EMEA Recruitment Podcast

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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:...

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 smile 02:30: What it feels like to be CPO at Franke 05:20: Cyrille’s past roles 09:30: Where Cyrille’s passion for people development comes from 13:10: Why patience is important in the hiring & development process 20:20: How to source candidates effectively 25:30: Advice for people looking to move into Procurement 30:50: The impact of BI & data on Procurement 34:30: Time management, focus & prioritisation 37:50: 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:...

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 life 03:40: A Finance power couple 06:00: Edgar’s leadership style 12:50: Recruiting quality people 21:40: Effective management strategies 24:35: The defining moment in Edgar’s career 26:55: What it feels like to be a CFO 33:00: The importance of time management 38:00: The impact of BI & Data on Finance 42:30: Edgar’s Executive MBA 48:00: Edgar’s outlook on life 50:00: 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:...

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 smile 02:40: The evolution of Lizi’s job title 03:35:...

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 smile 01:30: Positives of the last 3 years 04:20: Hein’s proudest achievement 05:20: Advice for those wishing to start a business 08:00: The value CEO.works brings to organisations 12:20: The mistake leaders make repeatedly 18:25: How does Hein stayed focused personally? 22:00: Diversity & Inclusion pre-COVID & in the present day 26:40: Hein’s coming...

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 career 04:20: The opportunity of relocation 05:25: Current challenges in Procurement 07:30: How Marika started her Procurement career 08:55: Her current role at Philip Morris 10:45: Marika’s passion for Procurement 14:50: Advice for those considering a career in Procurement 19:05: Why Procurement is a good career choice for women 21:00: The people who inspire Marika 22:15: 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:...

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 smile 02:40: Syngenta’s business culture 06:15: Sustainability at Syngenta 08:10: Relocating for career opportunities 12:00: How Tiago and Michel started their careers 17:00: What it feels like to be Head of Formulation 21:50: An efficient & effective recruitment process 26:50: 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...

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 smile 02:56: Keeping the team’s spirits high during COVID 04:05: Being Country Manager CH at CCH Tagetik 06:55: The key benefits of CCH Tagetik’s software 14:31: Creating an efficient & effective recruitment process 19:25: Retaining top talent 21:04: Finding the missing piece of the puzzle 22:52: How BI & data assists Finance 25:13: Being ACCA’s Switzerland ambassador 30:52: The highlight of Jérôme’s career 32:28: Advice to people following in Jérôme’s footsteps 33:51: How Jérôme spends his downtime 35:05: 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 iDeals 08:30: How iDeals attracts & retains people 12:00: Hiring people remotely 19:40: Creating an efficient & effective recruitment process 25:00: How BI & data is used in the recruitment process 27:30: BI, data & remote working 31:00: How 3 continents have shaped Nina 39:25: Is Switzerland home for Nina? 40:20: Making the...

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 smile 05:20: Going on an Operation Smile medical mission 07:10: 11 years with Operation Smile 09:35: Mairead’s current role as Executive Director 11:40: 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 work 23:30: Advice for anyone who would like to follow Mairead’s career footsteps 26:00: 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...