EMEA Recruitment Podcast

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: [email protected]

#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: [email protected]

#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: [email protected]

#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:

1. Understanding your mental and financial burnout
2. Plan – but don't over plan
3. 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: [email protected]

#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: [email protected]

#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: [email protected]

#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: [email protected]

#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: [email protected]

#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: [email protected]

#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: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #alanpanter #paultoms #operationsmile #finance #recruitment