MEET PHUONG - NATIONAL SALES LEAD TRADITIONAL TRADE VIETNAM

Friday, August 26, 2022

Shifting gears from Modern Trade to Traditional Trade Leader

When you are fully committed to what you do, you will know what you are the best at – do everything with passion, hold yourself to the highest standards, and always be open to learning & enhancing your skills every day.

Why did you choose to work in Mondelēz Kinh Do Vietnam?

I previously had ten years of experience leading the Modern Trade channel for a British multinational company where most processes and systems are established and stable. That’s when, I wanted to challenge myself more and hence I made the decision to look for a new job opportunity in an organization that is more dynamic and offers more space for innovation. After thoughtful consideration, I decided to join Mondelez Kinh Do which provides me great satisfaction in terms of career goals and new opportunities.

What does a typical day in the life of a Sales Leader at Vietnam look like?

I am responsible for developing our distributor network, managing a team of more than 1300 Sales folks, and establishing the strategic direction for traditional trade channels across Vietnam aligned to our strategic goals. My working day consists of a variety of activities, but the following three are the most crucial. The first involves a series of meetings with my sales team, key accounts, and other functions. The second is to directly visit our TT channel which helps me learn the actual market, how our strategy is executed, and listen to our consumers' feedback. The final task is to plan and strategize for two major seasons which are the Vietnamese Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival. The strategic plan is often created six months in advance, so at the end of this one season, we must simultaneously work on another plan for the next season.

What do you love about working at Mondelēz Kinh Do?

MDLZ recognizes the accomplishments of our colleagues. One of our values is to grow every day, which opens new possibilities for our colleagues, gives room for innovative ideas, and allows us to speak up. Moreover, the total rewards given by MDLZ is aligned to our employees’ needs as well as the skills that we bring to the table. More importantly, we take care of our people. During the COVID-19 surge – no one was be left behind, we are “stronger together.”

MDLZ also puts our consumers at the heart of what we do – from planning to execution, to deliver the right products, at the right moment, made the right way. We always choose agility over perfection – being flexible to adapt on ever-changing consumer needs. This would mean building internal teams’ capability to boost the future of our organization. Fortunately for Mondelēz Kinh Do, our Country Leadership Team is committed to providing mentorship and guidance to our colleagues. I personally believe that attractive offers and rewards can make a company stand out. But beyond that, the culture here in MDLZ is what makes me grateful and committed to grow every day.

What is your memorable moment so far being part of #TeamMDLZ?

My two most memorable experiences during my seven years working at Mondelez Kinh Do were:

Resignation in my first 2 months It was not always easy at the beginning. Our former director back then told me this, and this is what kept me going until now: "If you quit right now, it only proves that what others are saying about you is true. But if you decide to stay here in order to prove that your ideas work, then that is the difference that no one can ever deny."

From Modern Trade to Traditional Trade with “Zero Experience” After four years, I was able to successfully establish our modern trade business in Vietnam and this has led my movement to Traditional Trade. It was a tough decision because my experience was mainly in the modern trade channel until then, I would have to move to a completely different space. There was a lot of hesitation and “what ifs” back then, but this did not stop me. The last three years as a Traditional Trade Leader in Vietnam, with all the ups and downs has been a wonderful journey thus far – I am now confident that my decision to take a chance in this role was right. Our team has been performing very well and even reached the best business growth and outcomes ever in Vietnam.

What advice would you give to someone joining MDLZ?

"Never give up" attitude Be persistent in what you do; being a pioneer is challenging, but if you continue to go forward, the outcomes will speak for your commitment. Even if you fail, pick up the lessons that you can get from this long journey.

“Whatever you do, do it with all your heart” When you are fully committed to what you do, you will know what you are best at – do everything with passion, hold yourself to the highest standards, and always be open to learning & enhancing your skills every day.