Hengelo, Overijssel, Netherlands
Working in finance means I have the opportunity to connect numbers with operational performance and strategic goals. This motivates me in my work as Business Controller to get to know the company I'm working for and contribute to its performance by providing, sharing and discussing financial performance. Over the years I've gained experience in different sized companies, in different industries and with different challenges. My work is characterized by an accurate and ordered approach, with great eye for improving overall (business) processes. I am open towards colleagues in all departments, to become part of the company and to improve not only the financial department, but also to contribute to the general company goals.
During the time I started to work for Staff Capital, the role of Business Controller had to be developed. Over the years we managed to become more and more a business partner for the operational and sales departments and the management team. When I entered the company, the team was finalizing the implementation of a new financial system. Because of a temporary leave of a colleague, I took chance to further optimize this and run the controlling processes during this time. The next year, a whole new operational and financial system was implemented. During this project, I was responsible to roll out a new BI tool to access and present management information. After the project had finished, I became manager of the bookkeeping and financial control departments.
As Controller at SCHURTER Electronics B.V. I have been able to broaden my scope within Finance, as well extending my scope to other topics like IT, insurances and contracts. Because of the size of the company this role allows me to get more in depth involved in financial topics and to have a dotted line responsibility of two financial colleagues. As important I find it very interesting to develop myself in another industry, to be working in a manufacturing company. This broadens my expertise. At the same time I also joined to Management Team meetings which allowed me to be also involved on a strategic level.
In the Airfreight Hard Cargo division I rapidly developed myself to become Business Controller for this business unit. This meant that I soon became solely responsible as Controller for the department. Here, together with the dynamic business, we managed to significantly reduce outstanding financial risk, working on sustainable business growth together with the department managers. Because of the good development of the Airfreight department, later on I also became responsible for the Seafreight department. This on the one hand gives the challenge to cooperate with different business dynamics at the same time, and on the other hand allows me to gain overall Business Unit efficiencies.
Following on my traineeship at Kuehne + Nagel, my next step within the company became Junior Controller. First I merged all different Overhead divisions into one Controlling unit in order to get benefits from more aligned processes. Whereas this gave me possibility to gain efficiency advantages for the company, I also learned a lot from getting in touch with the Overhead managers. This enabled me to actively interact and discuss with the department managers to improve their financial setup and information systems as well. Later on I moved to our Contract Logistics business unit FMCG - Fast Moving Consumer Goods. This complex unit has to deal with lots of different sites, lots of processes and hence complex structures. Within my time here I managed to improve multiple financial processes significantly, even extending to the entire company. At this time I also became responsible for our FMCG site Tiel. This way I got in touch with "real business", where the money is being made - trying to assist the site manager, to improve his financial performance, get into interesting discussions and also learn from them. After six months I made the step towards the Airfreight Hard Cargo division, where I grew into the position of Business Controller.
From 1890 onwards Kuehne + Nagel offers a broad variety of logistic solutions, including Seafreight, Airfreight, Overland, Contract & Integrated Logistics. Kuehne + Nagel is located in over 100 countries and hence is a highly dynamic company offering various challenges and opportunities in multiple business fields, including Finance. As Finance Trainee, first I got insights and work experience in the Financial Accounting, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable processes, which also made me familiar with K+N policies and systems. These experiences were useful to shift my work more and more towards Controlling tasks. Whereas this started with mainly reporting tasks, supporting the National Controller, it later on also involved Junior Controlling tasks within Overhead and certain mid-term projects. This traineeship gave me all the basic knowledge and experience to succesfully make the next step towards Junior Controller.
Young Kuehne + Nagel offers young professionals within Kuehne + Nagel opportunities to network and develop themselves within and outside the company. Multiple times a year we arrange interesting excursions within Kuehne + Nagel sites but also at client's locations or business related companies. Also networking and pro-active projects within the company are being offered to our members. All aims to give them the opportunity to develop themselves in different ways than in their daily job. It gives them possibilities to meet colleagues from other divisions, see what they are doing, or to get in touch with more senior management colleagues. As Treasurer I both keep tracking the financial positions of Young Kuehne + Nagel, including to make sure we follow the K+N financial procedures, as well as that I actively contribute to the "way forward" of Young K+N. This expresses itself in being an active participant in the board meetings, as well as assisting the team in organizing the different events whenever needed.