EMEA Recruitment Podcast

The EMEA Recruitment podcast was proud to welcome Bas Walraven, the Director Accounting, Risk and Compliance at bol.com.

"If you want to get somewhere, it takes time, it takes effort, and in the end, when you reach the finish line, it's really rewarding."

Bas explains to Paul Toms why he now favours the hybrid working model and how he feels it helps his team.

Looking back at the beginning of his career, Bas recalls moving to Australia with PwC with his then-girlfriend (now wife). Although it was a "tough and intense" experience, the benefits of pushing himself out of his comfort zone outweighed the challenges.

With the role of Finance changing dramatically over the past 20 years, Bas looks at the expertise he needs to add to his team; they're not skillsets that were really on the radar a decade ago.

Obtaining his RA qualification, however, was a "true investment" in Bas' career, which he believes has built a solid foundation for him as a Finance professional. However, he made a purposeful decision to move into transaction services, as it's "more exciting to look forward".

At Booking.com, Bas learned how to scale a Finance Operations department. He had a clear vision on how people, process and technology can link together. It was that insight that brought him to bol.com, where vision was needed.

In his current role at bol.com, Bas enjoys a broad scope of responsibilities in a dynamic environment. Although he has a clear focus on his goals, Bas understands that he needs a great team to deliver on these aims. After building teams for around eight years, Bas offers his one piece of critical advice on hiring the best talent.

Nevertheless, he has experienced the pitfalls of making the wrong hire. He focuses on creating an environment and team that top talent can be successful in, so that candidates really want to work with the department.

We explore the skillsets that are needed to complement more traditional Accountancy roles and how Bas stays up to date with best practices in the industry.

If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below:

00:57: The last thing that made Bas smile01:45: Why Bas prefers hybrid working03:19: Moving to Australia with PwC (and his girlfriend)06:13: The changing role of Finance07:45: Why Bas chose Finance08:54: Achieving his RA qualification12:44: Why Bas' current role is "awesome"16:35: Choosing a role that looks forward19:09: Recruiting top talent21:10: How to prevent a wrong hire23:33: The skillsets moving into Finance26:50: Staying up to date on best practice29:50: Bas' goal for the next 12 months32:34: Bas' biggest surprise over the last few months35:16: How to reach out to Bas

You can find Bas on LinkedIn if you'd like to message him.

EMEA Recruitment supports international medical charity Operation Smile through the podcast. We're hoping to create 100 new smiles through our partnership. Please give the gift of a smile by donating to this cause: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive.

All our specialist recruitment services can be found on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/

We also regularly share market updates through 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

If there are topics you'd like us to cover in the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #baswalraven #accounting #paultoms #operationsmile

We were honoured to welcome Tiffani Bova, Global Growth and Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.

"Make time each day to be a student in the profession you're in."

Tiffani spoke to Paul Toms, our Founder, from Los Angeles, California, although it was a recent trip to her home state of Hawaii that was the last place to really make her smile. Usually travelling 600,000km every year, Tiffani hasn't been on a plane for work purposes since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Tiffani started selling technology in 1995, before working for various start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. In 2006, she landed at Gartner Group, where she honed her "superpower of being able to look at disparate data points and find commonality". Subsequently, Salesforce created Tiffani's current role for her, enabling her to balance her work as a practitioner and academic.

Tiffani credits her drive with playing sports competitively for almost 20 years. She believes that all children should grow up with a sense of structure that requires learning, teamwork and competition.

Paul also finds out which topic Tiffani feels she didn't delve into deep enough in her Wall Street Journal bestselling book, Growth IQ. Her primary research around the connection between employee satisfaction and engagement with customer experience is forming the foundation for her second book.

It was her busy lifestyle navigating between airport lounges and hotel lobbies that gave Tiffani the opportunity to build thousands of conversations that created the framework for her book, but also the chance for some thinking time while sat on a plane. In fact, it's one of the main reasons she's so excited to get back on the road.

Travelling so frequently didn't give Tiffani much opportunity for downtime, but the last 18 months have taught her how to really unplug. She reveals the initiatives that Salesforce has implemented to take care of employee mental health and wellbeing. Tiffani believes that people have reassessed their lives during the pandemic, meaning that people just joining the workforce have a different perspective of what their future of work will look like.

When Tiffani started selling technology in the 1990s, she was often the only woman in the room. Now, there are inspiring and influential female CEOs who are paving the way for gender equality in business. Some, such as Ariana Huffington, have even endorsed Tiffani's book – all thanks to a chance meeting in a restaurant!

Tiffani has her own successful podcast, What's Next!, in which she explores growth and innovation in Sales. Paul flips the questions she asks her guests back on her, before finding out who her dream podcast guests would be.

We end the episode by finding out what Tiffani's motto in life is and how to give her feedback on her ideas!

If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, use the timestamps below:

01:44: What Tiffani has learned about herself during COVID03:29: The last thing that made Tiffani smile04:28: How Tiffani's journey in Sales started06:52: Where Tiffani's drive came from08:51: Which sports Tiffani played10:40: The path to growth Tiffani missed out of her book12:29: Finding the time to write a book17:11: How Tiffani relaxes19:09: How employee perspectives have changed21:27: Where is the world on Diversity & Inclusion?26:19: Asking Tiffani her own podcast questions29:05: The importance of customer service30:54: Finding her tribe36:43: Tiffani's dream podcast guests38:46: Tiffani's favourite motivational quote39:59: How to reach out to Tiffani

You can follow Tiffani on both LinkedIn and Twitter.

We're proud to support Operation Smile, an international medical charity, through the EMEA Recruitment podcast. If you'd like to find out more about this cause, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

This episode was hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks.

Please see our website for more information about our specialist recruitment services: https://www.emearecruitment.com/

You can also find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/

If you'd like to connect with Paul, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

If you have any suggestions for future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please email Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #tiffanibova #innovation#paultoms #operationsmile #losangeles

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we welcomed Dr. Wieland Noetzold, Senior Executive Officer, Governance, Compliance and Audit at Sunstar.

"I realised relatively early in life that my Japan link was an asset, which I had to use."

"I can leverage almost everything I've learned in my life so far in this particular job and I'm still learning, because it's a journey."

"I believe – genuinely – most people in the morning, when they wake up, have good intentions."

Wieland joined Paul Toms virtually from his home office near the "beautiful" Lake Geneva. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wieland learned how to focus in his home environment. Although he's increased his productivity, he accepts that he's not perfect at prioritising. For anyone else struggling with remote working, Wieland has a top tip on making the most of your time at home.

Sunstar is a multi-national organisation operating in two spaces: oral care and industrial business. Despite its Japanese heritage, Sunstar moved its global headquarters to Switzerland more than a decade ago, in order to embrace globalisation. Due to his responsibility for internal auditing and enterprise risk management, Wieland meets Sunstar staff all over the world, from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

Wieland explains how he ended up travelling from his home in East Germany to Japan on a student exchange programme. Due to travel restrictions in the Communist Bloc, Wieland wanted to see part of the world, which led him to applying for the scheme. Having learnt the language, Wieland was able to visit Japan and gain a wealth of cultural experiences. Over the past 30 years, it's a country he's been to almost every year.

Focusing on global governance, Wieland explores the challenge in aligning Japanese and western thinking. It's a "special breed of people" who are able to remain open-minded, patient and persistent, he has found.

Patience is a key characteristic that Wieland feels has contributed to his success. However, it hasn't been a straight line; the objective was never to westernise a Japanese company, so Sunstar is finding the best of both worlds to bring together.

Wieland talks through the main challenges he faces when recruiting, both internally and externally. Cultural fit is particularly important for Sunstar, so Wieland is clear that the recruitment process must be done "really well".

Paul points out that Wieland's career is unusual in the modern world, as he's worked within just two businesses. Nowadays, it's normal for a professional to move every two to three years. It wasn't necessarily a decision that Wieland made consciously, however; he realised that his link to Japan was an asset that he had to use.

Opportunities subsequently opened up that Wieland never predicted; when the Head of Internal Audit at Novartis contacted him, he'd never thought of working in the Internal Audit sector. Nevertheless, the role took him to Japan every year in a variety of different contexts.

Sunstar was different. Wieland had worked for Swiss companies in Japan, but never a Japanese company that was based in Switzerland. It all came together and led to his current role.

Wieland reveals the traits that he's learned from his time in Japan, as well as the practices he hasn't brought back to Switzerland.

He ends the episode by detailing what you must do if you want to connect with him on LinkedIn – make sure to listen before you try to connect with him!

To find a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below:

01:03: Focusing in your home environment03:05: Making the most of your morning05:46: Combining Japanese and western corporate culture07:34: How communication has improved during COVID-1909:39: How Wieland ended up in Japan 16:24: The biggest hurdles in global governance19:54: The key to Wieland's success24:21: The challenges of recruiting28:56: How Wieland's career came together32:58: Why Wieland went into a speciality role36:17: The things that test Wieland's patience39:18: The Japanese practices Wieland hasn't adopted40:56: Wieland's role models and supporters45:33: How to reach out to Wieland

If you'd like to connect with Wieland, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wieland-noetzold/

Operation Smile is the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. We're hoping to raise enough money to fund 100 new smiles during our partnership. If you can help us achieve this goal, please donate: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

This episode was hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive.

Find out more about our international recruitment services through 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, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

Alternatively, 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 contact Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #drwielandnoetzold #paultoms #operationsmile #switzerland

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we welcomed Dr. Wieland Noetzold, Senior Executive Officer, Governance, Compliance and Audit at Sunstar.

"I realised relatively early in life that my Japan link was an asset, which I had to use."

"I can leverage almost everything I've learned in my life so far in this particular job and I'm still learning, because it's a journey."

"I believe – genuinely – most people in the morning, when they wake up, have good intentions."

Wieland joined Paul Toms virtually from his home office near the "beautiful" Lake Geneva. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wieland learned how to focus in his home environment. Although he's increased his productivity, he accepts that he's not perfect at prioritising. For anyone else struggling with remote working, Wieland has a top tip on making the most of your time at home.

Sunstar is a multi-national organisation operating in two spaces: oral care and industrial business. Despite its Japanese heritage, Sunstar moved its global headquarters to Switzerland more than a decade ago, in order to embrace globalisation. Due to his responsibility for internal auditing and enterprise risk management, Wieland meets Sunstar staff all over the world, from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

Wieland explains how he ended up travelling from his home in East Germany to Japan on a student exchange programme. Due to travel restrictions in the Communist Bloc, Wieland wanted to see part of the world, which led him to applying for the scheme. Having learnt the language, Wieland was able to visit Japan and gain a wealth of cultural experiences. Over the past 30 years, it's a country he's been to almost every year.

Focusing on global governance, Wieland explores the challenge in aligning Japanese and western thinking. It's a "special breed of people" who are able to remain open-minded, patient and persistent, he has found.

Patience is a key characteristic that Wieland feels has contributed to his success. However, it hasn't been a straight line; the objective was never to westernise a Japanese company, so Sunstar is finding the best of both worlds to bring together.

Wieland talks through the main challenges he faces when recruiting, both internally and externally. Cultural fit is particularly important for Sunstar, so Wieland is clear that the recruitment process must be done "really well".

Paul points out that Wieland's career is unusual in the modern world, as he's worked within just two businesses. Nowadays, it's normal for a professional to move every two to three years. It wasn't necessarily a decision that Wieland made consciously, however; he realised that his link to Japan was an asset that he had to use.

Opportunities subsequently opened up that Wieland never predicted; when the Head of Internal Audit at Novartis contacted him, he'd never thought of working in the Internal Audit sector. Nevertheless, the role took him to Japan every year in a variety of different contexts.

Sunstar was different. Wieland had worked for Swiss companies in Japan, but never a Japanese company that was based in Switzerland. It all came together and led to his current role.

Wieland reveals the traits that he's learned from his time in Japan, as well as the practices he hasn't brought back to Switzerland.

He ends the episode by detailing what you must do if you want to connect with him on LinkedIn – make sure to listen before you try to connect with him!

To find a particular part of the episode, please use the timestamps below:

01:03: Focusing in your home environment03:05: Making the most of your morning05:46: Combining Japanese and western corporate culture07:34: How communication has improved during COVID-1909:39: How Wieland ended up in Japan 16:24: The biggest hurdles in global governance19:54: The key to Wieland's success24:21: The challenges of recruiting28:56: How Wieland's career came together32:58: Why Wieland went into a speciality role36:17: The things that test Wieland's patience39:18: The Japanese practices Wieland hasn't adopted40:56: Wieland's role models and supporters45:33: How to reach out to Wieland

If you'd like to connect with Wieland, visit his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wieland-noetzold/

Operation Smile is the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast. We're hoping to raise enough money to fund 100 new smiles during our partnership. If you can help us achieve this goal, please donate: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

This episode was hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive.

Find out more about our international recruitment services through 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, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

Alternatively, 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 contact Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #drwielandnoetzold #paultoms #operationsmile #switzerland

We were delighted to welcome Simone Giles, Head of Human Resources, and Dagmar Droogsma, AVP, European Strategy & Engagement, at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Europe to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.

"We know the work we do is important; we know it changes lives, but – beneath that – it's really crucial that people joining us have full access to the decision they're making about whether we're the right organisation for them."

Simone and Dagmar spoke to Jenny Callum, Associate Director in our Dutch Finance & Accountancy recruitment team, from London, where it wasn't raining for once! They kick off the episode with a nod to the partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, Operation Smile, by revealing the last thing that made them both smile – they're heart-warming answers.

Simone explains who EDF is, when it was established and the workplace culture that it borrows from its foundations in the USA. Dagmar joined EDF just six months ago, coming at a time of rapid growth across Europe, India and China. She loves how international the organisation is, as well as its focus on pragmatic solutions.

As EDF expands, Simone talks through the true cost of a wrong hire. Alongside the obvious financial losses, she looks at the unseen costs associated with a bad fit.

Unlike other non-governmental organisations (NGOs), all of EDF's advocacy is based on "sound science and economics", Dagmar explains. The organisation uses the evidence its teams gather to try to influence policy or run projects on the ground; they want to ensure that what they propose to governments is actually feasible.

EDF's mission is an obvious draw for potential candidates, but transparency is the "most effective way to secure and retain fantastic people", Simone believes. EDF's current hiring efforts in the Netherlands will focus initially on Compliance, Operations and Due Diligence roles. By starting the relationship with a prospective employee with a very open mindset, Simone feels that they'll be engaged and excited by the work EDF does.

Dagmar explains EDF's plans for growth and expansion over the coming 12 months, including projects focussed on hydrogen, agriculture and food.

Before we wrap up the episode, Jenny asks Simone and Dagmar to reveal the one skill that they feel has contributed to their success – interestingly, they both feel that one skill in particular is essential. Listen to the end of the episode to find out what it is.

You can find out more about Environmental Defense Fund's work on its website: https://www.edf.org/

If you're interested in job opportunities with EDF, please contact Jenny: [email protected]

To listen to a specific part of the episode, use the timestamps below:

02:19: Where Simone & Dagmar are in the world02:36: The last thing that made them smile03:48: EDF's history and company culture08:13: The true cosy of making the wrong hire09:54: Why EDF is different to other NGOs13:23: Where EDF's support comes from17:24: The most effective way to recruit fantastic people19:41: EDF's expansion plans for the next 12 months22:14: The skill needed for success

We're 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. Please help us reach our target of creating 100 new smiles by donating: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

This episode is hosted by Jenny Callum and Rose Jinks.

Find out more about our full range of recruitment services through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/

Alternatively, find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/

You can also connect with Jenny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennycallumemea/

If you have any suggestions for future episodes of the podcast, please reach out to Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #simonegiles #dagmardroogsma #edf #ngo #climate #jennycallum #paultoms #operationsmile

We were proud to be joined by Stuart Whiting, Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain – Logistics & Planning at Schneider Electric, on the EMEA Recruitment podcast.

"The Supply Chain leaders of the future are the ones that are truly end-to-end."

Stuart spoke to Paul Toms after taking "a tremendous number of positives" away from the COVID-19 period. He reveals the four key learnings that he's experienced during the pandemic, as well as the biggest challenges that he's faced both personally and professionally.

After 30 years in the Supply Chain discipline, Stuart has "been through it all", but maintains a continual thirst to learn. One area that he's seeing real value is the pairing of younger talents in the digitisation field with the older generation's business wisdom. Through coming together, he believes that they will drive the next level of efficiency.

In fact, Stuart has seen a shift towards organisations recognising Supply Chain as the true differentiator that can provide the winning edge; CFOs are now understanding the power of Supply Chain, he believes.

Despite his passion for the discipline, Stuart wasn't always destined to work in Supply Chain. As a child, his aspiration was to become a fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force in the UK. When he "fell into" Supply Chain, the field was still known as Distribution. As the discipline grew in the 90s and early 00s, Stuart felt privileged to facilitate global trade.

After living on most continents and boasting a track record of successfully growing businesses during his career, Stuart explores the key focus areas that have contributed to his accomplishments. He's taken his approach from many experiences: his education, playing rugby, the military and a mentor, Dr. John Gattorna.

Stuart and Paul move onto the efficiency and effectiveness that Business Intelligence (BI) and Data are providing to organisations. The need for speed, agility and resilience was accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, but BI & Data has allowed teams to focus on areas where value is provided to the business.

Stuart explains how he manages both day-to-day operations and the transformation agenda. The key to success is the ability to learn from the transformation, but also what can be learnt daily, he says.

Looking at recruiting diverse teams, Stuart and Paul explore why managers must lead by example. Stuart feels that organisations can be too conservative sometimes and rely on experience and existing competencies, but fail to pay attention to a candidate's ability to learn and adapt, and their passion to get the job done with excellence.

Stuart offers advice to young talent looking to get into the Supply Chain discipline and reveals the books he's reading for his mental welfare. We also find out about Stuart's hidden talents – find out how he breaks out of work mode at the end of the episode.

If you're looking for a particular part of the episode, you can use the timestamps below:

01:05: The last thing that made Stuart smile02:29: The positives taken from the pandemic05:01: Personal and professional challenges of the pandemic08:00: A continual thirst to learn11:40: How Stuart fell into Supply Chain14:15: The key to Stuart's success19:59: Where Stuart's approach comes from22:41: How BI & Data will affect Supply Chain27:16: How to avoid working a 15-hour day31:23: Creating diverse, multi-cultural teams34:31: Advice for young talent38:27: Recommended reading for personal and professional development40:55: The benefits of loyalty44:36: Stuart's hidden talents47:25: How to reach out to Stuart

If you'd like to drop Stuart a message, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartwhiting/

We're proud to support Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate, through the EMEA Recruitment podcast. Find out how you can support Operation Smile's work through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

This podcast episode was hosted by Paul Toms, Founder of EMEA Recruitment, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive.

To find out more about our professional recruitment services, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/

You can also find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

If you have any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #stuartwhiting #paultoms #supplychain #operationsmile

We were honoured to welcome Aashim Malhotra, the Vice President and Managing Director, Asia-Pacific Region at Dole Packaged Foods, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.

"Together, we are all fuelled by passion, by purpose; we truly want to do our part to contribute in making the world a better place."

Although COVID-19 cases continue to rise across Asia as this episode was recorded, Aashim spoke to Paul Toms following a period of resilience, of which he believes we will emerge stronger, wiser and better prepared for the future. Another big learning that Aashim has taken from the pandemic is the need to care for nature. From a business perspective, he is clear that ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) commitments must not be empty.

Aashim reveals the steps he takes to cope and look after himself, explaining the three tips that have worked "wonders" for him. A change in culture at Dole has also ensured that employees enjoy some downtime and come into the week feeling fresh.

Aashim has worked for large organisations in different parts of the world, but now enjoys leading and serving small teams with big ambitions at a mid-sized organisation. Dole's people are committed to the purpose of making the world a more equitable place, which empowers Aashim and drives his passion. Although the challenges are huge, Aashim is proud to build world-class teams, learn from different cultures and expand his mind.

With the ethics of companies now under the spotlight of potential employees, Aashim explains how Dole finds quality people that share its purpose. Dole is managing to bring in great people based on a winning combination of purpose and vision with key skills and competencies.

It was a conversation with a former Unilever colleague that motivated Aashim to take a chance at Dole. After almost two years at the company, he feels that he's building something amazing.

In previous roles, Aashim's been required to delve into the numbers, so he has a strong belief in the power of using data for game-changing innovations. Dole is now becoming a data-driven organisation, utilising data science professionals and artificial intelligence tools.

He explores the trends that he's seeing within the food and beverage industry. A move towards mindful eating ties into Aashim's commitment to meditation. With more information available, consumers are making more environmentally conscious choices, Aashim explains.

We finish the episode by finding out what would guarantee to make Aashim smile. It's an inspiring answer that perfectly sums up the theme of the episode.

If there's a particular part of the episode you're interested in, use the timestamps below:

02:12: Coming out of COVID stronger, wiser & better prepared04:27: Aashim's 3 steps to looking after himself07:32: Dole's initiatives for a healthier work culture11:10: Leading a small team with big ambitions18:29: The winning formula for recruitment & retention26:08: Taking a chance in your career30:03: Aashim's belief in data science39:07: Trends in the food & beverage industry45:40: The rise of mindful eating49:59: What is guaranteed to make Aashim smile?52:19: How to reach out to Aashim

If you'd like to connect with Aashim, you can find him on LinkedIn.

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is produced in partnership with international medical charity Operation Smile. We're hoping to raise enough money to create 100 new smiles through this partnership. If you'd like to find out more about the work we're doing with Operation Smile, more information can be found on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive.

For more information about EMEA Recruitment, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/

You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/

Alternatively, if you'd like to connect with Paul, visit his profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

Or you can follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

To share your suggestions for future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #aashimmalhotra #paultoms #operationsmile

For this special episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, to mark one year of our partnership with Operation Smile, we were joined by Dr. Lara Watson and Dr. Priya Chadha, surgical trainees in maxillofacial and plastic surgery respectively, Founders of Acquisition Aesthetics, and Business Ambassadors for Operation Smile.

"We agreed that our collective ambition was to try and support smiles."

Paul Toms spoke to Lara and Priya amongst their incredibly busy schedules. Lara, for instance, joined us from the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, the UK, where she treats patients with head and neck cancer. But it's our relationship with Operation Smile that connected Lara and Priya with Paul.

Lara explains how both her and Priya's careers have paralleled each other's, due to their shared interests and ambitions. Around seven years ago, they set up Acquisition Aesthetics together, a training academy in aesthetics medicine. For them, it's the perfect balance between the function of science and the artistry of beauty.

Last year, Operation Smile reached out to them, highlighting the synergy between Lara and Priya's work in aesthetic medicine with the mission of the charity. Although aesthetics can often be confused with putting on a mask, Lara believes that deformity can take a person's sense of identity away from them, but she feels she gives back to the patient a face that they feel is theirs.

They jumped at the opportunity to unite with Operation Smile, to raise awareness amongst healthcare professionals and their customers.

Lara quickly knew that surgery was the route for her. In head and neck surgery, she has found that the correction of deformity and restoration of function is limitless, and aesthetics is a "huge part of that". She takes pride in her work and the impact it can have on someone's confidence; seeing a patient's response never gets boring.

While it's a hugely rewarding career, Paul asks Priya to explain the business model of Acquisition Aesthetics. Their initial idea has bloomed into something that neither Lara nor Priya expected; they were recently awarded the Best Training Academy of the Year prize at the Aesthetics Awards 2021. But they're not businesspeople interested in the largest profits. In fact, their business model hasn't always worked financially.

However, providing a learning platform delivered by two surgeons is quite unique. It means that everyone going out with the Acquisition Aesthetics stamp is competent and confident in their work. Lara and Priya took their own learnings from being "left in the lurch" early in their careers with a desire to increase safety in the industry to create the business.

Putting their educational material into practice was the most challenging part of the journey, but Lara and Priya brought in people with business backgrounds to support them.

As surgeons, mothers and now businesspeople, Paul asks how Lara and Priya fit it all into their day. It's their support network that is a safety net for them, as well as recognising your limitations as human beings. They realised that they needed a team of invested people around them, who were also passionate about the cause.

It's taken years to get to this point, but Lara feels they've found balance and compromise in their relationship. Priya feels incredibly fortunate to share a strong working ethos and goals with Lara, and they've learnt a lot from each other along the way. Lara compares their relationship to a marriage, in which they require an unconditional commitment to each other. Their shared dream is what keeps everything spinning, she explains.

But in a very male-dominated career, Lara and Priya have both faced difficulties. Lara is committed to understanding why women tend to undergrade themselves and what we can do to change it. Priya, too, wants to shout louder about the issues that still exist in society.

She is also passionate about her work in aesthetics and explains how tweaks to her own appearance have given her "immeasurable" confidence. Bringing the conversation back to the partnership with Operation Smile, Priya explains why the confidence Paul gained through his cleft surgery is personal to him.

We end the episode on a jovial note, with Lara and Priya revealing the last thing that made them smile – Lara's was unfortunately too inappropriate for the podcast!

Find out more about Lara and Priya's work on the Acquisition Aesthetics website: https://www.acquisitionaesthetics.co.uk/

You can also find them both on social media.

You can also find the EMEA Recruitment podcast on your podcatcher of choice, or via this link:

If you're looking for a specific part of the episode, use the timestamps below:

01:05: Keeping busy in surgery02:04: A collective ambition to support smiles07:23: Why Lara chose head and neck surgery12:30: The business model of Acquisition Aesthetics22:00: Managing the hours in a day25:42: Finding synergy in their relationship30:07: What's in the pipeline?35:30: Advice for future female leaders41:54: Removing the barriers women are faced with45:08: Empowering people to use their emotions 48:20: Giving people the gift of confidence53:26: The last thing that made Lara and Priya smile56:04: How to reach out to them

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Operation Smile for being the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast for over one year! We're delighted to be able to raise awareness and funds for the work Operation Smile's volunteers do around the world. If you'd like to support Operation Smile, you can donate here: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, our Senior Marketing Executive.

Find out more about EMEA Recruitment through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/

You can also find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

Or follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

Do you have any suggestions for future podcast episodes? Let Rose know: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #larawatson #priyankachadha #healthcare #plasticsurgery #operationsmile

Thank you to Stefan Schoenbeck, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Central & Eastern Europe at C&A in Austria, for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast.

"Leading people is mostly about coaching people and getting them to the next level and being happy in their roles."

Stefan spoke to Paul Toms as he returns to some normality after nine weeks of school holidays over the summer. He has known Paul for a number of years now, but begins the episode by describing his role at C&A.

C&A itself turns 180-years-old this year, but is part of the wider COFRA group, which Stefan has worked for since 2008. He has held several strategic Finance positions during this period, but has been the CFO for Central & Eastern Europe for around three years.

While he previously focussed on analysis and decision preparation, Stefan is now part of the management team, and is responsible for taking decisions and leading people.

It's slightly unusual nowadays for such strong company loyalty, but Stefan has always prioritised learning and grabbing new opportunities. Although he's looked outside of the group for new roles in the past, Stefan has always found the right opportunities at the right moments within COFRA. It's thanks to a culture that fosters personal initiative that has kept Stefan interested (and 50% good luck, he says).

Despite his long tenure within the group, Stefan is insistent that people should get out of their comfort zones, finding different organisations and perspectives to help them grow. Moving to different countries – Stefan has lived in Spain and Switzerland, as well as Austria – has helped him develop himself. He's even willing to lose good people (from time-to-time) if it means they can learn.

Paul asks Stefan about the biggest challenges he's currently facing as a CFO. The COVID-19 pandemic is obvious, but the conversation soon moves onto the impact of Business Intelligence and Data on the Finance function.

Stefan explores how we can better utilise the abundance of data we have available to inform decision-making. He is incredibly aware of how our own biases can distort our interpretation, and the value, of data.

We discuss the steps needed for a successful new hire, as well as the "huge impact and cost" that a wrong hire can have on a team and business.

Stefan also reveals why we shouldn't look for the perfect mentor in our careers and the books that he's read recently that have fuelled him intellectually.

Paul ends the episode by asking Stefan what the last thing that made him smile was – it's a charming answer.

If you'd like to find a particular part of the episode, use the timestamps below:

01:03: Getting back to normality02:16: Becoming a CFO05:42: Looking for evolution, not revolution10:06: Encouraging people to grow12:23: The biggest challenges facing Stefan23:07: The importance of using data in the right way29:34: The difference between believing and knowing31:41: Preventing the wrong hire38:22: The people and books that inspire Stefan41:40: The last thing that made Stefan smile42:35: How to reach out to Stefan

If you'd like to connect with Stefan, you can find him on LinkedIn.

We're proud to support international medical charity Operation Smile through the EMEA Recruitment podcast. If you'd like to find out more about what Operation Smile's volunteers do, please read more about the cause on our website: www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is hosted by Paul Toms, our Founder, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive.

Find out about our full range of international recruitment services through our website: www.emearecruitment.com

You can also keep up to date with us via LinkedIn: 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/

You can also find him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

If there are any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes, please contact Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #stefanschoenbeck #paultoms #finance #austria #operationsmile

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we were pleased to welcome David Lloyd, the Vice President, Corporate Financial Controller and Treasurer at Greif.

"There is never an end of things to get involved in and develop an interest and some skills in; always be learning."

Paul Toms, our Founder, spoke to David after a summer of travelling for his son's swim meets. As life gets back to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic, David explores how the culture at Greif has changed. As a leader in industrial packaging products, Greif was considered an essential business and never shut down during the period.

Although some employees were already using a hybrid working model before the pandemic, the number of staff on site has dropped from around 200 a day to just 15 to 20. So, how do you maintain relationships and a strong company culture with so many employees working from home?

David reveals the steps that Grief has taken to help people connect and feel part of the team while meeting virtually. He actually feels that he has a better understanding of who everybody is personally through these exercises.

Although David has had a highly successful career, VP of Finance is not a role he ever expected to be in. After becoming a partner at PwC, David expected to stay in public accounting until the end of his career. After moving into industry, he realised that he could broaden his skillset, and develop a better and broader understanding of how the Finance function works.

We dive into David's early career, from realising he couldn't spend all day in a basement lab as a Chemical Engineering major, to taking inspiration from a professor that piqued his interest in Accounting. He immediately switched his major and hasn't looked back since.

David's Finance abilities and interest in problem-solving is a great combination for success, but he puts his achievements down to his continuous development and learning. In private industry, he's seeing huge changes in the fundamental operating models within Finance, from artificial intelligence to machine learning.

Paul questions how business intelligence and data will impact Finance roles of the future. It breaks David's heart to admit that the number of subject matter experts that focus on compliance and technical accounting will be "fairly small" in ten to 20 years' time, although he does reveal which skills will help those entering the profession stand out in the market.

He has also found that, as a business, you need to offer something different to staff in order to attract high quality applicants.

Listen to the end of the episode to find out how David ended up playing at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre and which lockdown purchase makes him smile every day…

To find a particular part of the episode that interests you, use the timestamps below:

01:05: Where in the world is David?01:57: How Grief adopted hybrid working04:36: Keeping a great culture while WFH08:56: Helping the team feel more connected10:35: Why David never expected to be VP Finance14:58: Finding his love of Accounting17:32: The skills that have enabled David's success20:22: The best piece of advice22:07: How will BI & Data affect Finance?25:45: How Finance professionals can stand out28:41: Being competitive as a business34:33: David's hidden talents38:25: The last thing that made David smile40:19: How to reach out to David

Visit David's LinkedIn profile if you'd like to connect with him: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidclloyd1/

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is brought to you in partnership with our good friends at Operation Smile. We're hoping to raise enough money to create 100 new smiles through this partnership. Please donate anything you can here: https://www.emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

This episode was hosted by Paul Toms, Founder of EMEA Recruitment, and Rose Jinks, Senior Marketing Executive.

Find out more about our professional global recruitment services, including in the Finance & Accountancy sector, through our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/

You can also follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited

If you'd like to connect with Paul, visit his profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

Or, you can follow him on Twitter:

Do you have any suggestions for the EMEA Recruitment podcast? Email Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #davidlloyd #paultoms #finance #operationsmile