EMEA Recruitment Podcast

We were delighted to welcome Seamus Tardif, the Head of Growth at Jiva, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast recently.

"One thing that I think is quite universal is the resilience and adaptation of people."

Seamus spoke to Paul Toms after almost two years of living through the COVID-19 pandemic. While he never thought that he'd be able to work from home, Seamus is now experiencing an opposite truth; he's more distracted when he's working in the office!

Nevertheless, balancing people's productivity and wellbeing has been a major concern for Seamus and the leadership team at Jiva over this period. He offers advice on how he manages to separate work and home life, although warns that there's "no silver bullet" to success.

Seamus was previously the Lead Strategic Designer at BCG Digital Ventures, but is now embracing the opportunity to help millions of people in developing communities in improving their livelihoods. As the Head of Growth, Seamus has the chance to not only create success for the business, but also for all the people that the company supports. It's something he finds really rewarding.

Working for a company that only goes after profit is not something Seamus will tolerate, and it's not surprising why. With both of his parents working in the aid sector, Seamus grew up with the belief that he needed to do his part in making the world a little better. Although he didn't go down the not-for-profit route that his parents did, Seamus has seen the power of corporates working on purpose-driven missions, whereby they can drive fantastic financial returns, while also giving back and solving problems for the disadvantaged.

With his passion for people, Paul asks Seamus whether there's a common denominator amongst us all. Seamus' response? Resilience and adaptation. He believes that we are all driving towards a common goal of improving our own situation and that of our families.

The topic of resilience and struggling to reach professional goals leads us onto the subject of recruitment. Paul asks Seamus how he ensures he hires good quality people. Seamus explains that, so long as you focus on the personality and traits of the ideal person, you'll rarely hire the wrong person; they may just need a different role within the company.

So, how do you help someone feel the company culture if their colleagues are working remotely? Seamus describes the small things that Jiva is doing to ensure people have a good time at work. It ranges from daily trivia, to Airbnb experiences, to a virtual safari! Again, he doesn't believe that there's a silver bullet, but he does feel that businesses should steer away from forced conversations.

We finish the episode by asking Seamus how he would change the world if he could. He has an incredibly thoughtful and inspiring answer – make sure to listen to the end for his ideas.

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

01:05: The learning curve of the last year03:14: How to balance your team's sanity05:54: How Seamus separates work from home life09:17: Being the Head of Growth at Jiva13:07: Working for a company with a purpose-driven mission17:26: The resilience and adaptation of people20:57: What prevents people from putting their goals into action?23:39: Recruiting really good quality people32:18: Why you haven't hired the wrong person35:45: Creating remote culture40:05: How Seamus would change the world43:47: The best way to reach out to Seamus

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

Thank you to the official partner of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, Operation Smile. We're hoping to raise vital awareness and funds for the work Operation Smile does around the world to deliver life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. If you'd like to find out more or support this cause, please visit emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

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

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

You can also keep up to date with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/

If you'd like to connect with Paul, click here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

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

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

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #seamustardif #paultoms #singapore #operationsmile

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we were pleased to welcome Sanjay S Singh, the Global Chief Human Resources Officer at UPL in India.

"The only way to succeed in the world is having diversity at the top leadership level."

Paul Toms, our Founder, kicked off the conversation by asking Sanjay a question that he asks himself "all the time"; what does it feel like to be a Global CHRO at a company like UPL? UPL is the fifth largest company in the production sector globally, having grown very quickly since 2009/10.

With so many different cultures within the business, Sanjay explains how diversity, best-in-class digital systems and local sensitivity make people stay at UPL. But how do you make this happen? Sanjay is clear that you must do what you say and drive Diversity & Inclusion at levels that really matter. He sets tangible targets and tracks them for execution.

However, Human Resources can often be a challenge to track, due to the fact that you're dealing with people, who have minds of their own. Sanjay realised that it was a difficult function when he was a student, but also recognised that it's a good place to be, most parts of the role are strategic and that he could add long-term strength to the organisation.

So, how will HR evolve as Business Intelligence and Data have a greater impact on our lives? Sanjay believes that there is "no substitute for relationships in life" and organisations will lose a lot if augmentation doesn't tap into one-on-one connections. He does, however, believe that data scientists will be working in HR in five to seven years' time, although this shouldn't diminish the value of relationships. If leaders ensure that they interact face-to-face and make great connections, Sanjay feels that the quality of these interactions will create huge organisations.

Paul and Sanjay explore how businesses can get employee buy-in on large change management projects, which always starts with why you're doing it. It's something Sanjay learned after struggling with stakeholder support.

He discusses the two people who have had the biggest impact on him in his career, including a boss who always exposed himself to the most difficult circumstances and put himself in the line of fire.

We also couldn't host a podcast episode with an HR leader without exploring recruitment and retention. Sanjay focuses on hiring senior talent, which he believes is one of the most high leverage activities that HR does. He explains how to prevent a wrong hire and the effect this could have on the company.

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

02:10: What it feels like to be a Global CHRO06:06: How to create a great culture 08:32: What made Sanjay go into HR14:51: How technology will impact the HR function19:58: How to manage a large change management project26:02: Hiring senior talent29:22: The true cost of a wrong hire31:49: Who's inspired Sanjay in his career36:41: The best way to reach out to Sanjay

If you'd like to connect with Sanjay, he is contactable via email: [email protected]

We're proud to bring you the EMEA Recruitment podcast in partnership with Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. If you'd like to support this cause, please visit emearecruitment.com/operation-smile

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

More information about our specialist recruitment services, including senior HR positions, can be found on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.com/

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

To connect with Paul, visit his profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

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

If you have any suggestions for the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please get in touch with Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #sanjayssingh #paultoms #hr #india #operationsmile

The EMEA Recruitment podcast was proud to welcome Olga Miler and Jude Kelly CBE, the Co-Founders of SmartPurse, a financial toolkit to support women in becoming confident with money.

"We want to scale SmartPurse globally, in order to inspire many more women, but also to unite many more women, in a global conversation around money, finance and economic empowerment."

Paul Toms starts the episode by asking how Olga and Jude – who come from very different backgrounds – met and discovered their shared passion. When they began having conversations with women about money, they were shocked to learn that so many women feel unconfident and embarrassed about their lack of knowledge.

With their drive and ideas, Olga and Jude made a plan and put it into action. It's been a steep learning curve for Jude, who had no prior experience of founding a commercial company, but she knew the conversation was urgent and essential. The COVID-19 pandemic – as well as issues surrounding sustainability and investments – have only made SmartPurse more relevant.

The response from both men and women has been overwhelmingly supportive.

Although they've not been long-term friends, Olga and Jude instinctively liked each other. They both respect each other's talents and ideas, with Jude finding Olga impressive on a daily basis!

Traditionally, women have been shut out of finance. As a result, Jude explains that it can take a while for women to understand that they should have confidence with money. As with other societal issues, such as healthcare and education, life only becomes richer once women take an equal place in the world, she believes.

EMEA Recruitment works with many companies on their Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, but Paul recognises that change won't happen overnight. Jude describes how gender politics at a domestic level can cause tremendous tension in our lives, especially at work.

Providing financial education on a global scale is the philosophy of SmartPurse. Olga quotes a study in which British people were asked what they wished they'd have learned about at school; five of the ten topics related to money. To overcome the knowledge and confidence gap, she feels that women need this education the most.

SmartPurse's education is practical, rather than theoretical, which has proven to be "extremely effective". Olga discusses the method that they use to provide help to those struggling to understand or manage their money, which ultimately enables them to take action.

Olga and Jude have wider goals for the business, but they have both had exceptional careers individually. Paul digs deeper into the advice they would give to those aspiring to achieve their dreams, as well as the one piece of advice they'd give to their younger selves – Jude has a particularly fantastic answer!

You can listen to the full episode below:

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is also available on your favourite podcast app, as well as via this link:

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

01:25: How Olga and Jude met and created SmartPurse 06:15: What it feels like to have conversations around money09:44: Why the world needs women to understand money16:57: The philosophy of SmartPurse19:42: How SmartPurse helps women manage their money22:47: What to do if someone's embarrassed about money25:05: Olga's vision for the business26:27: Advice for people aspiring to reach their goals30:08: Jude's mentor33:58: Who has inspired Olga35:26: Olga's favourite quote36:34: Jude's advice for her 18-year-old self37:19: How to reach out to Olga and Jude

You can find out more about SmartPurse at smartpurse.me, or connect with Olga and Jude on LinkedIn.

We're proud to bring you this episode in partnership with our friends at Operation Smile. We're hoping to create 100 new smiles through our partnership on the EMEA Recruitment podcast. Find out more and donate at https://www.emearecruitment.eu/operation-smile

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

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

You can also keep up to date with our news and insights via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/

If you'd like to connect with Paul, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

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

If you have any feedback about the podcast, please reach out to Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #olgamiler #judekelly #paultoms #smartpurse #finance #operationsmile

We were honoured to welcome Mailu Mizumoto, CEO & General Manager at eBay Payments in Singapore, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.

"I do believe things happen around you for a reason; all we need to do is embrace it and look at the positive side of everything."

Mailu explains to Paul Toms why the COVID-19 period has been a "blessing" for her, allowing her to work from home and spend more time with her family. Having started a new role during the pandemic, Mailu has had to learn not only how to manage COVID, but also to interact and connect with her new colleagues in a different way.

She has been the CEO & General Manager at eBay in Singapore for a year now, moving from her background in Compliance to the front-line of the organisation. Being on the other side of the fence now, Mailu feels she has a better perspective of how Compliance should work. Nevertheless, being a trained lawyer working for a regulated entity helps Mailu in her new position.

With a career spanning some of the biggest companies in the world – including HSBC, Merrill Lynch, GE, American Express and now eBay – it's interesting that Mailu didn't plan any of it. In fact, she never saw herself living in different countries around the world and settling down with a family. But something she has learned is to always embrace opportunities with an "open heart", which makes the next steps in your life and career easier.

Diversity and globalisation are things that Mailu is excited about for the future. With so much information and technology available now, she believes that the younger generation will achieve so much more than she has.

So, is there one decision that changed her entire life? Mailu discusses the impact of having children on your life and career. Going from a corporate and single life to motherhood opened up an "incredible new world" for her. She offers advice for people considering a big life decision.

Mailu's laid-back attitude to making decisions is reflected in her average working day. Instead of having a strict schedule, she tries to allow some flexibility and time for herself. It was having children that taught Mailu how to balance, which she believes has made her a better leader and given her perspective at work, as well as ensuring a more objective approach to problems.

Paul and Mailu discuss the most common issues facing Compliance, particularly in Singapore, and how regulations react to the constantly evolving world that we live in. Although technology provides businesses with wider opportunities, Mailu is conscious that Compliance should support the company.

We finish the episode by exploring the need to enjoy your work, be that the role, company or manager that you have. Mailu refers to her father's generation, who often worked for one company for their whole careers. Nowadays, Mailu is pleased to see the younger generation changing roles or even professions when they find a new passion or are no longer interested in their jobs. It comes back to Mailu's positive approach to challenges and life decisions.

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

01:17: Why the past 12 months have been a blessing for Mailu02:43: Starting a new job during the pandemic04:35: What does it feel like to be the CEO of eBay Payments?07:47: How Mailu has embraced changes in her life and career10:55: Taking opportunities with an open mindset16:25: The 1 decision that changed Mailu's life19:25: How Mailu plans a typical working day23:46: The most common issues facing Compliance27:20: Why you should learn and evolve through your career32:30: Being happy in your job

If you'd like to reach out to Mailu, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

We're proud to partner with Operation Smile through the EMEA Recruitment podcast. We hope to raise vital funds and awareness for the work Operation Smile does to deliver life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. Please find out more by visiting our website: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/operation-smile

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

If you'd like to find out more about our recruitment services, including our work in Singapore, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/

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

To connect with Paul, visit his profile.

Or, you can find him on Twitter.

To suggest topics or questions for future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose at: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #mailumizumoto #paultoms #singapore #ebay #operationsmile

Thank you to Jose Bianconi, the Managing Director, Coty Beauty, South East Asia and India, for joining us on the EMEA Recruitment podcast.

"Throughout these 16-18 months, I have seen that our ability to find ways to adapt is infinite."

Jose spoke to our Founder, Paul Toms, after an "extremely challenging" past year during the COVID-19 pandemic. He reveals the lessons that he's learned about himself over the period: resilience and to focus on what we can control. They're strong traits that many successful people have, so Paul asks Jose for any advice he has for people trying to be better at these things.

With over 20 years' experience in the Beauty and Cosmetics industry, Jose has faced challenges throughout his career, but perhaps none as difficult as the pandemic. He explains how changes to the way consumers interact with beauty products has accelerated prior trends. It's unclear as to whether these trends will stay once we return to the "new normal", but Jose has clear steps to keeping ahead in what is a fierce market.

Jose applies the same principles he has for external relationships to his internal teams; in the large, global companies that he's worked for, understanding what success looks like to other people creates trust and, subsequently, helps everyone progress.

Building trust, however, has been difficult in the virtual world, so Paul asks Jose how he has managed not seeing his team face-to-face. Jose explains how he deliberately makes time for the people he needs to speak to and how these commitments can actually simplify your day.

Routine is also a method that Jose applies to his family life, after finding the balance between home working and home schooling a challenge.

Nevertheless, learning is something that Jose prioritises for himself. He feels that we can all learn something from anyone we meet, but that we learn most from the people we're closest to.

Jose may have had a great career to date, but he is also committed to continuing his own personal development. He tells Paul which two topics he's currently focussed on and how he plans to apply his learnings to his daily work.

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

01:52: What Jose has learnt during COVID-1904:46: Advice on focusing on the things you can control08:44: Challenges in the Beauty and Cosmetics industry15:08: How to stay ahead in the current market18:17: How Jose helps his teams achieve success21:16: How to build relationships virtually24:11: Tips to prioritise your day27:58: Finding the family life/work life balance31:17: Learning from other people33:26: Jose's 2 key focus areas39:11: How to reach out to Jose

If you'd like to connect with Jose, visit his LinkedIn profile.

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is brought to you in partnership with Operation Smile. We're hoping to raise money and awareness for the work Operation Smile does around the world to deliver life-changing surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. If you can support us in any way, please donate at emearecruitment.eu/operation-smile

This episode was hosted by Paul Toms and Rose Jinks.

To find out more about EMEA Recruitment's services, including our work in Singapore, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/

You can also join our 110,000 followers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emea-recruitment-limited/

If you'd like to connect with Paul, you can find him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

You can also follow Paul on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

If there are any suggestions you have for the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose at [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #josebianconi #paultoms #operationsmile

We were proud to welcome Christian Wurzinger, the Group CFO at Klosterfrau Group in Switzerland, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.

"In order to be successful, you must realise that the human is at the centre of everything."

Christian spoke to Paul Toms, our Founder, about the positives he's taken from the past year-and-a-half during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of his key learnings is how effective remote working can be within large organisations. He's also found it an important time to focus on the value of relationships. Christian feels that if companies can take those two positives out of the crisis, the experience will have lasting effects.

Working in Finance, Christian came from the "hard" side of the business, focussed on numbers and fact-driven approaches, whereas those in Human Resources, for example, always start with the people. As he's matured, Christian has found that injecting a human touch and recognising the importance of people is essential in driving results.

After working at Procter & Gamble for over 20 years and now leading the Finance function of a Swiss multi-national, you would assume that Christian feels he's made it in his career. However, he explains that his key motivation is to keep learning and improving. Further into his career, he's started to see longer-term trends and is proud to work for a company that's building lasting value.

For those looking to improve their productivity, Christian has a top tip – if you're a fan of the to-do list, avoid his answer!

With such a fierce job market in Switzerland at the moment, Paul and Christian explore the true cost of a wrong hire on a company, as well as the ways that candidates can stand out in the interview process. Although he's not keen on the video approach, Christian does feel that the digitised recruitment process should be married with a human touch.

Finally, we discuss the impact of Business Intelligence (BI) and Data on the Finance function. Although Christian believes that technology can dramatically improve productivity in certain areas, such as Accounting, focussing on organising your people in highly effective teams is a bigger focus for companies.

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

01:16: The 2 positives Christian has taken from COVID-1905:35: "Take care of the people"10:06: Why Christian hasn't made it in his career… yet16:24: How to manage your attention & energy21:39: The true cost of a wrong hire23:27: How to stand out in a job interview27:17: The ideal recruiter31:16: How productivity will be affected by BI & Data37:07: Why business is a team sport40:17: How to reach out to Christian

If you'd like to message Christian on LinkedIn, please find his profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wurzinger/

EMEA Recruitment is proud to support Operation Smile through the podcast. Operation Smile is an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children born with cleft lip and palate. To help us reach our goal of creating 100 new smiles, please donate here: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/operation-smile

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

Our full range of recruitment services can be found on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/

We also regularly share updates and insights through our LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/351655/admin/

If you'd like to connect with Paul on LinkedIn, please click here.

He is also active on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

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

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #christianwurzinger #paultoms #switzerland #finance #operationsmile

For the 100th episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we were delighted to be joined by Jasko Hrnjic and Rafa Cruz Guzman.

Jasko is the Finance Director FP&A for APAC at Microsoft in Singapore and Rafa is the Senior Finance Director – International Finance at Delivery Hero in Berlin.

"We manage things in Finance that are very complex; you need to be able to bring that complexity to very simple terms, to become truly influential and identify what really matters."

Virtually, they joined our Founder, Paul Toms, for a conversation about their careers in Finance. Jasko and Rafa have known each other for many years and have both previously worked in different divisions at Procter & Gamble (P&G).

Rafa explains how his Finance career started in an unusual way; his Internal Audit role at P&G wasn't "sexy", but created a very strong foundation. Jasko went into investment banking and realised that he wasn't at home in that role. He then took a similar path to Rafa, learning core skills that helped him build himself.

When you make a wrong decision in your career, Jasko offers advice on what step to take next. He explains how different business units can have different philosophies, so find a company that helps you bring your best self to the role.

So, how do you know what you're going to enjoy? Jasko felt that he knew his own strengths and weaknesses better than anyone else, so made tough decisions on his own. Rafa agrees that you should have a plan for yourself and keep evolving by finding jobs that you like.

They both have different reasons for going into Finance in the first place, but Jasko and Rafa see the value beyond number-crunching; Finance is developing into a function that can truly shape great business results through strong relationships and communication.

Paul posed the question of the impact of Business Intelligence (BI) and Data on Finance to Jasko and Rafa, who both believe that the function will evolve, rather than be eliminated. Although the traditional hard skills are still needed, they both feel that soft skills will be in higher demand as automation frees up capacity in teams.

If you're currently starting your career in Finance or are looking to change roles, Jasko and Rafa offer unique insight into standing out in the market and utilising your network.

They end the podcast by explaining what they'd be doing if they weren't in Finance – it sounds like they'd still be a dream team!

Listen to the episode to hear from two inspiring Finance leaders:

01:14: Their first roles in Finance06:40: What is the biggest lesson you've learned during your career?13:17: How to find out what you enjoy19:40: Why Jasko and Rafa chose Finance 24:51: The impact of BI & Data on Finance 29:56: How to get into Finance now35:46: Why you should work abroad39:55: Standing out in the current market51:00: What Jasko and Rafa would do if they weren't in Finance

You can message Jasko and Rafa on LinkedIn if you have any questions.

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is produced in partnership with Operation Smile. This is a cause close to Paul's heart, as he was born with a cleft lip and palate himself. If you'd like to find out more about the incredible work that Operation Smile's volunteers do or to donate, please click here: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/operation-smile

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

We support clients in finding the best talent in the market and can help candidates with their career plans. Read more about our expert services on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/

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

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

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

If there are any questions you'd like us to answer on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please email Rose at: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #jaskohrnjic #rafaelcruzguzman #paultoms #singapore #berlin #finance #operationsmile

EMEA Recruitment was pleased to invite Debbie Brupbacher, a Leadership Transformation Coach and Co-Founder of Permanent Beta, to the podcast.

"Time is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself."

Debbie spoke to Paul Toms, our Founder, from her home in Bern, Switzerland, where she's spent the "best quality time" with her teenager daughter during the COVID-19 pandemic. She speaks about the three things she's learned during this period: resilience, reflection and growth.

Debbie explains how we're all leaders at some point during our lives; a large part of the work she does with clients is to bring that out and help them reach their full potential. While some professionals evolve as a leader during their careers naturally, others find having a coach can help them lead a fulfilling life.

So, how do busy people find the time for self-reflection? Debbie believes that it could just be taking your coffee into the garden without your phone – it's personal and should be easily built into your schedule.

In fact, becoming more conscious of yourself and how you behave as a leader is one of the key skills that great leaders need, she explains. One of the biggest hurdles she sees is people investing the time in working on themselves.

Debbie previously worked in Finance; she was first introduced to Paul when she worked for eBay. It was during her 40s that she had a moment of reflection herself and realised that she wanted something different in her career. After working with a coach, Debbie saw clearly that helping and developing people gave her a lot of energy.

Interestingly, she doesn't credit one person with inspiring her life choices. Instead, Debbie tries to find inspiring moments with everyone that she meets. Nevertheless, there is one comedian that she always thinks about when she's fearful and self-conscious – listen to the episode below to find out who.

Although she tries to make team exercises fun in her work, Debbie does explore how technology and data can be used to help others grow. For self-learning purposes, she feels that we should embrace data, but she also believes that social connection is essential.

Debbie offers her advice for leaders bringing new people into their teams and what they should look for. She is confident that the best teams are more diverse.

Paul ends the episode by asking Debbie, who comes across as very calm and considered, whether there's anything that really gets her flustered – listen to the episode to find out how she gets her frustrations out!

You can use the player below to listen to the podcast:

You can also listen by following this link or searching for EMEA Recruitment on your favourite podcatcher:

Use the timestamps below if you're looking for a particular part of the episode:

01:03: What Debbie has learned during the pandemic05:03: Do we all have the capacity to be leaders?07:10: The gift of time09:28: The skills & behaviours that great leaders need20:08: When did Debbie realise she wanted a career change?23:43: The comedian that inspires Debbie32:06: The importance of social connection36:10: Advice for recruiting new people into your team40:59: How Debbie gets her frustrations out45:00: How to connect with Debbie

You can find out more about Debbie's Leadership Transformation Coaching at permanentbeta.com

We're proud to support international medical charity Operation Smile through the EMEA Recruitment podcast. If you can help us raise awareness and vital funds for the life-changing work Operation Smile's volunteers do, please support us by following this link: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/operation-smile

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

Information about our recruitment services can be found on our website: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/

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

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

He is also active on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

If there are any topics you'd like us to cover on the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please let Rose know: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #debbiebrupbacher #paultoms #switzerland #leadership #operationsmile

We were delighted to invite Alejandra Garcia, the VP Global Procurement at DSM in Switzerland, to the EMEA Recruitment podcast.

"We don't have to be male to be good leaders; value your talents, value your skills, value your experience."

Alejandra reflected on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our lives with Paul Toms, our Founder. She not only spent a lot of time at home with her twin daughters, but Alejandra also realised how powerful it is to have good relationships with colleagues and suppliers. When supply chains and sourcing capabilities were turned upside down by the pandemic, it was these networks that helped her navigate through.

Through having strong relationships with stakeholders, Alejandra has found that she's able to prioritise the consumer. While Procurement is typically far from the customer and generally tries to optimise everything, Alejandra now believes that focussing on diversification and empowerment will create trust and safety networks. In fact, she calls the ability to connect both internally and externally as one of Procurement's "superpowers".

Alejandra is a trained chemical engineer, due to her curiosity in understanding how things work. Combined with her desire to care for and help people, she found her way into Procurement. Now, as the leader of a large, global team, she's able to bring these components together.

Alejandra tells the story of her time working with a well-known chocolate cookie brand in Mexico. Seeing the struggles that customers were having with the packaging of the product, she wanted to make a difference. This influenced her decision to move into regional and global roles; Alejandra can expose herself to different perspectives.

Following her move to Switzerland a few years ago, Alejandra has some strong advice for the younger generation on taking risks. She developed her passion for curiosity through encouragement from her mother. An influential music teacher also gave her a lesson in leadership and the most powerful message of her life.

Paul delves into the reasons that Alejandra went into engineering, which is generally a male-dominated field. Her background has been helpful in the Procurement discipline, so, although she is usually the only woman in the conversation, she believes that she has a responsibility to make sure she's not the only woman in the future. It's the reason that she's so passionate about Diversity & Inclusion.

We explore the difference in mindset between men and women, and the skills and abilities that females can bring to the engineering and chemical fields. According to Alejandra, it's the right moment for women to join the sector. She feels that networks like the EMEA Recruitment podcast are doing a great job of providing role models to others.

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

01:10: How relationships have helped Alejandra through COVID-1904:35: Why Procurement must diversify & empower teams08:03: Why Alejandra chose Procurement13:31: How a mother in Mexico City influenced Alejandra's career17:26: Advice for the younger generation19:10: The 2 people who influenced Alejandra's career22:01: Why diversity is invaluable in Procurement24:22: What women can bring to the industry30:12: Advice for women applying for jobs32:40: Talking about when we've failed36:43: How to reach out to Alejandra

If you'd like to connect with Alejandra, please visit her LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alxgsaucedo/

We are proud to bring you the EMEA Recruitment podcast in partnership with international medical charity Operation Smile. We're trying to raise enough money to create 100 new smiles – you can help us change a child's life by donating at this link: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/operation-smile

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

To find out more about our services, including Procurement & Supply Chain recruitment, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/

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 profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultoms/

You can also follow Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

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

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #alejandragarcia #paultoms #switzerland #procurement #operationsmile

In this episode of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, we were delighted to welcome Christian Nilsson, the CFO for the ABB Electrification business.

"The more diverse the crowd you spend your life with, the wider your learning ought to be."

Christian joined Paul Toms, our Founder, via a video call, which has become the norm for communicating across the business world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Paul kicked off the conversation by asking whether Christian has taken any positive learnings from the past year. Although it has been an incredibly difficult year in many ways, Christian has found that the new ways of working can have a positive impact both professionally and personally.

Having worked across a range of countries within the business transformation field, Christian explains the three components that have been key to his success. Trust and empowerment within his teams are top of the list. It's unsurprising that Christian also values diversity of mindset, which taught him a lot when based in the USA, China and European countries.

Although he spent a "tonne of time" travelling around the world pre-COVID, life has changed a lot since then. One thing that hasn't changed for Christian is the way that he prioritises his day. After hearing about Christian's focus on his team, it's no surprise that people are top of his list in a typical working day.

Finding good people for his team is one of Christian's greatest challenges, but he believes that it's also the most powerful result when you get it right. He tells Paul which traits are most difficult to find when recruiting.

Looking at how the Finance function may change in the future, Christian explains how we must find and use data to improve decision-making. But will people within Finance teams be treated more like machines than humans if decisions are based on data? Christian is confident that we may actually have more time to focus on people and personalities if Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning can harvest the data we need.

Although Christian didn't wake up one day and know that he wanted to spend his life in Finance, he feels lucky to have worked for companies that place Finance close to the business and decision-making. If you're looking to become a Chief Financial Officer in the future, he ends with some advice on grasping opportunities and experiences to expand your scope.

You can listen to the full episode below:

This episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform or by following this link:

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

01:22: How we've made technology work during the pandemic04:49: The 3 keys to Christian's success08:56: Learning from diversity of mindset12:53: Where Christian's leadership fundamentals came from15:13: How Christian prioritises his day17:36: Why recruiting the right people is so hard21:55: What took Christian into Finance?24:42: Advice for CFOs of the future33:43 How to connect with Christian

You can find Christian on LinkedIn by following this link: Connect with Christian

The EMEA Recruitment podcast is brought to you in partnership with Operation Smile, an international medical charity. We are hoping to make a worldwide impact and change lives through our partnership – help us reach our target of creating 100 new smiles by donating: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/operation-smile

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

If you'd like to find out more about our recruitment services, please visit our website: https://www.emearecruitment.eu/

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

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

He is also active on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_toms

If you'd like to suggest topics for future episodes of the EMEA Recruitment podcast, please contact Rose: [email protected]

#emearecruitment #emearecruitmentpodcast #christiannilsson #paultoms #switzerland #finance #operationsmile