's service model 13:20: Lizi's experience doing TEDx talks16:00: How Lizi's career history helped her with public speaking18:35: The common issues clients have26:10: The line between overconfidence & arrogance27:00: Moving from a female service model to male & female31:15: The highlight of Lizi's career35:00: Why confidence continues to rise after the programme41:05: How Lizi overcomes problems with her own confidence43:00: The person who inspired Lizi the most45:40: The superpower Lizi would choose to have   Operation Smile is the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. We're proud to be raising vital funds and awareness for Operation Smile to deliver free surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. If you're able to support us, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager.  Our full range of recruitment services can be found through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  If you'd like to keep up to date with market insights, follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  To reach out to Paul, please connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or, you can follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Are there any topics you'd like us to cover in the EMEA Recruitment podcast? Please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com  #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #lizijacksonbarrett #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #confidence #tedx # keynote

We are delighted to welcome back Hein Knaapen, Managing Partner, Europe at CEO.works, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “There is only so much that matters - it's not that difficult intellectually to identify, emotionally it's not easy – but, if you manage, you can create more value in less time.” In the beginning of the episode, Hein tells Paul Toms about his extensive Human Resources career, with 36 years in corporate organisations - 15 of those as a Chief Human Resources Officer. Hein has recently joined the ranks of entrepreneurs.  Hein is pleased about the progress of his new CEO.works venture and shares his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Initially nervous about taking the risk, Hein understands the apprehension, but whether you do it or not, there is a leap of faith involved. Remember: risk and reward. The overarching aim of Hein's work is to unclutter the thinking of organisational leaders, such as the CEO and CHRO, to identify the areas where value creation sits and streamline the company's focus on those areas. The typical mistake leaders make is losing focus. Hein reiterates that, in everything you do, the questions that needs to be answered are: How does this improve company performance? And, if it doesn't, why do it? Paul asks Hein about his perspective on Diversity & Inclusion initiatives compared to the world pre-pandemic. Hein believes there will always be some degree of difficulty in bringing about diversity (diversity in terms of thinking and actions, not equal opportunity). He highlights the importance of investing, educating and equipping managers to create a climate and a team to foster diversity.  Later in the episode, Hein shares his coming out story. Hein came out as a gay man when he was 32, explaining that he could have been aware he liked men when he was ten-years-old. However, being part of a conservative family and one of five sons, he buried his feelings, as he didn't know how else to handle it. Once he came out, his experience was overall quite positive and he feels very fortunate not to have had any negative experiences during his career.  Hein shares the highlights of his career, of which two experiences spring to mind. The first was when he was CHRO officer at ING, a multi-national banking and financial service company, where he had an exceptional leader that he worked well with to make a strong contribution to the company. The second experience was at Unilever, where we worked alongside a CEO to help change the culture of the company and found it to be an extraordinary experience. The pattern, he explains, is having a team that values his input and shares a strong alignment of thinking. Hein explores the key to an effective and efficient recruitment process. His advice is to identify three to five key deliverables and then two to three distinct abilities. Hein believes total focus and clarity of the essential deliverables is the most important factor for successful recruitment. The episode ends with the things Hein is most excited about for the future, as well as details of the monthly webinars he creates on value and people-related topics. With his experience in HR and working largely with first time CHROs, Hein teaches them how to create a very selective and focused people agenda that is tightly linked to the company strategy. If this is of interest to you, connect with Hein on LinkedIn. The EMEA Recruitment podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts, or you can watch the episode on YouTube:   If you're interested in a certain part of the episode, please use the timestamps:  00:40: The last thing that made Hein smile01:30: Positives of the last 3 years 04:20: Hein's proudest achievement05:20: Advice for those wishing to start a business08:00: The value CEO.works brings to organisations12:20: The mistake leaders make repeatedly18:25: How does Hein stayed focused personally?22:00: Diversity & Inclusion pre-COVID & in the present day26:40: Hein's coming out story33:25: The highlights of Hein's HR career36:10: How to make efficient & effective recruitment decisions39:25: What Hein is excited about in the future    Operation Smile is the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. We're raising vital funds and awareness for Operation Smile to deliver life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. If you'd like to find out more, please visit the Operation Smile website: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager. We specialise in professional services recruitment, including hiring into HR teams. Find out more through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, please reach out through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If you'd like to share any feedback on this episode, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #heinknaapen #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #hr #humanresources

We are delighted to welcome Marika Lindstrom, Head of Indirect Materials and Services Procurement at Phillip Morris International, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “Have confidence in your abilities and the ability of your team, because we are never doing these roles alone.” To begin the episode, Paul and Marika discuss how relocating for career opportunities can help individuals in a leadership position. Marika explains that taking these chances can make you much more aware of the world. It also gives you the understanding of different realties, which can help drive a global agenda. If you are considering relocation, have confidence in yourself, she adds.  We look into the challenges currently facing Procurement, touching on the availability of energy and volatilities in commodities. Marika's Procurement role is not only market-facing, but also stakeholder-facing. This requires the ability to try to mitigate all risks and costs, educate stakeholders on long-term strategies and opportunities, and - ultimately - provide a robust financial forecast that includes inflation and commodity cost increases, together with mitigation.   Paul asks Marika to share the reasons behind her discipline of choice. When she graduated from university, she interviewed at Nokia and was given two choices: Marketing or Procurement. She, of course, chose the latter – humorously, the reasons for this are unknown to her.  In her present role at Philip Morris, Marika is happy and finds it refreshing to be on the indirect side of Procurement again. We learn about Marika's passion for the discipline, focusing on two parts: the impact and influence Procurement can have, and the ability to see people become business partners and grow into their roles.  Her advice for people wishing to join the function is to consider the versatility of Procurement and the opportunity to develop a diversity of skills. The individuals who inspire Marika include women in leadership within Procurement.  We explore the effect of business intelligence and data on the function. Although thought to be a widely positive thing, the need for people to extract relevant data and make it actionable still prevails. Listen to the end of the episode to discover how Marika hires great people and the advice she would offer her younger self.   If you're interested in a particular part of the episode, use the timestamps below: 01:35: The last thing that made Marika smile 02:50: How relocating has impacted Marika's career04:20: The opportunity of relocation05:25: Current challenges in Procurement07:30: How Marika started her Procurement career08:55: Her current role at Philip Morris 10:45: Marika's passion for Procurement14:50: Advice for those considering a career in Procurement19:05: Why Procurement is a good career choice for women21:00: The people who inspire Marika22:15: The effects of BI & data on Procurement 25:20: Hiring great people 27:25: The advice Marika would give her 18-year-old self If you'd like to reach out to Marika, connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marika-lindstrom/   EMEA Recruitment is a proud partner of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. If you can help raise awareness or vital funds for this cause, find out more: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   The podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, Founder of EMEA Recruitment, and Rose Jinks, our Marketing Manager. More information regarding our professional services recruitment – including Procurement & Supply Chain roles – is available on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with our positions on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to get in touch with Paul, please reach out to him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  You can also follow Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Do you have any feedback for us? Please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #marikalindstrom #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #procurement #supplychain

Thank you to Tiago Zini Uliana, Head of Formulation Switzerland, and Michel Kempkes, Head Formulation Engineering EMEA, at Syngenta, for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “Seize the opportunity and dare to step into the unknown.” “No matter how experienced you are, you have to put yourself in a growth mindset, learning every day in different situations.” The episode begins with discovering the last thing that made Tiago and Michel smile. Tiago shares the joy of hearing that his eight-year-old son had been elected as a class representative; something both are very proud of. Michel enjoyed a recent personal interaction with the team in an informal setting, with a BBQ and a few drinks.  Paul Toms asks for the guests' opinions on why Syngenta is a good company to work for. Collectively, the pair discusses the unique dynamics and opportunities offered by the agrichemical company, which also rewards innovation, addresses important global issues, and encourages both personal and professional development.  On the topic of sustainability, the Formulation leaders share Syngenta's commitment to create a better world. Mentioned are the initiatives put in place to reduce its carbon footprint on the logistical and product development side of the business. Advice is given to those who are contemplating relocating for career opportunities. In Tiago and Michel's experience, relocation has been very worthwhile. The benefits of venturing out of your comfort zone will unlock a growth mindset and expose you to new learning, experiences, cultures and insights into international business markets, they explain. Michel's advice is, be open to the idea of relocation and let go of uncertainty. Later in the episode, we discover how the pair started their careers. Interests in engineering stemmed from their early years. Now established in their roles, Michel and Tiago share the inner workings of Syngenta, their responsibilities and the regular interactions with people in their teams.  On an alternative topic, we look at Syngenta's recruitment process. Echoed is the need to set realistic expectations, be clear and direct, and accept that recruitment is a two-way street. Candidates in today's market have options; the candidate pitches themselves to the company, but equally, the company must pitch itself to the candidate.  Listen to the end of the episode to find out about the alternate career paths Tiago and Michel would have considered.  You can connect with Tiago and Michel on LinkedIn.   If you're interested in a particular part of the episode, please use these timestamps:  00:40: The last thing that made Tiago and Michel smile02:40: Syngenta's business culture06:15: Sustainability at Syngenta 08:10: Relocating for career opportunities12:00: How Tiago and Michel started their careers 17:00: What it feels like to be Head of Formulation21:50: An efficient & effective recruitment process26:50: Alternative career paths   Operation Smile is the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. We're on a mission to raise awareness and funds for the charity to provide free surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. If you can support this cause, please donate: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager. Find out more about our professional services recruitment specialists through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/   We also actively share market insights via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to get in touch with Paul, please connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  You can also follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    To share any feedback you have, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #tiagoziniuliana #michelkempkes #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #syngenta #agrichemical

The EMEA Recruitment podcast was pleased to welcome Jérôme Vial, Country Manager Switzerland at CCH Tagetik.  “The most important thing I'm proud of is the fact that almost no one in the team - over seven years - left my team.” Jérôme tells Paul Toms, our Founder, about the daily activity that he implemented with his team during the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to keep spirits high.  In his current position, Jérôme feels that he has a different role every day, but he always focuses on one main goal – to understand his clients' needs and how the business can solve their issues.  With his technical strengths – Jérôme is a UK Chartered Accountant – and entrepreneurial spirit, his current role at CCH Tagetik is a good fit. Jérôme is proud to be developing the business strongly in Switzerland, with a good tool and the right people to service their clients.  In Switzerland, reputation is key, because “people talk to each other”, Jérôme explains. He recently overheard a client recommending the product to another Group CFO at an event, which assured him that his team is operating well. Stability is one of the key strengths of Jérôme's team; it helps keep spirits high, while attracting new talent at the same time. He explains why he spends a lot of time on recruitment and how CCH Tagetik retains its people once they join the business.  Jérôme also insists that diversity in the team is a “big asset” to the organisation; he's already close to his goal of a 50-50 male to female split.  Looking back to the start of his career, Jérôme discusses the benefits of his ACCA qualification, which he passed in 2001. Just nine years later, ACCA asked Jérôme to become an ambassador for Switzerland. He finds it rewarding to give back, which he also does in his role as Senior Lecturer in Accounting & Corporate Finance, Executive Master at the University for Applied Sciences North Western Switzerland. We find out Jérôme's key advice for anyone looking to follow in his footsteps, as well as how he spends his downtime at the weekends to ensure he has the right energy on a Monday morning.   To find the part of the episode that most interests you, please use the timestamps below: 01:02: The last thing to make Jérôme smile02:56: Keeping the team's spirits high during COVID04:05: Being Country Manager CH at CCH Tagetik06:55: The key benefits of CCH Tagetik's software14:31: Creating an efficient & effective recruitment process19:25: Retaining top talent21:04: Finding the missing piece of the puzzle22:52: How BI & data assists Finance 25:13: Being ACCA's Switzerland ambassador30:52: The highlight of Jérôme's career32:28: Advice to people following in Jérôme's footsteps33:51: How Jérôme spends his downtime35:05: Jérôme's biggest challenge  If you'd like to connect with Jérôme, you can find him on LinkedIn.    EMEA Recruitment is proud to partner with Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides free surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. If you can help us in our mission to create 100 new smiles, please donate anything you can: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   The podcast is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. Learn more about our specialist recruitment services – including Finance & Accountancy positions – through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also keep up to date with market insights through our LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ If you'd like to contact Paul, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If there is any feedback you'd like to share with us, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #jeromevial #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #finance

We were happy to welcome Nina Grosse, Chief People Officer at iDeals, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “HR is on a journey to create an exceptional employee experience; we want to use more of the human-centered design approach and methodology, as well as use new platforms, to deliver this experience.”  Speaking to Paul Toms from just outside Zurich, Switzerland, Nina shares the enjoyment of being present in the exciting stages of her children's lives and the sights of her morning walk.  As iDeals is a remote-first company, the value in such actives has been enhanced since COVID. Nina shares insights into one of the core values of the company and how this is put into practice.  We learn about Nina's experience in becoming Chief People Officer. She shares some impressive statistics – 30-40% year-on-year growth at iDeals, which offers its product to 700,000 professionals in 120,000 companies. This allows iDeals to stand out amongst competition and attract new talent to the organization every week, which Nina says is refreshing.  She adds the company is still small enough that the CEO can personally welcome newcomers. The team is also dedicated, learns fast and is aligned with the company's mission.  Paul asks Nina about the methods that iDeals uses to attract and retain people and customers. The company uses both a human centered and a systematic approach; it starts with understanding the customer needs, pain-points and the challenges that need to be solved. Using best practice and a cross-functional team to test protypes differentiates iDeals from traditional approaches.  In Human Resources, iDeals has redesigned the onboarding experience by adopting techniques that map its onboarding journey. This includes identifying pain-points, again, finding out their goals and ambitions, and mapping the feelings felt on a timeframe – all allowing better outcomes and experiences.  Although some may assume building a culture of this nature is harder to deliver in a remote-first organization, Nina explains culture is muti-dimensional, and core values are deeply rooted and embraced in the organization – care being among them. Nina gives some examples of how this is endorsed in the company, including an unlimited learning development budget. She adds that an evaluation of how someone can complement this culture is considered during the recruitment process. Nina explains that an effective and efficient recruitment process starts with a detailed job profile, then multiple stages of screening; competency-based assessments, test tasks, case studies and simulations are all used. Through a combination of work from people, as well as business intelligence (BI) and data, feedback can be passed through the different stages to the onboarding phase - eventually used as an input to create an effective development plan. BI and data is also discussed in terms of how it can assist in HR operations and the impact it has on remote working.  We learn about Nina's 24 years of experience living in three different continents and how this has shaped her as a person: growing up in Asia, further education in America and now working in Switzerland. Nina encourages her daughter to explore and travel the world, too. Although now comfortably based in Switzerland, she still has the urge to explore new places.  The episode ends with the two things that Nina believes would make iDeals more exciting from both a business and people perspective.    If you're interested in a specific part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 02:25: The last thing that made Nina smile 04:20: Activities after COVID-19 06:05: Being the CPO at iDeals08:30: How iDeals attracts & retains people 12:00: Hiring people remotely19:40: Creating an efficient & effective recruitment process25:00: How BI & data is used in the recruitment process 27:30: BI, data & remote working 31:00: How 3 continents have shaped Nina39:25: Is Switzerland home for Nina?40:20: Making the business more exciting and enjoyable  If you'd like to connect with Nina, you can find her on LinkedIn.   EMEA Recruitment is proud to partner with Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides free surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. We're on a mission to create 100 new smiles through this partnership – if you can help raise awareness or donate to this cause, please visit: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. If you'd like to find out more about our specialist recruitment services, including HR recruitment, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  We also regularly keep you up to date with what's happening in the recruitment industry via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  To contact Paul, please connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Do you have any feedback for us? Please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #ninagrosse #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk #hr #humanresources

To celebrate World Smile Day 2022, the EMEA Recruitment podcast welcomed special guest Mairead O'Callaghan, Executive Director at Operation Smile UK.  Speaking to Paul Toms, we find out the last two things that made Mairead smile. The first being the kick-off call following a project that involved the global Operation Smile organization coming up with four key values: resilience, impact, compassion and integrity. When the call was taking place, Mairead was also in the queue to see Queen Elizabeth II's lying-in-state.  The second was having the chance to host an Ethiopian plastic surgeon in London, who Operation Smile had helped to relocate and escape civil unrest in the north of the country, along with his family. He now works at the Operation Smile hospital in Jimma. We find out that Mairead has been on four medical missions with Operation Smile. She initially travelled when she managed volunteers, but Mairead later took a break due to a fundraising role, in which she found herself much more useful in understanding the voices that contribute to the organization and amplifying them further. Paul congratulates Mairead on her promotion to Executive Director and the 11 years she has spent with Operation Smile. She shares the inner culture of the charity and explains that it's not unusual for people to be with the organization for so long. She emphasizes that, when you enjoy your job and are passionate about what you do, it doesn't feel like a job at all.  Mairead shares insights into her role as Executive Director. She enjoys watching mastery in action and helping other people shine. Further credit is given to the medical volunteers for their years of training. All this work ultimately allows the patients to shine, which Mairead insists everyone should be entitled to, regardless of background.  Mairead reveals her motivations for charity work and how she eventually joined Operation Smile.  She also discusses the adaptations of Operation Smile's business model during the pandemic. She stresses the fact that, every three minutes, a child is born with a cleft – therefore, care must still be provided. The charity focused on improvements to nutritional care and speech therapy programmes, which could be carried out remotely. Operation Smile was also able to leverage its global supply chain relationships and provide PPE to partnering hospitals.  Coming out of the pandemic, Operation Smile is now celebrating its 40th anniversary and has set itself a target of treating one million patients globally.  Towards the end of the episode, Mairead shares the two important pieces of advice for people who would like to follow in her footsteps.  If you can help make change in the world by supporting Operation Smile, please donate: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/    If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 00:45: The last thing that made Mairead smile05:20: Going on an Operation Smile medical mission 07:10: 11 years with Operation Smile09:35: Mairead's current role as Executive Director11:40: Mairead's motivation for charity work 14:55: Changes during the pandemic 18:00: Operation Smile's 40th anniversary 20:35: The mental and emotional challenges in charity work23:30: Advice for anyone who would like to follow Mairead's career footsteps26:00: The mentors in Mairead's life 27:00: How you can support Operation Smile This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Marketing Manager. You can find out more about EMEA Recruitment through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ If you'd like to reach out to Paul, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/   Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms If you have any suggestions for future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com   #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #maireadocallaghan #paultoms #operationsmile  #operationsmileuk

We were proud to welcome Heliana Romanelli, Head Procurement EMEA Markets at Unilever, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “Be true to yourself always…try to enjoy the ride, not only the destination.” Paul Toms speaks to Heliana, based in the Netherlands at the time of the recording, and asks if any travel has been scheduled in Heliana's diary due to the easing of restrictions; she visits suppliers in different locations.  We discover the last thing that that made Heliana smile. At Unilever, employee satisfaction survey results showed a large improvement in employee wellbeing – something Heliana is proud of, as it was originally a cause of concern due to the global pandemic. Additionally, Heliana believes her purpose is to help inspire others to find solutions, describing herself as someone with a “glass half-full” outlook. It's something she's had since childhood, with three siblings and two working parents. As Head Procurement EMEA Markets, Heliana feels really happy in her role. As she has been with Unilever since 1998, she has had the opportunity to work in different countries, markets, roles and subsidiaries. She has experienced current issues, such as inflation and other macroeconomic pressures, before, which helps her leverage previous learnings into her role now. She further praises the company for its flexibility and ways of accommodating employees to do their best. As listeners will discover, Heliana began her career in a factory and became Factory Manager. She enjoyed working with people, alongside the added technical aspects. She later shares the experience of replacing a male manager in the factory back in 1998, which she found to be positive, but also gives reference to several situations where she is the only woman in the discussion. She adds that diversity is improving, but still has a long way to go. In reference to the Procurement side of her career, she loves the strategic thinking aspect, highlighting negotiation, competitor analysis and current positioning. She also enjoys the agenda that Unilever has with helping start-ups. Heliana's advice to those wishing to start a Procurement career or emulate what she has done is to try to enjoy the journey. If you are open-minded, willing to learn and stay true to yourself, you will be fine.  During the episode, Heliana reveals that the biggest areas of learning were the fragility of chains and systems, supplier suffering and service issues – largely due to COVID-19. Europe is also facing a war and other macroeconomic issues, which complicate situations further. She stresses the importance of planning, prioritising, learning and taking care of yourself during these times. To keep a calm mind, especially since COVID, Heliana has started exercising every morning, eating better and mediating in the evenings to face the challenges in the workplace.  Paul asks Heliana for any role models who have inspired her during her career. Special mention is given to a lady called Rosalina, the first female VP of Supply Chain for Latin America. Rosalina left the company 15 years ago, but the two still share a strong bond. If Heliana has any doubts, she will call on Rosalina for advice. Discussing how to find talent in an efficient and effective way, Heliana says you firstly need to define what you want – the must-haves and the nice-to-haves. But, never have a fixed profile. During the recruitment process, you need to be able to decipher if the company will be right fit for them, as well as for your team. We also discuss the impact of business intelligence and data on the Procurement function. Heliana finds it to be a revolution and shares an example of its capabilities, such as the ability to track traceability, sustainability and disruptions before they appear on the media. She adds that data can support strategic decisions and make those decisions faster. To end the episode, we listen to the advice Heliana would share with her 18-year-old self. Humorously, her 12-year-old daughter's response was to buy Apple and Amazon shares, but Heliana looks back on previous experiences of suffering unconscious bias and would pass on the following quote: “Don't let anyone define who you are.”   If you're looking for a certain part of the episode, use these timestamps: 01:10: Planned work and leisure travel 02:25: The last thing that made Heliana smile 05:05: The origin of Heliana's positivity 06:25: How it feels to be Head Procurement EMEA Markets09:00: Heliana's 20-year journey at Unilever14:30: Why the Supply Chain & Procurement function?19:40: Becoming a factory manager in 199825:30: Procurement career advice 28:00: The biggest challenges in the role 31:20: Heliana's interests outside of work35:40: Heliana's role models38:25: How to find talent in an efficient & effective way43:00: How BI & data can strengthen strategic decisions47:55: Advice Heliana would give her 18-year-old self To connect with Heliana, you can find her on LinkedIn.    EMEA Recruitment is a proud partner of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides free surgery to children suffering with cleft lip and palate. We're hoping to create 100 new smiles through this partnership. If you can support this cause, please donate: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/donate-to-operation-smile/donate-to-operation-smile-emea-recruitment/   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Marketing Manager. Learn more about our recruitment services, including our specialist Procurement & Supply Chain division, through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  Or keep up to date with us via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  You can also connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/   Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Are there any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes? Please reach out to Rose with your suggestions: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #helianaromanelli #paultoms #operationsmile #procurement 

Thank you to Katja Kovalgina, Client Service Director at IQ-EQ, for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast. The episode begins with a discussion about the small positives that were experienced during the pandemic. For most, this was of course devastating, but for some, this period was a time of reflection and introspection on their journey through life. Katja likes the new trend of working from home; the flexibility and, subsequently, the freedom.   Paul Toms asks Katja for the last thing that made her smile. She shares an experience with an employee about an error in spelling. Katja tends to smile a lot, which is something she learned during COVID-19, teaching herself to move forward and take life less seriously. This new attitude has helped Katja in her role, as it has completely changed the way she presents herself in the workplace. When Katja was new to IQ-EQ, she appeared very formal and cold, due to feeling like this was what was expected as a young woman in the business world. That attitude worked for a while, but doesn't work anymore, as it creates a wall and a difficult environment to work in. She believes that creating an atmosphere for free discussion will usually open people up. Now, Katja enjoys an environment in which people can talk to each other and generates successful relationships with clients; people are too caught up in getting through the agenda and not actually listening to each other, which inevitably makes the solution to the problem harder, she explains.  Listeners will hear about how Katja feels in her role as Director of Client Services. She describes feeling like a savior, adding that the role is very rewarding. This is due to having the ability to solve things easily where some of her employees, clients and shareholders may struggle.  Within her role, time management is lead by other people's agendas. Trying to control the day is difficult when the role requires you to be a people manager. Katja explains that she plans for meetings and delivery dates, but it's easier to accept the fact that things pop up and go with the flow.  Katja finds the topic of searching for quality people to be hard to tackle at the moment, due to the current trend of people changing jobs more regularly, or being hired due to charisma and not actually the ability to do the job. Another issue is when employees don't want to stick to the function they are hired for long enough and want the next step-up too promptly. Katja later discusses what she enjoys about IQ-EQ. She acknowledges that the business is positioned in a growing, interesting industry, but the overarching thing she cherishes is being given the chance to grow and evolve into her role, and now the ability to contribute to the company.  Interestingly, with business intelligence and data becoming a regular topic on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, Katja shares the more negative side to its introduction. She explains that it has changed the way people conduct their jobs completely and there are generations who struggle keeping up to date. This affects deliverables and costs money. Data is stored on multiple platforms, creating confusion and, instead of employees working with clients, they are looking at the screen and filling in forms continuously.  The episode ends with Katja sharing her skydiving experience, which she recommends to all who are able.   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01:30: The positives from the pandemic 04:00: Katja's hobbies outside of work06:00: The last thing that made Katja smile07:30: How people can learn to smile more09:50: The way Katja presents herself at work 13:05: Creating successful relationships with clients18:10: Being Client Service Director 20:40: How Katja prioritises her time at IQ-EQ25:00: Sourcing quality people for roles 32:00: What Katia enjoys about IQ-EQ36:55: The effect of BI & data on the HR function 42:00: The next thing on Katja's bucket list 43:00: Katja's skydiving experience  If you'd like to contact Katja, find her on LinkedIn.    This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive. Learn more about our professional services recruitment through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  Or keep up to date with us via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to contact Paul, get in touch with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #katjakovalgina #paultoms #operationsmile #clientservices #iqeq

We proudly welcomed Simon Clementson, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Senior Vice President at Archroma, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “Less process, more action – that would be my mantra.” At the beginning of the episode, Paul Toms asks Simon about his experiences during the pandemic. Simon speaks of the few upsides of COVID-19 and being able to spend quality time with his young family. He also became a lot healthier as a result of the exercise; over the last few years, Simon has taken up cycling. He now cycles every weekend and is currently training for the Maratona dles Dolomites! Taken back to the origin of Simon's Human Resources career, we discover that it was a chance situation during his interim at IBM. Simon took the opportunity to introduce himself and was given a fork-in-the-road. His choices? Sales or HR. He chose HR and never looked back.  Now describing himself as an HR generalist, he says he enjoys the unknown. It's the usual things and the challenges for the business side that are in the most stimulating for the HR leader. He enjoys being able to make a difference and handle situations in a professional way. Simon has received praise from employees who have been on the sharp end of decisions for his respectful and honest attitude.  He refers to the bad examples you see in the press – like the mass firing of employees on Zoom - and states that it doesn't take a genius to know that actions like that would create bad blood; not only for the fired employees, but also the remaining ones who will no longer feel valued.   Paul asks for Simon's opinion on business intelligence and data. He finds it to be a huge positive, as data can predict what can happen in the workplace regarding employees. When moving into senior roles especially, you can use this data to support decisions and create proactive discussions. He believes BI and data will grow quickly over the next few years. Simon finds his role to be an honor and feels responsible for the 3,000 employees' wellbeing, careers and safety across Archroma's 25 manufacturing sites. He is also excited to move the company further into the green space, claiming that he is proud to be at the forefront of this expedition. Examples given are in relation to water management and selecting different chemicals for solutions. Simon has seen the impact of the sustainability efforts during the recruitment process, with senior interviewees referencing their reading of the sustainability report.  Halfway through the episode, Simons gives his opinion on what makes a successful change management process. He explains that companies need to align with employees who expect change regularly, in the sense that it's better to set an expectation of continuous change and improvement, rather than a tick-box approach and not a series of change processes. He adds that communication of the process and rationale is key to change management; if you can't articulate that to stakeholders then you've not got it right – you need to do it as openly as possible to ensure they are much more accepting of change.  As a strong business partner, Simon explains that honesty, change management and dealing with stakeholders are in service of business performance. Better performance for shareholders means a win-win for employees, as they can grow together and cultivate an environment for growth and success. He acknowledges that some difficult decisions must be made, for example, letting go of employees. However, this is for the greater good of the company and the other employees.    Simon's advice for others who would like to become better business partners and wish to emulate his CHRO journey is to obtain a position on both sides of the board. Simon is head of the HR agenda and on the leadership team. He claims the art is the relationships and chemistry you have between the two, which is key to influence and adding value.  The steps Simon follows when developing talent is following through on action plans. Some companies focus on completing the process, rather than the outcome. Value comes in an honest discussion and not a facilitation between the employees and the manager. He adds that it's better to address the gaps and build them up, rather than have employees think they are better than they are; there will come a time where you need that talent and gaps that were identified have not been addressed. Towards the end of the episode, Simon shares his tips on an efficient and effective recruitment process. He says that clarity on the role is necessary, with a bit of flexibility to encourage and enable diverse candidates. The second is ensuring the selection process is structured, especially when the role requires hard skills. An addition to this is a balance of soft and hard skills, as they are significant in many jobs. Finally, Simon acknowledges that awareness is the first step in addressing gender bias and equality.  At the end of the episode, Simon leaves us with one thing he would like to pass on from his career – gone are the days where a gap in your CV would throw you into the reject pile. If you have a gap, don't feel like you have to cover it up; during COVID, people made personal decisions and more people change jobs now than ever before.   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, you can use these timestamps:  01:50: The last thing that made Simon smile 03:20: Hobbies outside of work07:00: Simon's journey into HR 09:40: What Simon enjoys most about HR14:42: The impact of BI & data on the HR function16:35: The role of CHRO and Senior VP18:40: What Archroma is doing on sustainability 20:45: Sustainability, values & ethics in recruitment22:40: What makes a successful change management process25:00: Being a strong business partner33:15: Key steps to consider when developing talent36:00: How to make the recruitment process efficient & effective 41:55: Experiences from Simon's career he would like to pass on To connect with Simon, you can find him on LinkedIn.   EMEA Recruitment is a proud partner of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides free surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. To support us in raising vital funds for this cause, please donate: emearecruitment.com/operation-smile    The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. You can find out more about our professional services recruitment, including Human Resources support, through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ If you'd like to connect with Paul, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ He is also active on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If you have any feedback on this episode, please reach out to Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #simonclementson #paultoms #operationsmile #humanresources #hr 

We were honored to welcome Hung Lee, Curator of Recruiting Brainfood, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “We have to do a better job at aligning people to the work they are good at, the work they are passionate for and well compensated for. As a society, we have to get that right and, as a recruiter, we play a non-insignificant part in that.” This episode begins with Hung reciting the breakfast recipe he has consistently made for the past several years. Although this may sound like a tiresome meal to some individuals, Hung sees the value in routine; it allows him to spend his time and energy on the important things – a common theme we see in entrepreneurs and people in executive positions.  Paul Toms questions Hung about his passion and drive for the recruitment industry. We discover this came from an interest in how people work together, their motivations and ultimately how they operate, persuading him to study courses like Philosophy and Sociology at college. He adds that recruitment is both an art and a science.  Paul also questions Hung on the career path he would have taken instead of recruitment. He explains how, upon leaving university, there was little guidance. He acknowledges that, at the very early stages of a career, many people don't understand which career may suit them best. Hung references some of his own friends, who he credits on being hardworking and smart, but ultimately unhappy in their jobs.  Hung later shares a story from his recruitment career back in 2012. He remembers the defining moment of knowing when it was time to quit his job – the moment he became top biller at a recruitment firm.  “If you're not all in, that's when you are going to start failing. You have to be totally in – your passion is one of the reasons that makes you good at the job.”  Hung later shares his initial business idea and the reason why it was difficult to sell and how he addressed these issues. He gives his advice to anyone considering becoming an entrepreneur, his experiences on risk taking and puts forward the question: ‘How long can you stay in the ring?'.  He recites the three things he has learned from his own lessons, which people have to consider if they wish to be successful. These are:  Understanding your mental and financial burnout  Plan – but don't over plan  Revaluate your revenue model  Furthermore, Paul asks how Hung feels about being an entrepreneur with a successful idea. Hung is pleased and gives the audience an insight into how Recruiting Brainfood has developed, alongside Hung's need to serve the recruitment ecosystem further to continue to provide value. Additionally, during this episode, Paul and Hung talk about how technology has affected the recruitment cycle. Listeners will be keen to hear about the developments made in interview intelligence software and how implementing this into your recruiting service could give you a competitive advantage and a means to innovate, regarding efficiency, capability and credibility.  The episode ends with a discussion around the true cost of a bad hire and the importance of honesty from the candidate, recruitment agency and the hiring manager. If you wish to contact Hung, he recommends you sign up for the Recruiting Brainfood newsletter, which then will give you the chance to contact him via email: https://www.recruitingbrainfood.com/subscribe-now/  You can watch the full episode on YouTube:   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, use the timestamps below: 01:35: Hung's breakfast concoction & thoughts on routine04:30: The last thing that made Hung smile 07:50: Hung's passion for recruitment 10:05: Alternative career paths Hung may have fallen into13:00: The moment Hung decided to quit17:15: 3 steps to consider when starting a business24:15: The creation of Recruiting Brainfood 27:30: How Recruiting Brainfood developed31:10: Interview intelligence software41:55: The true cost of a wrong hire & the importance of honesty48:40: How to contact Hung    EMEA Recruitment is a proud partner of international medical charity Operation Smile, which provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. To help us create 100 new smiles through this partnership, please donate: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks.  You can find out more about our recruitment services through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ Visit LinkedIn if you'd like to connect with Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Or you can follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If you have any feedback on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com   #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #hunglee #paultoms #operationsmile #recrtuiment #recruitingbrainfood  

We were happy to welcome George Terziev, VP Head of Group Treasury at Hitachi Energy, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. Paul Toms begins the podcast lightheartedly, reciting a language joke that made George smile.  After the laughter, we discover that after a year-and-a-half at Hitachi, George is still very happy in his Finance role. He is excited to be part of the company culture, with a diverse and international team, surrounded by great people. Praises are given to Hitachi for being a good company and its position in the growing renewable energy sector. Later on, George delves into the depth of Treasury and the opportunities it can offer individuals seeking to advance their skillset, broaden their career prospects and contribute to other functions.  Paul asks George about his 22 years at Dow and the exposure he gained at this place of work, which enabled him to experience roles outside of Treasury; Treasury is a function that is highly transferrable. Mentioned here is the current recruitment trend and the importance of training, creating paths of development and opportunities when hiring, and retaining the talent of today. George also singles out a few challenges he is experiencing within his role. The short-term challenges being the further transformation and integration of Treasury in other functions, along with the previous mention of the hiring and retainment of new talent.  The long-term challenge is singled out as digitalization, alongside the new technology coming into the market, with mention of blockchain, crypto, the metaverse and cloud solutions.  Halfway through the episode, Paul acknowledges the Treasury Transformation Award that Hitachi received. George gives credit to the team who worked together to gain this prize within a six-month period, and ultimately created a platform for the future transformation of the business and aligned Hitachi with global competition.  Listeners will later become informed of the recruitment process, the competencies, attributes and attitudes a person must possess to become a successful candidate during the hiring process. George shares insights into the opportunities and projects Hitachi Energy is creating to retain new hires and employees.  Paul questions George about the adaptation of the company during COVID-19. Thanks is given again to the teams who set up the strategy before and during the initial stages of the pandemic. George joined during this period and found it challenging to understand the company without in-person meetings. However, the team was established, coherent and motivated, enabling the company to work well remotely overall.  Now that period is behind us, George explains that it is now time to re-establish connections and integrate the team further; the new normal includes hybrid working. George recommends organizations set rules for this new process of working; to be successful, he believes office time should still be scheduled, as it is critical to team development and the bonding of new hires. At the end of the episode, Paul questions George about his long-term aims, sharing their level of guitar skills. The EMEA Recruitment podcast is available anywhere you get your podcasts, or you can listen below:   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, you can use the timestamps: 01:35: The last thing that made George smile03:35: Being VP Head of Group Treasury at Hitachi Energy05:45: What excites George most about his role 08:35: Advice for people pursuing a career in Finance10:45: Spending 22 years at one company17:40: The challenges George faces as VP 23:40: Winning the Treasury Transformation Project Award30:40: Hitachi's adaptation throughout COVID-1935:00: George's long-term goals 36:55: Playing the guitar38:10: How to contact George  To connect with George, you can find him on LinkedIn.   We are proud to support Operation Smile through the EMEA Recruitment podcast. Operation Smile is an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. If you can help us raise vital funds for this cause, please donate at emearecruitment.com/operation-smile    This episode is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. To find out more about our professional services recruitment, including Finance & Accountancy roles, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ If you'd like to contact Paul, connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ You can also follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes, please reach out to Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #georgeterziev #paultoms #operationsmile #finance #treasury

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we are joined by Jens Svolgaard, Vice President Tax, Treasury and Internal Audit at Bolt. “As a leader, give them direction and context and then get out of the way and enjoy the view.” Paul Toms begins the podcast lightheartedly, with Jens giving mention to his wonderful partner Sabine and his four children, who make him smile every day and are always in his heart.  Jens offers his advice to aspiring leaders on the importance of getting joy out of the people you have hired.  During the new era of remote working, Jens states that he didn't have to change his leadership style conceptually. The only difference is his team is spread over nine countries and 18 nationalities; therefore, communication requires a harder and much more structured effort.  Later on in the episode, listeners will learn about Jens' role at Bolt and why he finds it to be a huge privilege, referencing his previously enjoyable experience at audio and media streaming giant Spotify. He later touches on his passion for the discipline of work and the most memorable part of his career - a career that he had no grand masterplan for. Giving advice to recruiters, Jens states that finding great people to work with becomes an art. Having the ability to be patient and put the hard work in to find the right people that have the technical qualifications, but also the right energy and personality that will fit into the business, is key. Jens advocates never compromising; if there is any doubt about the person, the answer is no. Closer to the end of the episode, Paul and Jens explore the effects of business intelligence and data on leadership, along with the impact it is having on the Finance function. Jens understands the concerns, however, people can not blindly trust data. In his opinion, common sense comes above all. Moving away from Finance and recruitment, Jens reveals that, for the past four to five years, he has been engaging himself in personal and spiritual development. He is pursuing several qualifications, which listeners will learn how he is applying this learning in the workplace.    If you're looking for a specific part of the episode, please use these timestamps: 02:19: The people that make Jens smile 03:21: Secrets to family success 04:40: How Jens structures his day07:10: Jens' advice to aspiring leaders10:00: Jens' tips for remote leaders13:05: What it feels like to be VP Tax, Treasury and Internal Audit at Bolt14:15: Jens' passion for his role and discipline 17:40: The most memorable part of Jens's career and his experience at Spotify19:40: Does Jens see the glass half-full? 22:30: How to find great people to work with27:35: Personality traits Jens looks in candidates29:50: Challenges in his current role32:15: Exploring the effects of BI & data on Finance 34:05: Will data change the role of leader in the future?36:55: Jens' long-term goals41:59: How to connect with Jens If you would like to contact Jens, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.    The EMEA Recruitment podcast is produced in partnership with Operation Smile. We're on a mission to create 100 new smiles through raising awareness and vital funds for this cause. If you would like to donate, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive. Learn more about our professional services recruitment through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ If you'd like to connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Or you can find him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   Do you have any feedback on the EMEA Recruitment podcast? Please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #jenssvolbaard #paultoms #operationsmile #finance #audit #tax #treasury

We were proud to welcome Rubén Alejandro Ramirez, Group Head Diversity and Inclusion at Syngenta, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “By being accepting of others and letting other people express themselves just as they are can bring more harmony to the workplace.” Having been in his current role for almost two years, Paul Toms asks Rubén how it feels to be Group Head of D&I. Despite his successful career as a Marketing professional in Latin America, Rubén was looking for ways to help his community and make the world a little bit better. He describes his new position as a “gift”, explaining the importance of helping employees thrive. Entering the Human Resources function for the first time was a struggle for Rubén, but his passion and expertise have given him an edge in building momentum in the DE&I space.  After moving away from Marketing, Rubén now sees Syngenta's employees as his customers. He believes consistency in messaging and listening to what staff need will have a long-term benefit, but he also finds the immediate responses he receives “gratifying”.  Nevertheless, Rubén acknowledges that we are all on our own DE&I journeys. He discusses the current corporate system, whereby four or five generations are still working together. He is committed to helping those earlier on in their journey understand the benefits of D&I for the business and its people.  Rubén explains the best way to address offensive language and conversations in the office, as well as the ways that Syngenta is using business intelligence and data to measure the diversity and inclusion of the organisation.  If you, too, are looking for a career in D&I, Rubén offers advice on taking action and becoming a champion. In fact, it was his father's commitment to inclusivity that influenced Rubén's attitudes towards other people.  We end the episode by finding out which CEO has been the most influential on Rubén throughout his career.    To find a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01:44: The last thing to make Rubén smile03:15: How it feels to be Group Head of D&I06:08: Moving from Marketing to HR09:08: Delivering the right messages15:48: Driving diversity in teams19:28: How D&I has evolved23:47: How to move into D&I28:50: How BI & data can support D&I35:09: Dealing with offensive language39:16: The key influences in Rubén's life45:30: How to reach out to Rubén If you'd like to contact Rubén, connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubenalejandro/   We're a proud supporter of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that delivers life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. Help us achieve our goal of creating 100 new smiles by donating: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive.  Find out more about our specialist recruitment services, including HR recruitment, through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also stay up to date with us via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ If you'd like to connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please reach out to Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #rubenalejandroramirez #paultoms #operationsmile  #diversity #inclusion #d&i #humanresources # hr

Thank you to David van der Velden, Regional Talent Acquisition Lead at DSM, for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “For me, recruitment is a team sport.”  Early in the episode, Paul Toms delves into why David chose a recruitment career. Although a career in recruitment wasn't part of his initial career path, David has always known he wanted to help and have a positive impact on people's lives.  David believes having an efficient and effective recruitment process depends on the relationship with the hiring manager or candidate. He explains that the people involved in recruitment must agree on the expectations right at the beginning, share opinions and work continuously to shape the process together. DSM takes its share of the responsibility, challenging itself throughout and providing constructive feedback to improve the process for both parties. During the pandemic, DSM was one step ahead. Two weeks before the Netherlands went into lockdown, DSM was prepared and already working from home. This was due to leadership being clear from the initial phase and the level of trust DSM employees had in each other. David adds that, if you are going to work virtually, then it's okay to hire people virtually. Later in the episode, Paul asks for David's thoughts on the true cost of the wrong hire. It is clear some organisations are unaware of the consequences of a bad hire and the costs involved. David advocates the quality of candidates over speed.  Onto an alternative topic, listeners will later gain insights into the digital recruitment tool DSM is implementing into its business model to make the process more efficient. David explains that, although business intelligence and data will have a huge impact on recruitment, the need for people will also prevail; both need to integrate.  “The tool alone will not do it and the people will also not do it on their own.” Listen to the end of the episode to find out the two things David would have liked his past self to know when beginning his recruitment career. These tips will help ambitious recruiters progress and reach their career aspirations.  For any food lovers listening, you will also discover the extent of David's culinary skills and the dish he likes to create the most!    If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 02:10: The last thing to make David smile04:55: David's natural positivity06:25: How does recruitment make David feel?12:00: What makes a great recruiter12:23: Achieving an efficient and effective recruitment process15:40: Adapting the recruitment process during COVID-1922:20: The true cost of the wrong hire25:40: The impact of BI & data on recruitment28:00: Recruitment tools34:00: What David enjoys about his role38:40: 2 things David wishes he'd known about recruitment43:50: David's routine out of the office46:50: David's go-to culinary dish49:15: The easiest way to connect with David David is happy to connect via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidvandervelden/   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is brought to you in partnership with our friends at Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. You can find out more about our partnership through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive. You can find out more about us on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ Or you can follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ If you'd like to connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If you have any feedback to the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #davidvandervelden #paultoms #operationsmile  #recruitment

We were pleased to introduce Top 50 Thinker Dorie Clark to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “Begin to take the steps to feel okay about running our own race.” In this episode, Dorie takes listeners back to the world pre-pandemic, detailing how the previous networking events were ineffective and the challenges of networking experienced at these organized events.  Instead, she offers tips and advice on how to network effectively, emphasizing how using the correct event management techniques can help you leverage your relationships with like-minded people. Speaking with Paul Toms, our Founder, Dorie speaks about her latest book The Long Game, a business book which champions the need to think ahead to reach both personal and professional goals.  She explains that short-term thinking is a good strategy to an extent, but it is not the long-term solution. A key focus within the episode is the importance of long-term thinking.  “Yes, identify the goals, yes, get as clear on them as possible, and then work backwards.” Another topic that is touched on is the executive coaching Dorie provides to people within the business world. She explains that, especially in the world of social media, if it seems like other people are getting there faster, it can cause self-doubt. To counteract this, Dorie suggests people stick to their plans and realize that most success comes from hard-work, repetition and patience.  Close to the end of the episode, we find out that Dorie has started to fulfil her ten-year stretch goal of learning how to write musicals. She has successfully completed one musical, giving Paul a synopsis, with multiple others in the pipelines. Her overarching goal is to write a musical that will eventually be produced on Broadway!   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use these timestamps: 01:07: The last thing that made Dorie smile02:43: Networking post-COVID06:30: Leading your own life 09:55: How to focus on the key things 13:42: Learning self-discipline 15:28: Finding the drive to write 18:40: The value of vision boards24:15: Moving away from short-term thinking30:05: Becoming an authentic version of yourself 34:45: How to improve your listening skills38:55: Progressing on long-term career goals42:00: The next step for Dorie 44:10: Working on a musical  45:44: How to reach out to Dorie  46:20: Travelling to Europe  If you are interested in contacting Dorie or finding out more about her books, you can do so via her website: https://dorieclark.com/    We are proud to bring you the EMEA Recruitment podcast in partnership with Operation Smile. We are raising vital funds for Operation Smile volunteers to deliver life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. If you would like to support this cause, please visit: emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. Learn more about our specialist professional services recruitment on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  To connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    To share your feedback on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #dorieclark #paultoms #operationsmile #thelonggame  #recruitment

We were honored to welcome Alan Panter, the CFO of Fossil Group, Inc., onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “Productivity and end goal comes from bringing the best out of the teams of people.” In this episode, Alan speaks to Paul Toms about the transformation of Fossil and the preconditioning it endured before the pandemic arrived. He explains that, with the change-oriented culture of the organization and resilience of the people behind it, Fossil was able to make the most of the opportunity to further transform the business, both as an organization and its outcomes during this period. As CFO of the company, Alan finds his role to be a very pleasurable experience, due to the organizational culture. His leadership style promotes collaboration - something he experienced during his coaching at Price Waterhouse - and giving employees the power to make their own decisions.  “The biggest achievement for me was getting hearts and minds going in the right direction – fundamentally, what a transformation is all about”. During the episode, we discovered the approach Alan uses during the recruitment process, striving to understand how that person thinks, where they draw their knowledge and how this person would represent the brand. This was more challenging due to COVID-19. However, Alan explains the process was the same - it was the execution that was different. We later delved into how Alan started his financial career and the commitment he gives to his extra-curricular activities, such as snowboarding. Alternatively, mentioned in previous episodes is the impact business intelligence and data has on organizations. Alan accepts this is more challenging to tackle for mid-sized organizations like Fossil, admitting that there are areas where integrating data across eCommerce platforms isn't linear.  Paul finishes the episode by asking Alan what's next on his bucket list.    01:00: Where is Alan in the world?01:48: The last thing that made Alan smile03:19: Taking positives from the COVID-19 pandemic 05:20: Completing a transformation during the pandemic08:14: The key for working well under pressure12:00: Alan's extra-curricular activities 14:35: The passion for Finance17:27: What does it feel like to be the CFO of Fossil?20:09: How Alan has recruited great people over the years25:50: How COVID affected recruitment 28:35: Where Alan's management style comes from  32:50: How Alan structures his day 36:24: How BI & data will impact Finance40:40: Will BI & data change the way we evaluate people? 44:31: What's next on Alan's bucket list 47:40: How to reach out to Alan  If you wish to connect with Alan on LinkedIn, he is always happy to share the knowledge he has with his network and tries his best to respond where he reasonably can.    EMEA Recruitment is a proud supporter of international medical charity Operation Smile, which provides life-changing surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. To find out more about their incredible work, please visit our website: emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive. Our full range of professional services recruitment can be found on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  To connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or you can keep up to date with him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If you have any feedback on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com  #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #alanpanter #paultoms #operationsmile #finance  #recruitment

Thank you to Marco Plattner, Group CFO at Cerdia in Basel, Switzerland, for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “You need to have the right teams around you – without that, it's not possible.” Marco moved to Basel five years ago, but actually changed roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Cerdia has a small headquarters in Switzerland, he realised that he needed to communicate more consciously when working remotely. Ensuring informal conversation between colleagues still took place was also essential. Marco found himself changing roles during the pandemic as a result of remaining open to new opportunities. Interviewing remotely, he feels it takes longer to see whether there's a match between the candidate and the company.  Although he's now a CFO, Marco has always put 100% into his work to come up with new ideas and solve problems, regardless of his position. He has always worked on complex change management projects; his ability to navigate through ambiguity is something he attributes to his successes.  Marco first met Paul Toms, our Founder, shortly before the birth of his second child. He was also going through a major transformation project at work, studying for an MBA and had recently relocated. He debriefs with himself every week and tries to have a longer-term plan in place to allow him to focus, although he appreciates that we need to remain flexible for times when plans change. Marco highlights his wife, teams at work and fellow students on his MBA course for providing the necessary support. It's the reason that he spends so long talking to candidates during the recruitment process; Marco is always looking for the right cultural fit, as well as diversity in the team.  In fact, Marco is always looking for ways to decrease the time spent on data-gathering in Finance, to free up more time for discussing and implementing solutions. He believes we need to put more resources in place to change the current imbalance.  Marco offers key advice for those considering a career in Finance – it's not the typical answer!    If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, you can use the timestamps below: 01:18: Back to the office in Basel02:44: Communicating more consciously during COVID05:04: Taking positives from the pandemic06:15: Changing jobs during COVID08:35: Becoming a CFO10:28: How Marco has ensured success15:25: The importance of focus in project management18:45: Having the right people around you22:34: Finding a cultural fit with candidates25:32: How BI & data can change the imbalance in Finance29:26: How Marco got into Finance32:37: Advice for aspiring Finance professionals34:33: What's next for Marco 25:58: The last thing that made Marco smile37:38: How to reach out to Marco  If you'd like to connect with Marco, find him on LinkedIn.    The EMEA Recruitment podcast is brought to you in partnership with Operation Smile. We're hoping to create 100 new smiles through this partnership – if you can support this cause, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. If you'd like to find out more about our professional services recruitment, information can be found on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If you have any feedback on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com  #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #marcoplattnet #paultoms #operationsmile #finance  #recruitment

We were pleased to welcome Michaela Dedic, Global Diversity and Inclusion Leader at Novartis, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “The simplest way for HR to influence is to take an active lead in developing the culture with the executive teams.” To kick off the episode, Michaela shares the last thing that made her smile with Paul Toms; she's been battling a bird that keeps pecking at her plants. It's a hobby that Michaela has invested in since working from home more during the pandemic. She compares tending to her plants to the way she helps people grow and develop within the organisation.  Michaela explains the role Human Resources plays in culture change within a business. While we are often taught to provide solutions quickly, Michaela believes in the power of listening to your partners to enact change. She had to set clear boundaries for herself when working virtually over the past two years. Part of Michaela's approach was to set time aside for herself and to reach out to colleagues to talk (not just about work).  Michaela has worked for Novartis since 2016. She credits the company for its investment in Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) and recognising how D&I can drive innovation. For her personally, it's an interesting and rewarding role, but not something that will change overnight. We discuss the impact of business intelligence and data on the HR function. Talent Acquisition, in particular, is seeing “great innovation” in identifying talent and driving productivity. Nevertheless, Michaela finds some aspects “a bit scary”!  Paul explores the key steps to an effective and efficient recruitment process. Michaela offers her advice on writing the perfect job description, ensuring strong communication with candidates, and streamlining the interview process. She is also a firm believer in building talent pipelines for the future – and the need for candidates to prepare. Michaela didn't fall into HR by accident; she realised at university that she was curious about people. It was more of an administrative role when Michaela joined the industry, but has since expanded and grown.  In the future, Michaela sees developing the next generation of corporate leaders as a challenge for HR, as well as working on cultural diversity, inclusion and equity, and wellbeing. Following the return to the office post-pandemic, companies also need to retain their best talent.  We end the episode by finding out Michaela's one piece of advice for her 18-year-old self, along with the business leader who made an “enormous impact” on her career.    If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 00:59: The latest thing that made Michaela smile02:32: Helping people grow05:15: The power of listening07:18: How Michaela adapted to the pandemic10:35: Finding the balance when WFH13:07: What it feels like to work in D&I18:18: Essential characteristics for success22:40: How data is changing the way we work26:21: Streamlining the recruitment process33:31: Finding the right people for the company35:20: How Michaela got into HR39:08: The biggest challenges facing HR44:31: Advice for Michaela's 18-year-old self46:06: The biggest influence in Michaela's career49:15: How to connect with Michaela If you'd like to connect with Michaela, send her a message on LinkedIn.   EMEA Recruitment is proud to support Operation Smile through the podcast. We hope to create 100 new smiles through our partnership. If you can help us reach our goal, please donate: emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive. More information on our specialist recruitment services can be found through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If you have any feedback on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com     #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #michealadedic #paultoms #operationsmile #hr #humanresources #recruitment

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we're joined by Marco Dirren, the CFO at Implenia in Switzerland. “No matter what your area of expertise is, you need to fit the culture of the company.” Marco speaks to Paul Toms after a “challenging” two years, in which Implenia went through a transformation, at the same time the world was dealing with the pandemic and developments in Eastern Europe. Marco feels the whole company learnt a lot on how to cope with these situations, which he believes you can't learn by reading textbooks. By using the “brainpower” of his team, Marco has managed to find the best solutions for the business, while finding a release in his private life through family and sport. He also values time alone, in order to reflect. Marco compares his current role with Implenia to sports; when you're in the zone, he explains, everything falls into place. He's proud to have gone through a transformation in a difficult market, but understands that not everyone in his team handles pressure in the same way – part of his job is to be aware of the soft factors, as well. Marco feels his emotional stability is a gift, which not only gives him a clear mind during crisis situations, but also motivates the team. During the early part of his career, Marco felt he spoke too much, always trying to get his ideas across. After some personal development, he values listening to others' opinions and getting a new aspect on problems.  Something else he invests in is the early stages of the recruitment process. He not only tries to match the current market, but also works with recruiters to tap into a wider pool of candidates (although he insists that partners must understand the culture of the company). We find out a top tip from one of Marco's previous managers on how to prioritise your work day. He also discusses the power of sleep in forming a resilient attitude. Digitalisation and data are two challenges currently facing Chief Financial Officers, Marco believes, as older members of the team must let go of old methods and try to have some flexibility. By being adaptable, companies will be able to attract and retain talent, he explains. For example, Implenia values diversity of mindset in the recruitment process. We end the episode by finding out how Marco recovers after a frustrating day. If you'd like to connect with Marco, he is active on LinkedIn, although he typically only accepts connection requests that are personalised: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-dirren/   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, use these timestamps: 01:03: Managing a transformation during a crisis02:18: The strength within a team04:49: Handling stressful situations07:53: Marco's emotional strength11:29: How Marco learned to listen18:36: Investing in the recruitment process22:29: How Marco structures his day29:42: Challenges for the future CFO33:54: The importance of diversity36:11: How Marco recovers after a bad day41:23: How to reach out to Marco   Operation Smile is the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. By raising vital funds and awareness for this cause, we hope to create 100 new smiles through this partnership. If you can donate anything to support us, please visit emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive. Find out more about our specialist recruitment services through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  Or stay up to date via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to message Paul, connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  You can also follow Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If there are any topics you'd like us to discuss in future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #marcodirren #paultoms #operationsmile #finance #recruitment

We were honoured to welcome Greg Vlasek, Group SVP Head of ABB Way Finance Transformation at ABB in Switzerland, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “I'm going to take this risk, I'm going to jump, but I'm always going to make sure I have one solid leg to stand on, because when you jump – if not – you fall.” Greg tells Paul Toms how ABB started its transformation programme during COVID-19. Although it was difficult not seeing people face-to-face, Greg found that, on the flip side, executives had a lot more time to make decisions, precisely because they weren't travelling.  Greg is used to working remotely; he hired 600 people in just 18 months for ABB's Centers of Excellence team, meeting not one of them in person. In fact, Greg has a special place in his heart for recruitment, having previously worked at Adecco for six years. He feels an essential part of the process is screening, which should focus on the culture of the business, as well as the technical skills of the candidate.  We explore Greg's rather traditional background, from qualifying in the “finishing school” of the Big 4, to moving into Audit, before spring-boarding into Commercial roles. He believes in building “one strong leg” that you can always stand on as a pillar in your career. Greg also reveals the “sweet spot” length of time that one should say in a role. Personally, he has always expanded his breadth of content knowledge in the area of change.  We find out Greg's original career plan – it's a world away from Finance & Accountancy!  In his current role at ABB, Greg feels the importance of work-life balance. He splits his life into four quadrants - work, family, himself and friends – and explains which areas suffer most when he overworks. Greg insists that we all have a choice when it comes to looking after ourselves, we just have to be courageous enough to set limits.  As an example, Greg blocks his calendar between 12pm and 1pm every day for himself, not picking up the phone, regardless of how urgent it is. His team is also aware of this commitment, which helps him stick to it. Greg explains which companies he would never work for, as well as the mistakes he made earlier in his career. We end the episode by discussing business intelligence and data in the Finance function. He describes it as a “revolution that is becoming reality”, comparing data and reporting to the dotcom bubble. Despite these huge changes, Greg doesn't feel he would change his career path if he could – he believes in the courage to let life take you. You can listen to this episode below or search for the EMEA Recruitment podcast on your favourite app:   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01:15: The last thing that made Greg smile01:55: Why working remotely made decision-making easier04:02: Hiring 600 people in 18 months – remotely!05:28: The key to successful recruitment08:57: Building a strong pillar in your career18:04: Balancing work, life, family and yourself19:56: How Greg manages his work-life balance23:07: Learning from other people26:21: Allowing yourself to make mistakes28:50: Revolution in the Finance function34:32: Reading the signs and going with the flow38:02: How to reach out to Greg If you'd like to connect with Greg, you can find him on LinkedIn.    The EMEA Recruitment podcast is brought to you in partnership with Operation Smile. We're committed to creating 100 new smiles by raising vital funds for Operation Smile's medical missions. If you would like to support this cause, please donate: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive.  Find out more about our specialist professional services recruitment through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also keep up to date with us via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If you have any feedback, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #gregvlasek #paultoms #operationsmile #finance  

Thank you to Markus Graf, VP HR, Global Head of Talent at Novartis, for joining us as a guest on the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “Listening, to me, is a superpower.” Markus spoke to Paul Toms from his home office in Switzerland, where he's spent more time with his family due to working from home during the pandemic. He feels he's been “gifted” with a positive attitude, always reflecting on what life offers him and acknowledging any setbacks. As a teenager, Markus owned a start-up business, but he had dreams of working in a large corporation, to learn how multi-national organisations operate. He completed a rotational programme, before a leader took him under his wing and gave Markus opportunities to grow in the Human Resources function.  He reveals the one skill that HR leaders need to learn, build trust and make people in the business feel valued. It's a trait that is important for all our professional lives, as well as personal relationships. With the rise of business intelligence and data in HR, Markus believes that intuition and empathy must complement market trends. At Novartis, the entire Talent strategy is now built around more transparency and data-driven decisions.  Markus has witnessed a shift in professional mobility; the willingness of workers to relocate has dropped significantly in major markets, accelerated by the pandemic.  So, how does Novartis find success in attracting and retaining its people? Markus understands that purpose is becoming more important to job seekers. As Novartis is committed to reimaging medicine, its culture is very appealing. It also offers flexibility in how its people work. The company has seen a 10% increase in employees' abilities to manage work-related stress as a result. Markus feels privileged to be in his current role. He summarises it in four Ps: purpose, people, position and place. In fact, Switzerland is top of his list of countries to live and work in (or travel to). Nevertheless, Markus grew up in a humble environment, only leaving his homeland of Germany when he was 12-years-old. He still remembers his first holiday abroad to Italy, fascinated by the language, food and drinks. It inspired him to look for jobs with exposure to different cultures; his first role after university was a global IT project, bringing new processes to other countries.  However, Markus still has one regret. His start-up company, selling radio-controlled toys on the internet in the early 2000s, could have been “pretty successful”, he believes. Every once in a while, he wonders why he gave it up for the prospect of working for a large multi-national. Paul ends the episode by asking about Markus' many professional accolades, such as Top 100 HR Influencers and Top 50 Leaders Reinventing the World. Markus claims these are reflections of the people he's learned from, but encourages other professionals to be bold and share their points of view online.  You can connect with Markus via his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-graf-profile/   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, use the timestamps below: 01:38: The last thing that made Markus smile03:38: Feeling grateful in life06:00: Why Markus went into HR08:51: The most important skill for leaders11:50: How HR will change through data17:17: Why flexibility is here to stay18:54: How Novartis attracts and retains its people22:24: Implementing flexible working28:31: What it feels like to be VP HR at Novartis32:28: Why you should work and live abroad37:02: Markus' 1 regret in his professional life40:53: Markus' many accolades45:55: Connecting with Markus   EMEA Recruitment is proud to work with Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. Find out how you can support this cause at: emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive. Learn about our professional services recruitment, including HR, through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    To suggest topics for future episodes of the podcast, please reach out to Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #markusgraf #paultoms #operationsmile #hr #humanresources  

Thank you to Lou Corapi, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Gulf Cryo based in Dubai, for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast.  “I love that it's not simple, that the challenges are changing – it keeps me very engaged.” Lou spoke to Paul Toms from his “second home” in Barcelona, where he met his wife and where their first daughter was born while he was on an assignment with GE. When he's away from his friends and family, Lou likes to stay connected through technology, such as playing virtual games of Scrabble against his dad. In fact, staying connected was his New Year's resolution this year; having lived and worked across Asia, Europe and the USA, Lou has always found it a challenge. The pandemic, however, made him appreciate quick calls and messages – he had assumed that everyone was simply too busy in the past. Experiencing different cultures and working with different people in his career has taught Lou that there is not really one best way to get something done. He's learned how to be empathetic and be more patient, expressing himself more clearly to colleagues. Lou tells Paul how he got into Finance in the first place; it was more a process of elimination than a true passion for the discipline. Nevertheless, thanks to his strong beginnings at GE, Lou feels “pretty lucky” to have ended up in Finance. Lou spent over 12 years at GE, starting on its “gold standard” rotation programme straight out of university. It was a challenge, but Lou felt that he was making a difference. He was also exposed to different areas of the business, as well as senior leaders, which helped him when he moved to Xylem in 2010. Joining such a big company, Lou enjoyed the fact that there was always something going well, always something inspirational happening, but also that there were always challenges. He's also proud of Xylem's mission to make the world a better place, through bringing safe water to people. With the rise of data and artificial intelligence in the Finance discipline, Lou has advice for anyone early in their career. He is adamant that Finance should be seen for more than just hard skills and that employees should be clear about what would make a difference to them in their work lives. Regarding his own career journey, Lou likes to stay open-minded. He explains that he'd never have picked the path he's been on, so he won't try to guess what the future will look like.   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, you can use the timestamps below: 01:55: The last thing that made Lou smile03:46: The importance of staying connected05:54: What Lou has learned from working around the world08:09: Staying open to new opportunities10:14: How Lou “ended up” in Finance16:12: Starting his career at GE21:35: Does Lou feel like he's made it in his career?24:44: How the Finance function has evolved28:42: Advice for young Finance professionals32:18: Focusing on the soft skills36:41: Developing a culture that people thrive in39:07: Lou's future career path41:37: How to connect with Lou If you'd like to contact Lou, you can connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loucorapi/   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is brought to you in partnership with Operation Smile. We're proud to raise awareness and funds for Operation Smile to continue its work providing free surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. To find out more, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode was hosted by Paul Toms, Founder of EMEA Recruitment, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive. Read about our specialist professional services recruitment, including Finance & Accountancy, through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    To share your thoughts about the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #loucorapi #paultoms #operationsmile #finance

We were pleased to welcome Markus Studhalter, the Chief Audit Executive at Barry Callebaut, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “If you work with great people and have a job that you love, and privately things are in order, that helps to remain calm.” Markus explains to Paul Toms how he learned the importance of maintaining relationships, particularly with family members, during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Markus is entering his 24th year with Barry Callebaut, a company that has given him “different opportunities” over the years to get to know the business from multiple angles. He feels that his current role in Internal Audit would be much more difficult had he not held various positions previously.  Although he admits that the company isn't always perfectly organised, he has built friendships over the years that help him in these difficult moments and enable him to help others integrate when they join the business. In Audit, Markus feels that he can look much broader at the business than his prior Finance roles. With this new perspective, Markus finds himself speaking to board members one minute and someone on the shop floor the next. Despite data analytics automating many traditional processes, Markus still believes that the ability to convey messages to the business is more important than ever.  Although Markus himself has a very calm and consultative style, he looks for diversity in his team. When working with internal HR or recruitment partners, Markus is happy to be challenged with a range of candidates, who he tries to get to know on a personal level during the hiring process. We find out whether Markus has any hidden talents and one of his personal passions, as well as the “tonnes” of podcasts he's been listening to recently. One of his favourites is How I Built This on NPR, which is hosted by Guy Raz and explores the successes and failures that founders go through when setting up their businesses.   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01:18: The last thing that made Markus smile02:44: Prioritising relationships due to COVID04:29: The advantages of staying with a company06:35: What has kept Markus at Barry Callebaut?08:26: His new role in Audit10:15: Moving from Finance to Audit 15:34: The impact of BI & data on Finance17:40: Why softer skills are more important now19:18: Having a mix of personalities within a team21:40: Investing time in the recruitment process23:54: Standing out as a job seeker27:01: What Markus does outside of work28:09: The podcasts that Markus enjoys31:22: Dreams for the future33:29: How to reach out to Markus   Markus is on LinkedIn for those who wish to connect with him.    We're proud to support Operation Smile, the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. Operation Smile provides free surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. Find out more about their mission at emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive. Learn more about our professional services recruitment through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ Or you can find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ You can connect with Paul through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ And follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   To provide feedback on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please email Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #markusstudhalter #paultoms #operationsmile #finance  

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we were pleased to speak to Tal Volok, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Evalueserve in Switzerland.  “The things that you did really well that made you a great Financial Analyst are not going to make you a great manager.” Tal explains to Paul Toms how he's taken many positives from the COVID-19 pandemic – one being his role with Evalueserve. When the world went into lockdown in 2020, Tal was working for SITA, an IT provider for the air transport industry, and had never worked a day from home in his career. Although he enjoyed spending more time with his children, the business was in crisis mode, so Tal found himself working at all hours. Evalueserve, on the other hand, is headquartered in Switzerland, but runs as a virtual company; it's something Tal couldn't imagine before COVID.  A lesson that Tal has learned in the last few years is to take time to think, which he believes can add a lot of value and bring new thoughts to the company. He has also made time for networking through EMEA Recruitment's events.  Despite spending the longest time he's ever had in one role at SITA, Tal came to a point where he needed new challenges. His foundations in General Electric's rotational programme have forced him to always “disrupt” himself. Tal feels that growth comes from uncomfortable situations, especially as you move to more senior roles.  Tal's attitude towards stepping out of your comfort zone came from his mentors, who helped him learn how to energise himself and move onto the next challenge. He takes the same approach to business; a company cannot go on for 20 years using the same model if it wants to progress.  We explore how business intelligence (BI) and data is affecting the Finance function. Although Tal believes that people still need to make their own decisions, he does see the benefit of “failing fast” and moving on from a bad idea more quickly.  We also find out Tal's key advice for hiring the right personality and skillset into your team – he has a useful exercise for anyone looking to build a strong team.  Finally, Tal reveals his plans for the next five years (at least) of his career.   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, use the timestamps below: 01:26: Taking the positives from the pandemic04:42: Opening up to new opportunities06:02: Spending more time with his kids06:36: Prioritising thinking time09:31: The last thing that made Tal smile11:46: Starting a new position during COVID19:56: Where Tal's growth attitude comes from24:17: Tal's education at GE27:49: The impact of BI & Data on Finance33:02: The lesson Tal learned when hiring people38:54: Tal's greatest mentors42:16: The next 5 years of Tal's career45:09: How to reach Tal If you'd like to connect with Tal, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tvolok/   We support Operation Smile through the EMEA Recruitment podcast, by raising vital funds and awareness. If you're interested in ways you can help, you can find out more through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive. Find out about our unique approach to recruitment, including Finance & Accountancy roles, on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ We also post regular updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ Or you can connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ And follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes of the podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #talvolok #paultoms #operationsmile #finance  

We were proud to welcome Angela White, aka The Running Granny, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “If this body can do that, what else can it do?” Angela joined Paul Toms, our Founder, at the end of January, a time when people typically set their goals and targets for the coming year. Angela's prime target for 2022 is to “get strong again”. Due to recent COVID-19 restrictions, she didn't get out into the hills for training as much as she'd like to recently.  After running the 875 miles from John O'Groats to Land's End, Angela took some time out to recover, but she's hoping to complete one or two challenges this year; having run from the east to west coast of the UK previously, she'd now like to see how quickly she can run it. We explore the difficulties that led to Angela feeling overworked, unfit and unhappy in her late 40s. She started by taking small steps, initially going for a 10-15-minute walk each evening. Although she felt guilty for taking this time to herself and found herself short of breath, Angela pushed through and started to feel better, lose weight and make social connections.  Angela references the “20 ways to kill an idea”, which we can all have when stepping out of our comfort zone. After seeing an advert for a mature lady's running group, Angela took three weeks to make the call, but she found “the most inspirational lady” when she did. Angela met Sandra, who was 67 at the time and had only started running when she was 62. Through their friendship, Angela discovered her passion for long-distance running.  Angela has advice for anyone wanting to make changes to their life; set goals that are achievable within your daily routine and do something that you like doing. Walking not only helped with Angela's physical fitness, but also gave her time to speak to people she'd lost touch with and put things into perspective. Although she was out of the house and away for her children for 30 minutes, Angela felt she was a better person when she got home. But how do build up to becoming a Guinness World Record holder, running 875 miles at the age of 60? Angela developed a love for the mountains, meeting people along the way who supported her in entering a number of events. She found a 50-mile challenge in 2014 difficult, so ran it again the following year.  But it was a personal reason, yet again, that opened up “all sorts of ideas” for Angela. In June 2015, her first grandchild was born. Angela's husband, however, had died of a brain tumour in 2007 and would never meet his granddaughter. She ran a 190-mile, coast-to-coast route to raise money for a brain tumour charity. Approaching her 60th birthday put age into perspective for Angela. Having worked as a medic in the UK's NHS, Angela was aware of how miserable life can be with ill-health. As a trustee with Age UK and chair of a health and wellbeing forum, Angela is committed to raising awareness of healthy ageing, acknowledging that many long-term health problems are largely preventable.  Angela explains how meticulously she planned for her John O'Groats to Land's End challenge, which ensured she had the answers to deal with unexpected injuries and weather conditions. She learned the depth of human resilience through the pain she experienced, as well as how she overcame it.  Nevertheless, Angela believes her team worked harder than she did. She also didn't want to let down the hundreds of people who came out to support her along the route.   Two years later, when she was 62, Angela took part in a 62-peak challenge in the Lake District. Although the goal is to complete the Steve Parr Round (61 peaks over 2,500 feet) in 48 hours, Angela wanted to raise awareness that you're never too old to “get these things done”. A small film was made about the experience, which you can watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvS3HqwnXhw We look at the steps companies can take to improve their approach to age in the workplace. Angela feels that employees must invest as effectively in their mental and physical health as they do in their financial pensions. Employers also have a huge role to play; between 2018-2037, there will be a 16% increase in the number of people working age people need to support. Organisations must therefore design, develop and deliver employee health assistance programmes to embrace inclusion of all workers for the future, she says. Older professionals can sometimes face difficulties when searching for new jobs, being told that they won't fit into the culture of the team. Angela herself proves why you should never judge a book by its cover, explaining that the ultra-running world is a hugely diverse and inclusive community. As such an inspirational person, it's unsurprising that Angela has a few favourite motivational quotes up her sleeve – we end the episode by finding out her favourites.   The timestamps below will help you find the most interesting part of the episode for you: 01:30: The last thing that made Angela smile02:58: Angela's goals for 202204:42: The events that changed Angela's attitude to fitness10:46: How Angela stuck to her new habits18:15: Becoming an ultra-runner25:35: What Angela learned about herself running 875 miles30:26: How people keep Angela motivated33:09: Completing 62 peaks at 6237:03: How companies can improve their approach to ageing44:10: The diversity in the ultra-running community51:57: Angela's favourite motivational quotes54:50: How to reach out to Angela You can follow Angela on Facebook and Instagram, or visit her website therunninggranny.co.uk    As always, the EMEA Recruitment podcast is brought to you in partnership with Operation Smile. We're hoping to raise enough money to create 100 new smiles – please support us by donating: emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode is hosted by Paul Toms, Founder of EMEA Recruitment, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive. Find out more about our professional services recruitment through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  To contact Paul, connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or you can follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Do you have any suggestions for the EMEA Recruitment podcast? Please send them to Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #angelawhite #therunninggranny #paultoms #operationsmile  

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we speak to David Burkus, bestselling author and keynote speaker on how teams can do their best work. “It's what you do, at a senior level, to help individual team leaders have a positive culture – that's what's going to matter much more.” David tells Paul Toms about the stress experienced at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as his wife is an ER doctor. Although he was “really freaked out at first”, he feels his family has been a lot luckier than most people during this period. Spending more time with his two sons at the start of the pandemic was an “incredible blessing”, which highlighted to David how people used to squeeze family time in around a nine-to-five job. He also realised by summer 2020 that businesses would not be going back to the office the way they did pre-pandemic.  For David, working from home was not new; he'd worked mostly remote since 2016. However, he'd never worked from home with his two children around. He introduced new boundaries that enabled him to be completely focussed on work when he needed to work, and completely focussed on his children when he was with them. David discusses the difference between balancers and integrators, and how integrators were much more prepared for disruptions caused by the pandemic than balancers, who had previously escaped to the office to focus. During the pandemic – in just eight weeks – David wrote Leading from Anywhere, which explores working remotely on a team level. He saw that many leaders had become remote managers without asking for it. He is concerned that most leaders still don't grasp the flexible/from anywhere way of working. However, he is clear that managers should work with their teams to come up with a system that works best for them.  We find out two key activities that leaders can introduce to come together and create bonds within their teams, which David believes is still possible in a virtual world.  For David, he's back to working on the project that he was researching before the pandemic, but now with a renewed focus.  We end the episode by finding out the key people David has around him, which he calls his “board of advisors”, including some of our previous podcast guests, Daniel Pink, Roger Martin and Whitney Johnson. He also has a charming, yet unusual, answer for his favourite motivational quote.   If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, use the timestamps below: 01:33: How David dealt with COVID-1904:47: Spending more time with the people you love07:24: Setting boundaries when WFH10:03: The difference between balancers and integrators13:24: The last thing that made David smile16:05: Writing a book in 8 weeks25:20: Retaining top talent in a hybrid world32:30: Frank Van Massenhove's approach34:22: 2 key activities leaders can do to bond teams42:29: What's in the pipeline for David?48:47: The people on David's board of advisors53:00: David's favourite motivational quote56:19: How to reach out to David You can find out more about David and his work at DavidBurkus.com    We're proud to support international medical charity Operation Smile through the EMEA Recruitment podcast. Please help us raise vital funds and awareness for this cause at emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive.  Find out more about our range of professional services recruitment on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with us via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If you have any topics you'd like us to discuss on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com     #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #davidburkus #paultoms #leadingfromanywhere #operationsmile  

We were pleased to welcome Ian Wells, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Hoya Vision Care in the Netherlands, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “I don't come to work for a paycheque; I come to work because I want to build something.” We start the episode on a positive note, with Ian revealing the silver linings of working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He tells Paul Toms about the joys of his two young children coming into his home office during the work day.  A skill that Ian has learned during this period is how to delegate; he tries to focus on the activities that allow him to bring the most value to the organisation, leaving others in his team to do the work that they're best at.  As the CFO of Hoya Vision Care, Ian is “fortunate” and “blessed” to be able to spend quality time with the CEO on a daily basis and drive forward the organisation in the way he thinks is best. His team – the largest he's ever managed – also supports with the direction the business is moving in, although Ian admits that his skillset has changed from the day-to-day activities to ensuring all the pieces fit together.  He joined Hoya Vision Care in April 2020, when the world had just stopped. Making sure that the business was able to supply for its customers and remain financially sound has ensured that the company has come out stronger on the other side. Ian has even managed to build a Finance organisation that fits into what he wants to achieve with the business in just 21 months.  We often find that successful people don't choose their career; they tend to have taken risks or opportunities, or landed a position by coincidence. Ian, on the other hand, has had a five-year plan since his third year of university, when he realised he was probably doing the wrong degree (Economics) and wanted to become a Chartered Accountant. But the end goal was always CFO. Even now, as he sees his vision become a reality, he has a five-year plan for the future – it's his one piece of advice for anyone embarking on their career. Ian is sure that he never wants to do the same job for five years or more and that he needs to achieve something in his role. His approach to building a legacy is a sure-fire way to ensure that the “good stuff” will come to you, he believes.  Ian applies this to recruitment. When hiring someone new into the team, he's already thinking about their growth opportunities. Personality fit, however, is as important to him as experience and ability.  We explore the changing skillset required in Finance, as business intelligence and data become even more vital. Bringing in support in this area has helped him develop, which he hopes will future-proof Hoya Vision Care as a business.  It was managing during COVID that forced Ian to trust the team. He's always had a mental block when it comes to giving away work that he's capable of doing himself. Nevertheless, he's not been disappointed since he's started delegating. We find out the pieces of advice that Ian would give to anyone early in their Finance career, who also wants to become a CFO one day. He has three key steps to success. Finally, Ian reveals two of the key mentors who've given him great advice since his beginnings in the Big 4.   To find the most interesting part of the episode to you, please use the timestamps below: 01:19: The silver lining of the pandemic03:13: How to prioritise when WFH06:32: The blessing of being a CFO08:56: The challenges since joining Hoya Vision Care11:18: Why Ian's always had a 5-year plan16:59: Leaving a legacy19:14: Bringing BI & Data into the business21:33: Ian's key to successful recruitment25:20: Realising he needed to trust his team28:59: Selling the story of the organisation34:11: Advice for anyone wanting to become a CFO39:47: Ian's key mentors44:32: How to reach out to Ian If you'd like to get in touch with Ian, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.    We're a proud partner of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. If you'd like to find out how you can help us create 100 new smiles, please visit: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode was hosted by Paul Toms, Founder of EMEA Recruitment, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive.  You can find out how we help companies bring in top Finance & Accountancy talent through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  Stay up to date with us via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  To connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please let Rose know: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #ianwells #paultoms #finance #operationsmile

To celebrate International Women's Day 2022, we were honoured to welcome Clark Agno Gonzales onto the podcast. Clark is a medical volunteer with Operation Smile, the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “I've got this skill, I've got this talent, there's really nothing that's going to hold me from helping these kids.” Clark is a nurse with the NHS in the UK. She also volunteers as a recovery room nurse on Operation Smile's medical missions around the world. She explains to Paul Toms, our Founder, how many children she looks after on a typical mission and the countries that she's visited with the charity.  Originally from the Philippines, a case that particularly stands out to Clark was in her home country. A grandfather brought one of his grandchildren for surgery, but had a bilateral cleft lip himself. When the Operation Smile team offered to operate on him, they saw an immediate transformation, which was emotional for all involved. Clark and her fellow volunteers connect after the day's work over dinner to let their emotions out.  She was originally invited to join an Operation Smile medical mission by her university professor. Using her skills and talent, Clark sees an instant transformation in her patients.  There are up to 100 volunteers on a mission. Before the surgery day begins, they break into teams to plan, and even connect with each other before leaving for the mission. Local volunteers ensure that the Operation Smile team stays safe in each location.  Two years ago, Operation Smile organised a Women in Medicine short-term surgical programme, where 60% of volunteers were female. This teaching mission focused on empowering women to complete the surgeries on their own. Senior surgeons, nurses and dentists go along to share their knowledge with the younger generation, which aims to benefit patients and the health system in that country. Clark reveals the challenges she faces before and during a medical mission. She also explains how she manages to fit these missions into her life, amongst a day job and new baby. It's the “mission high” that brings joy and happiness to Clark, who even gives up her holiday time for Operation Smile.  We end the episode by finding out what Clark has learned about herself by visiting Operation Smile's mission sites.  If you'd like to get involved with Operation Smile, either through volunteering or fundraising, please visit their website: https://www.operationsmile.org/ You can also donate through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   Use the timestamps below to find the part of the episode that interests you the most: 01:02: Clark's new arrival01:23: Working and having a baby during COVID-1902:08: Clark's role at Operation Smile03:06: How many children Clark looks after on a mission03:54: The countries that Clark has visited04:30: The mission that stands out the most06:00: How the team lets their emotions out07:34: How Clark got involved with Operation Smile09:17: The team spirit amongst volunteers11:29: How Operation Smile keeps everyone safe15:53: The Women in Medicine surgical programme17:50: The challenges that Clark's faces20:11: How Clark manages her time23:35: What Clark has learned about herself25:10: How to get involved with Operation Smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. You can find out more about our specialist recruitment services through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  Keep up to date with everything we're doing on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  He's also active on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    To share any thoughts or ideas for future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #clarkagnogonzales #paultoms #internationalwomensday #IWD2022 #operationsmile

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we were honoured to welcome Francesca Gino, Harvard Business School Professor and bestselling author of Rebel Talent and Sidetracked.  “What I love is seeing what ideas can do when shared.” Francesca joined Paul Toms, our Founder, after spending quality time with her four children over the holidays. She tells a sweet story of building a snowman during a recent snowstorm in Boston, Massachusetts.  Francesca explains how her career has not been linear; she arrived at Harvard Business School by chance, after completing a PhD course in Italy. Despite feeling different to her peers, she never went back to Italy and has built her career in the USA. Her commitment to research and writing comes from finding joy in interacting with people. Francesca describes the moment of seeing a spark in someone's eyes as “priceless” – she enjoys helping people approach their work and life differently. Francesca hasn't travelled since February 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but has seen the benefits of moving towards a virtual world. Now, she feels that she has access to companies and leaders who would otherwise have been difficult to reach at scale; instead of speaking to 50 people in a room, she can now interact with 900 people on a virtual platform. We look at Francesca's two books, Rebel Talent and Sidetracked, and the difference in compiling her research. While Sidetracked helped leaders understand when and why their decisions get derailed, Rebel Talent explores how “constructive rebels” bring about positive change in organisations. Francesca doesn't believe that you need to be born a rebel to adopt those behaviours; she even launched a rebel test on her website when the book was launched to tell users what type of rebel they are and how to embrace those ideas.  Paul notes that Francesca discusses the art of listening on her LinkedIn profile as a trait that is not so common in today's world. She offers two practices that can help prevent distraction – be sure to take these on board if this is something you struggle with! Francesca also discusses team exercises, used by companies such as Google and Pixar, that enable people's ideas to be heard and to foster a culture of listening. We find out who has been influential on Francesca's career, as well as the “eye-opening quote” that helps her stay curious. She also explains how she manages to disconnect from technology in her home and how having children has helped her let go of negative emotions.   If you're looking for a certain part of the episode, you can use the timestamps below: 01:28: Disconnecting with family over the holidays02:37: The last thing that made Francesca smile04:04: How Francesca landed at Harvard08:16: Priceless moments during the writing process09:54: Seeing the positives of a virtual world16:57: Francesca's 2 books20:32: Are people born rebels?24:17: The importance of listening26:10: Practices that prevent distraction28:54: Team exercises that enable ideas to grow31:18: Why mentors must challenge you38:03: Francesca's favourite motivational quote39:37: The rebel way of thinking41:12: Will we travel again?43:02: How to disconnect from tech45:58: How children help to set boundaries48:44: How to connect with Francesca   You can find Francesca on LinkedIn, contact her via email or visit her website.    EMEA Recruitment is a proud supporter of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. To find out more about the work they do, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks.  We can support you with your professional services hiring needs – please visit our website for our full range of recruitment solutions: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ To connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Alternatively, follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If you'd like to share topics for future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #franscescagino #paultoms #operationsmile

We were delighted to welcome Denis Ranke, CFO/COO at Xovis, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast. “I believe in the potential that everyone has, then I try to find the trigger points to get the team to their best potential.” Speaking to Paul Toms, our Founder, after almost two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Denis explains the routine he's put in place to ensure a healthy mindset during working from home. These new habits have also enabled him to balance his work and family life. Denis actually started his new role during the pandemic, meeting the business face-to-face just once during the process. Now that he's been in the role a few months, he feels like he's landed in something he always wanted to do. Denis isn't an educated Finance professional; his first degree was in Engineering. Ending up in Finance was a “coincidence”, but served his desire to be closer to decision-making in the business. Leveraging data to analyse business situations and find improvements is where he finds commonalities with Engineering.  Denis' aim in his role is to get the financial basics under control as quickly as possible, so that he can get the value out of the Finance and Operations functions that go beyond Finance-driven activities. In fact, he spends 50% of his time on the basics of Finance and 50% on driving other areas. As a tech scale-up, Xovis is a “whole different world” from Denis' time at eBay, where he spent five years of his career. Each stage of his path so far has equipped him with certain skills and experiences that have built upon each other.  Looking at the impact of data on Finance, Denis argues that business intelligence shouldn't simply be a “collection of metrics”, but professionals should think outside the box of Finance to add value. Nevertheless, Denis is still committed to coaching his team, getting them out of their comfort zone and pushing them to reach their full potential. He also finds it important to help the team understand their part in the wider business. When finding the right people to join his team, Denis looks ahead for a candidate who can take the next step and go beyond the original job description. He enjoys the process of expanding the team with new talent and working with specialist recruiters that can bring insights to his business. We end the episode by finding out what Denis' goals are for the next three to five years.   Use the timestamps below to find a particular part of the episode that interests you the most: 01:26: Finding a healthy routine during the pandemic03:25: The last thing that made Denis smile04:48: How to balance work and family06:16: Changing roles remotely09:21: Being closer to decision-making16:01: Breaking away from the basics18:04: Working in different company cultures22:13: What pushed Denis into Finance23:44: Driving value with data25:50: Denis' management style28:14: Understanding the bigger picture31:30: The recruitment journey34:23: Expanding the team with new talent36:41: Gaining valuable insights from recruiters38:52: Denis' long-term goals40:18: How to reach out to Denis If you'd like to connect with Denis, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisranke/   EMEA Recruitment is a proud partner of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides children and adults with life-changing surgery. You can find out more about how we support this cause on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive. Full details about our specialist recruitment services are available through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    To share your thoughts on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please email Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com  #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #denisranke #paultoms #finance #operationsmile  

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we were proud to welcome Tim Mezheritsky, the Senior HR Director – Global Supply Chain and Europe Operations at BD in Switzerland.  “If you talk about one thing, but then people see different behaviours from the leaders – no matter what they say – it's not going to help you drive that culture.” The episode starts on a light-hearted note, after Paul asks Tim what the last thing to make him smile was. Tim cheerfully recalls a recent business trip, which should have found him at a team meeting in Ireland, but instead saw him spend half-a-day in Swindon, before having to quarantine in Switzerland for ten days – it's safe to say that he won't be travelling again anytime soon! Although Tim misses interpersonal interaction with his team, he found ways to bring human connection to video calls. Virtual coffee breaks are one of the ways he has managed to bond and motivate the team during a difficult period. Building a strong corporate culture is very important to Tim. However, he is insistent that a vision will only be successful if leadership walks the talk. He believes that Human Resources has a critical role to play in transitioning to a more open and inclusive culture – with client groups, Tim has designed an intervention and taken them on a journey, sometimes lasting six months. Despite his focus on human connection, Tim claims that progress can only be achieved if you are able to measure it with good data. It is also critical in making reliable decisions in the business. Nevertheless, he warns that organisations must find the right balance between managing by data and creating a sense of belonging. We explore Tim's journey into HR, from his Economics studies, to a career in Finance, then to Sales and Marketing, before “pure coincidence” brought him to the HR profession. He explains why trust is a key element to the discipline, which has enabled him to get a seat at the table. Tim also finds it important to show leaders that you put your heart into what you do. Despite his successes, Tim says there is “no silver bullet”, but he always uses common sense to relate to what an organisation is trying to achieve.  Paul and Tim discuss the recruitment process and how it has changed during the pandemic. From his point of view, it is a way to expand his network, sell the company and create a positive candidate experience.  We end the episode with the advice that Tim would give his 18-year-old self – they're words of wisdom for anyone embarking on a career in any discipline.   Use the timestamps below to find a specific part of the episode: 01:20: Why Tim won't be travelling anytime soon04:22: How Tim motivates the team virtually08:17: Can organised fun ever be fun?10:21: Why leadership must walk the talk15:40: Using data to progress18:20: Finding the balance between data and culture21:35: How Tim got into HR31:34: Does Tim have a recipe for success?35:35: What Tim misses about the recruitment process39:34: Why you must invest time in interviews44:05: The advice Tim would give his 18-year-old self47:21: How to connect with Tim You can find Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timofeimezheritsky/   We are proud supporters of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. Please help us achieve our goal of creating 100 new smiles by donating: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile    The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive. Find out more about how we can support you with recruitment: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Alternatively, follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    Are there topics you'd like us to discuss in future episodes? Please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com   #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #timmezheritsky #paultoms #hr #humanresources #finance #operationsmile

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we were proud to be joined by Ron Veldhuizen, the Corporate Director Capex & Project Management at FrieslandCampina. “I have two ears, I only have one mouth, so I try to listen more than I speak.”  As the COVID-19 topic is difficult to avoid, our Founder, Paul Toms, kicks off the episode by asking Ron about the positives he's taken away from the situation. As well as escaping three-hours' traffic per day by working from home, Ron has also enjoyed the experience of connecting with colleagues in multiple countries using the same medium.  There are, of course, challenges that have come with working from home. It was difficult for Ron to separate his work and private life to begin with, but he has now put steps in place, such as going for a lunchtime walk, to manage the change. Ron has worked for FrieslandCampina, or the wider group or different divisions, for 26 years, but he only started his current role in 2019. It's been a challenging two years, but the successes he's achieved with the team keep him going. In fact, Ron's had the “privilege” of taking on new challenges, fulfilling his ambitions and doing things that energise him the most at FrieslandCampina; although this may be his last role with the company, as he plans to retire in around six years' time. An ambition to work in Finance started during Ron's studies at high school and university, and were influenced by his father. He spent the first 12 years of his career working in traditional Finance roles, until he was given control of worldwide Finance operations and discovered a new boost of energy.  However, it's working with different people and cultures that Ron finds the most rewarding. His management style, therefore, focuses on collaboration and listening; he believes in taking more of a coaching role than a directive one and his team is always given credit for their successes. Listening skills are something that Ron looks out for when hiring new people into his team. During the recruitment process, Ron looks beyond someone's CV to get a good understanding of their personality and drive.  Although he agrees that the profile of the Finance professional is changing due to business intelligence and data, Ron himself was involved in creating the first RC Accounting programme in the Netherlands.  Paul and Ron have known each other for a long while, but there are certain personal questions that Paul hasn't asked until now. Ron reveals why travelling is such an important part of his life, which part of the world he feels most at home in, and the one destination on his bucketlist (that unfortunately his wife won't join him in!). Ron also explains how he manages to switch off and enjoy time with his family when he's away, as well as the three apps that he couldn't live without.  We end the episode by finding out the last thing that made Ron smile – it's a heart-warming response!    If you're looking for a certain part of the episode, you can use the timestamps below: 01:00: Taking the positives from the pandemic situation02:30: The challenges of working from home04:18: Starting his new role06:07: The benefits of staying with 1 business07:54: Where Ron's Finance ambition came from09:56: Ron's most rewarding role11:06: A collaborative management style15:42: What to look for during the recruitment process18:21: The impact of BI & Data on Finance profiles21:23: Setting up the RC qualification in the Netherlands22:50: What Ron enjoys doing outside of work24:29: The country Ron feels most at home in26:04: Ron's bucketlist destination26:56: How to switch off outside of work28:03: The 3 apps Ron couldn't live without30:39: The last thing that made Ron smile34:02: How to contact Ron If you'd like to contact Ron, drop him a message on LinkedIn.    EMEA Recruitment is proud to bring you the podcast in partnership with international medical charity Operation Smile. We are committed to creating 100 new smiles through this partnership. If you would like to help us achieve this goal, please donate: emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive. Our full range of professional services recruitment solutions can be found on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ Please also keep up to date with our activities via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ You can connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes of the podcast, please reach out to Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com  #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #ronvelhuizen #paultoms #finance #operationsmile  

EMEA Recruitment was pleased to welcome Marco Aspesi, the SVP Global Head of Internal Audit, Risk & Internal Control at Hitachi Energy, to the podcast. “Make sure you work when you need to work, but you rest when it's time to rest, because it doesn't work otherwise.” Marco spoke to Paul Toms following a challenging period during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite finding it difficult to welcome newcomers into his team remotely, Marco enjoys nurturing young talent and watching them give everything they have to their role. It has even encouraged him to reflect on the early stages of his own career. Taking the time to think is “critical” for Marco, who carves out time a couple of afternoons in the week to dedicate himself to thinking and learning. He's had to teach himself to prioritise, empower and trust his team, and communicate effectively to get to this point. Hitachi Energy's departure from ABB last year was demanding, but Marco insists we must all find time to rest. We delve into Marco's career successes, from his background in the Big 4, Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) qualification and his current role as Head of Internal Audit. He has always been driven by his curiosity to learn and enrich his skills; he believes that opportunities come naturally when you have the right attitude.  Looking back at the start of his career, Marco explains the difference in finding a job in Italy in the 1990s compared to today. He sent “hundreds” of hand-written letters to employers, which landed him an interview at IBM. It was here that he discovered a passion for Finance, before he decided to move onto the client relationship side of the role at Ernst & Young. Nowadays, Marco feels it's easier to understand the environment that you want to work in and make a conscious decision. With so much information available to the younger generation, Marco offers advice on choosing a career path; it's an important point for all professionals to consider. Marco also has some insights on finding the best people for your team as a manager. Although he jokes that using the right recruiter (EMEA Recruitment) is essential, he believes that focussing on the personality of a prospective employee is the recipe for success. Of course, it's not just recruiting new talent that can be a challenge; you also have to retain them. Marco has learned some important lessons during his career, which has created an environment that his team can express themselves in. It all comes back to his focus on personal growth. We find out which three skills Marco feels will be most important for the Finance function as business intelligence and data continue to affect processes within his team. Again, his commitment to strong communication and interpersonal skills is clear. Paul ends the episode by finding out if Marco has any hidden talents – it's an amusing answer!   To find a particular part of the episode that interests you, please use the timestamps below: 01:56: What makes Marco smile03:43: The lessons Marco has learned during the pandemic06:44: How Marco finds time to think09:53: The key to success15:23: How Marco's career began20:43: Where does Marco's work ethic come from?23:36: Steps to finding the best talent28:01: How to retain great people31:41: Tips for communicating through a screen34:40: The skills that Finance of the future will need40:29: The importance of communication43:45: Marco's hidden talents46:46: How to reach out to Marco  If you'd like to connect with Marco, the best place to find him is on LinkedIn.   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is produced in partnership with Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. If you'd like to find out more, please visit emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode was hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive. More information about our specialist recruitment services, including in the Finance & Accountancy discipline, is available on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  You can also keep up to date with all that's going on at EMEA Recruitment on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  Alternatively, his is active on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    To share any questions you have for guests on the podcast, please contact Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com  #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #marcoaspesi #paultoms #operationsmile

For this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we welcomed Dominique Kull, the Co-Founder and CEO of SGProtein. “If you have a learning mindset throughout your whole company, you can thrive.” Although both Dominique and Paul Toms, our Founder, expected the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic to be over by the time of recording, Dominique has taken the best out of the situation of the past two years. Having not left his home of Singapore during this period, new ways of working have enabled him to spend more time with his two young daughters. Some might have considered the pandemic too challenging a period to set up a business, but Dominique has learned throughout his career to step into the unknown and look at things from the positive side. It's a mindset formed from a combination of factors, including bosses who have showed him the way and the way his family raised him. The idea for SGProtein came from discussions with two co-founders on the issue of manufacturing plant-based meat alternatives in the South East Asian market at a time when the sector was experiencing tremendous growth. Seeing the business evolve from zero to one has been “fulfilling”, but that's not to say that Dominique has not had his concerns. However, Dominique's biggest worry is that he will look back in life and wish he had stepped out of his comfort zone; it's the reason that he left his home country of Switzerland when he was 20.  Dominique shares his long-term plans for SGProtein, which he believes is essential to applying some pressure to actually follow through with your intentions; when he wanted to run a marathon, he told all of his friends, so that he would actually go ahead with it.  We also find out what Dominique has disliked about certain jobs he's had in the past and how he's making sure he builds a strong culture at SGProtein. Nevertheless, with his focus on integrity, Dominique has found recruitment challenging during the COVID-19 period.  He offers advice for the younger generation on putting yourself out there and networking in different ways – Dominique himself wasn't too confident about taking part in the podcast, but understood that he may have interesting conversations with listeners off the back of it. We discuss the importance of remaining human in the age of data, especially when hiring talent.  Dominique ends the episode by revealing the last thing that made him smile – it's a touching answer.   Use the timestamps below to help you find a particular part of the episode: 01:27: Taking the positives out of the pandemic03:31: Freeing your mind from worry05:07: Developing a positive mindset06:55: Creating SGProtein10:41: Why you should take the leap16:58: The importance of family19:07: Long-term plans for SGProtein21:51: How Dominique has learnt from past jobs24:30: Building a learning mindset into the business26:06: Finding the gold standard of recruitment28:45: Putting yourself out there32:21: How data is affecting the food industry37:14: The right combination of data and human38:58: The last thing that made Dominique smile41:24: How to reach out to him You can find Dominique on LinkedIn if you'd like to connect with him: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-kull/   Through our partnership with Operation Smile, we're committed to raising enough money to create 100 new smiles. Help us achieve this goal by donating at: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   This episode was hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive. Find out more about our specialist recruitment services through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/  We also post regular market updates and insights via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/  If you'd like to connect with Paul, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/  You can also follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms    If there are any questions you'd like us to include in future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com    #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #dominiquekull #sgprotein #paultoms #operationsmile  

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we were proud to welcome Daniel Pink, New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including the forthcoming The Power of Regret. “What we end up regretting is not taking the risk; our regrets about taking risks are relatively small.” With his new book coming out this year, Paul Toms, our Founder, asks Daniel how he got into writing in the first place. It was something that he discovered over many years, after writing as a hobby on the side of university, graduate school and his first jobs. During his 30s, Daniel realised that he shouldn't be writing on the side; it should be the centre of his life.  Although it's an act of thinking and learning for Daniel, writing is also “really hard”. In fact, his new book, The Power of Regret, isn't something he would have written in his 30s. Now, in his 50s, he explains that it felt “inevitable”. It's also a topic that people wanted to talk to him about. Unlike his previous books, which have been about “big ideas”, this one is about “big emotion”. When Daniel invited people to speak about their regrets, he found that they weren't hesitant at all; regret, it turns out, is one of human's most prevalent emotions.  As part of his research, Daniel set up the World Regret Survey, which collated over 16,000 regrets from people within 105 countries – people clearly want to talk about this subject and, Daniel believes, unburden themselves. If we understand our regrets, we can also become better people and lead a good life, he explains.  Paul finds out which regret was the most common – make sure to listen to the full episode below to find out.  We explore the regrets people have regarding relationships, not just between family and friends, but also with our co-workers. Daniel has found that what people really value are the basic things in life, which are also the elements of a strong and coherent corporate culture. Had he navigated his life differently, Daniel explains how he may have become a scientist himself. Now, though, he enjoys talking to them and building bridges between disciplines.  Despite his strong network, one of Daniel's own regrets is that he never fostered a mentorship relationship with anybody; he was too certain about everything in his younger years. Nevertheless, Daniel gives a truly inspired answer to Paul's question of who he would interview on his own podcast – what a line-up! Tune in towards the end of the episode to find out.   If you'd like to find a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below: 01:27: The last thing that made Daniel smile 03:07: How Daniel got into writing 05:06: Why writing is “really hard” 06:07: Why Daniel wrote The Power of Regret 07:41: How people opened up about regrets 11:10: The regret that stood out 16:24: Is Daniel a carefree person? 19:20: Why we should reach out 21:37: How companies can learn from regret 23:56: Choosing the field of science and human motivation 29:32: The politics of linguistics 33:45: Who will benefit from the book most? 36:56: Why Daniel never had a mentor 39:27: Daniel's dream podcast guests 41:23: How to reach out to Daniel If you'd like to find out more about Daniel and his work, visit his website: danpink.com   We're proud to support international medical charity Operation Smile through the EMEA Recruitment podcast. We're hoping to create 100 new smiles through this partnership – to help us achieve this target, please donate: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile   The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks. Visit our website for more information on our international recruitment services: https://www.emearecruitment.com/ You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/ To connect with Paul, visit his profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/ Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms   If you have any suggestions for the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: rose.jinks@emearecruitment.com  #emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #danielpink #thepowerofregret #nytimesbestsellers #paultoms #operationsmile