How did it start Louise….
I joined Williams in 2018, working in Supply Chain focusing on improvements from supplier service levels through to warehouse efficiencies. The Business had recently made a series of acquisitions so part of my role was to start looking at a project to reconfigure the warehouse to allow for future capacity and scale.
How’s it going now Louise….
Moving to the medical industry from the fast pace of FMCG in Fashion and Beauty I had a steep learning curve in terms of understanding the customer and the products. We had a successful year improving processes and customer service throughout the Supply Chain and quickly moved into Project mode with an intense programme to reconfigure the warehouse. Within my career I have been part of several projects to relocate/build and reconfigure warehouses but I hadn’t experienced anything that could prepare me for a Pandemic just before our go-live and stock move!
Fast forward through COVID and the warehouse now has the ability to scale for 3* growth and is fully automated and more efficient. I am also now responsible for the Procurement team and Corporate Accounts team and part of the SAP ERP Programme due to go live this year. Taking on additional responsibilities has allowed me to develop my skills and Leadership style whilst getting closer to the customer and fully understanding the end to end Business processes.
Finally what does the future look like Louise….
My career to date has been centred in Supply Chain and Commercial, but taking part in the DCC Leadership Programme — back when DCC was our parent company — gave me the opportunity to lead on our business strategy and support other departments across the organisation. My development plan is now focussed on leading the Business Unit, gaining more experience in Sales and ultimately aspiring to step up into the role of Managing Director.
