Do you have a favorite memory from your time at Bekaert?
When I was responsible for innovation, we took part in the “FastForward” initiative - a highly interactive business competition based on the capital venture market way of working. The objective was to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship within Bekaert. We wanted to gather ideas and transform the best ones into real business plans. The competition took three months and at the end, the five highest-ranked ventures had the opportunity to present their idea to Executive Management. The three winners received a monetary reward and the opportunity to turn their idea into a business success. The whole initiative injected a lot of positive energy, brought people together, and ultimately unveiled some excellent business ideas.
How do you stay motivated to successfully overcome obstacles to keep progressing with your goals?
Not all days are “a good day at the office.” The global challenges that affect our industry sometimes bring unexpected or unfavorable disruptions that seem difficult to overcome at first. But, the high level of agility and out-of-the box thinking of my team, together with the trust and support of our leadership, encourages us to go the extra mile. I strongly believe in a culture of high performing teams as a key to success, as it tightens the link between strategic objectives and day-to-day actions. Our leaders and employees are empowered to drive performance to expected results with clear business goals, responsibilities, and a trusting environment, so we can keep growing individually and as a team.
How has Bekaert helped you gain new knowledge and skills that you use to develop your career and perform better in your role?
Professional development and commitment to its employees have always been a priority at Bekaert. The company provides training of all kinds, from getting familiar with the organization, products, and technologies when onboarding, to developing a wide range of hard and soft skills. Bekaert has very strong internal trainers and coaches and leverages senior managers for one-on-one mentoring. External providers can also jump in when specific expertise is required. Throughout my career, I have had the pleasure to be trained on several topics. I particularly enjoyed a tailor-made mentoring program with both internal and external coaches when taking a new career step. I recently took part in a very intense but excellent external training in negotiation skills. Never too old to learn!
