Spotlight on…

Congratulations on your new role. Tell us how it came about and what it entails.

I was in a UK Marketing strategy/innovation role, working closely with the Emerging Energy team when Richard (Plows) announced his retirement, and I was asked if I would be interested. I was sad to leave the Emerging Energy space, it’s an exciting area, but it was too good an opportunity to turn down. In a full-circle moment I’d actually identified the role as my ‘dream’ job when I joined Phillips 66 in 2016 as part of the Supply team. And I was told that I had got the job on my birthday!

My role is Supply Manager for UK Marketing. Our job (we’re a team of 11) is, in essence, to get the right product to the right place at the right time. There are two broad elements to Supply: the operations side, overseeing the movement of billions of litres of fuel annually – by ship, train, pipeline, and truck, from the Humber Refinery to a couple of dozen terminals and hundreds of sites around the UK. And then there’s the commercial side – buying and selling products with other suppliers and managing our storage and transportation deals. There’s a real breadth to what the team does. It’s full on!

What is it about the role that most attracted you to it?

I’ve always loved working in Supply because you’re right in the middle of the action. We connect our Wholesale and Retail businesses with Humber, our Commercial team in London, and other suppliers around the UK. It gives you the perfect vantage point to see how everything fits together and understand the value chain. There’s a big expectation to deliver for our customers – it’s fast-paced and the stakes are high. And Supply has kept pulling me back (this is my fourth role and third stint in the team) – we’re obviously meant to be!

What do you foresee as the primary challenges?

Becoming a supervisor again. I have some team members who are very experienced, and others who are early in their career and have recently joined the team. We have a grad, which I love, because I was that grad once. I know how important it is to have a good manager, and the impact that can have on your career and your enjoyment in the role – and that can be a bit scary! I feel like I have big shoes to fill because Richard was a great manager and a great mentor to me – and had a huge impact on my career. I know how important it is to get the team leadership bit right. Richard championed me and gave me opportunities – and I want to pass that forward so that others can have the same experience and opportunities.

Talk to us a little about the importance of relationships within Supply.

We are selling a commoditised product – so how do we differentiate ourselves? It’s about relationships and the customer experience. Yes, price and reliability of supply are factors, but having someone at the end of the phone who’s invested in your business is also a key factor. That customer-first culture can’t just exist amongst our Account Managers. It has to transcend the entire business, and everyone, including Supply, has a sense of ownership over those relationships.

You’ve just been on parental leave – tell us a little about that.

At Phillips 66 Limited we have a really great policy where you are entitled to take up to 4 weeks of parental leave each year until your child is 18. It is unpaid – but still something really great. So, I took it, and it was an amazing time. Honestly, I couldn’t believe how much I learnt about my son – having that concentrated time was so special and we bonded in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without that leave. The three of us hanging out. Really special.