Chris, Associate Brand Manager

1. What's your background? What subjects did you study, and where?

I graduated from the College of William & Mary inWilliamsburg, VA with a BA in French and Marketing. I also graduatedfrom the College's Mason School of Business with my MBA degree in brandmanagement and entrepreneurship.

2. Can you give us a quick snapshot of your career so far?

From entrepreneur right up to working for large corporations,including Reckitt Benckiser, with a focus in marketing, I'd have to saythat the term 'bathroom' most effectively sums up my career thus far. Toelaborate, I worked several years in marketing for my family's plumbingsupply business, have just completed a year at Reckitt Benckiser inbrand management for Lysol® brand toilet bowl and bathroom cleaners andam now managing the RID-X® brand septic tank treatment products. I canalso fix your toilet if you have ever any issues, so don't hesitate togive me a call.

3. What do you think is the single thing that has driven yourcareer? What made you choose your professional specialism, and what madeyou choose FMCG?

I believe it has been my entrepreneurial energy which has drivenmy career so far. In every new project or role, I always strive tobring lots of fresh perspective and new ideas to the table. I'm notafraid to question what we currently do and am always looking to see ifthere are opportunities to do things even better or more efficiently.The FMCG industry and Reckitt Benckiser specifically, take fulladvantage of your energy and give you an endless outlet for it.

4. What do you love about working in FMCG?

I love the fact that I am essentially an entrepreneur andgeneral manager for my own brand; experiencing the business from everyfunctional perspective, bringing them altogether into one sound strategyand execution, as well as injecting my own creativity in the mix. It's agreat environment if you like to be busy, not much time to wallow inresearch and exploration – a definite go-do philosophy means things areforever happening and forever changing.

5. What opportunities have you had in terms of career progression and achievement?

I have both sought out and been given leadership and achievementopportunities that have pushed me to improve my skills and add to myexperience. Reckitt Benckiser is a leader in stretching your naturalstrengths and abilities via cross- functional team leadership roles andgetting you involved in company-wide initiatives. If you are seen to dowell, you will be rewarded but you are in charge of your own destinyhere. From grasping opportunities as they arise to planning out your ownlonger term career path, it's really in your own hands.

6. What one thing do you think FMCG has given you (in terms of your career) that you wouldn't have had in a different sector?

Some people consider brand management as just a facet ofmarketing, which of course it is. However, brand management is alsogeneral management – pushing you to become versed and competent in allareas of business, including finance, supply, sales, advertising andmore. If I wasn't in the FMCG industry, but was simply in a marketingrole in another industry, I would not have the sound all-round businessexperience and knowledge that I have today. To me, that means I wouldnot have the same solid understanding about how all the functional areaswithin the organisation must operate together for the organisation tosucceed.

7. How fast has your career moved? Do you think it's easy to progress quickly and easily in your field?

If you work hard and constantly seek ways to go above and beyondyour role by contributing ideas and efforts to otherteams/projects/initiatives, you can move quite quickly. ReckittBenckiser also rewards its team members with more rapid careerprogression in exchange for hard work and achievement. I am proud andhonored to have already been promoted within my first year in theorganisation and look forward to a long, enriching career here.

8. What kind of person do you think will succeed in the FMCG industry? Do you think being driven and ambitious is important?

To succeed in this industry, you must be very ambitious andself- driven. You must also be creative and open to looking atsituations from different perspectives or you will miss opportunities.It's not for procrastinators. You've got to think quickly on your feetand be prepared to make things happen. I think that's why my previousexperience has helped me to settle here in such a short period of time.

9. What do you see as the biggest challenge facing FMCG in the future – for your business area and for FMCG as a whole?

There are a number of challenges that the industry of FMCGbrands face, including increasing pressure from private labels, a pushfor more environmental responsibility and the constant pressure toproduce things quicker and cheaper than we have before. However, onething that the marketers and brand managers behind the FMCG brands mustdo is to stay relevant to consumers and find new ways to connect withtheir consumers as they move away from traditional media sources. It'sthose FMCG companies that stay current and are flexible enough torespond quickly to these changes that will have the brands that survivein the future.

10. What single thing would you say to persuade someone to consider a career in FMCG?

If you want a career that will take you for all you're worth and make you the better for it, then FMCG is the industry for you.

11. Isn't it more of a challenge to build brands for biggerticket items, like luxury cars or sportswear? Why would I want to workon FMCG brands?

To me, it's not a question of which one is more challenging, butmore a question of which one requires more creativity. FMCG brandsrepresent low cost, low involvement products, which makes it an easierpurchase decision for consumers. This means the brand itself has to bethat much stronger, so Marketing has to work that much harder and bethat much quicker in order to either keep loyalty or break through andgrab attention and business. That's the challenge!

If you are interested in finding out more about a career at Reckitt Benckiser, please visit their website or read their employee blogs.