MEET ALISTAIR, OUR UK CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FORECOURTS LEAD

Thursday, July 21, 2022

What is exciting about your role?

It is undoubtedly the variety. I have the chance to work with and develop a great team of people, selling all our iconic brands to 8 different customers. No two days are the same, which I truly love. I can be visiting customers one day, writing a strategy presentation the next or perhaps attending a development course the other.

What is the most exciting project that you have worked on?

The Oreo Dunk & Win Challenge! Imagine a giant warehouse filled with an epic Oreo assault course and celebrities queuing up to complete it. I had the opportunity to lead this Oreo Marketing campaign, from building the concept with our agencies, filming the social media advert, and bringing it to life in-store with a giant cardboard ‘Oreo Dunk’ submarine!

What do you like about working at MDLZ?

The breadth of opportunity, both within each role and from the myriad of different roles that are available. I didn’t set out my career with a clear direction of what I wanted to do but working at MDLZ has given me the opportunity to test and learn, and to explore what my skills and interests are across different functions and 8 different roles over the past 7 years. As I look forward to my future career, I feel supported and encouraged to continue building a breadth of experiences in the UK and abroad.

What learning and capabilities programmes do you find most beneficial at MDLZ?

Most of the learning that we do at Mondelez comes from the experiences ‘on the job’. We are privileged with a high degree of autonomy and exposure, alongside a supportive culture which makes for a rich learning environment. In terms of specific programmes, I have benefited from the balance of functional, leadership and personal developmental courses, some prominent examples include a 3-week sales induction course (Negotiation Training being a highlight), Inspire People Manager Training & the What would you do if you weren’t Afraid Leadership Series that invites external speakers to share their lessons in leadership.

How would you describe MDLZ as a future forward-thinking organisation?

I feel that MDLZ is forward thinking with the offers available within the DE&I space (Ally Programmes, Boost Genda…), and not to forget the flexibility policy (extension of summer Fridays!) the efforts we make with sustainability (plastic packaging fund, UK green energy, removing plastic from products, cocoa life…), the actions we take with our brand campaigns and partnerships.

How would you describe the work culture at Mondelēz International and within your function?

Human. Colleagues are treated with care and as individuals, you are given the autonomy and flexibility to fulfil your tasks. I feel we have a strong culture at MDLZ with a focus on people but also performance, the record of which is incredibly successful helping to reinforce the positive work culture. I enjoy working with my colleagues, in fact I even enjoy not working with my colleagues and have built life-long friends that I see outside of work, playing sport, socialising even going on holiday together!

What is your favourite brand?

Cadbury Dairy Milk – too obvious?! I love the chocolate, the heritage of the brand, what it stood for and what it stands for today. Cadbury is what attracted me to work for Mondelez and is one of the brands that makes me most proud to work here today.

Can you share a few sentences about our Enterprise Leadership Program that you have taken part in?

The Enterprise Leadership Program focusses on supporting colleagues to gain the right shaping experiences - helping them develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours which will enable them as ‘Leaders of the Future’ to lead for the whole enterprise here at MDLZ. Another large focus of this program is mid-level career development. For me personally, it helped me to progress from my previous role as Brand Manager Halls & Trebor to Customer Development Manager Forecourts in the Sales Instant Consumption team.