Employee Profile

“Having travelled to many Cargill locations over the years, I have been pleasantly surprised by the common mindset of our employees regarding our shared values and high expectations of ethical behaviors.”

Having travelled to many Cargill locations over the years, I have been positively surprised by the common mindset of our employees regarding our shared values and high expectations on ethical behaviors. It creates a feeling of belonging to a fair-minded company, which strives for honest and sustainable business all over the world.

Describe your work responsibilities and the importance of your role.

As Local Controller, I am responsible for all finance related activities of the German Starches & Sweeteners Europe business. Besides accurate and timely reporting the focus lies on compliance to ensure a solid control environment is established and critical controls are in place. I am also part of the local management team, in which I play an active role helping to improve the locations’ performance and to achieve the strategic goals of our business unit.

Describe your day-to-day activities and the skills needed to perform well.

While there are a number of daily routine tasks, such as approval of a new customer’s credit limit, or review of a system’s security set up, there are plenty other demanding, yet interesting tasks that make every day at work unique. In my compliance role, I am an ambassador for the internal control framework. I raise challenging questions when reviewing investment projects, put on my helmet, glasses and shoes to verify process controls wherever they are executed. I enjoy working with my finance team and look for opportunities to assign team members to new challenges for their individual development.

Describe your career path. Where did you start and how did you get to where you are today?

I joined Cargill in 2001 as a Financial Management Trainee in the edible oil refinery in Hamburg, Germany. After the traineeship I advanced to be the Assistant Controller for some years before pursuing an international career by moving to Asia as Finance Manager for the Indonesian cocoa business. In 2007 I joined Corporate Audit in the US as Audit Consultant and later moved to Singapore as Regional Audit Representative. Since 2012 I am the Local Controller for the German Starches & Sweeteners Europe business, which includes the BUs export activities to non-EU markets.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?

At Cargill everyone can make a difference. The leadership concepts allow for participation on all levels. Whether it is a small process improvement that helps in the day to day job, or a full scale project that impacts a large part of the organization, every employee can make himself heard and has the opportunity to contribute to Cargill’s overall success

Why did you choose to join Cargill and what keeps you here? In other words, how has a career at Cargill helped you to thrive?

At the time I finished my university, I had not yet heard of Cargill, neither had anyone of my family and friends. However, the prospects of joining the Cargill traineeship, offering a diverse workplace within a global company network was very appealing to me and turned out to be just the right choice. I value the international environment, the open communication, honest feedback and good collaboration at work. The continuing diverse and challenging tasks make it hard for me to remember a day on which I would not be looking forward to go to work.

What advice would you give someone interested in a career at Cargill like yours?

Think out of the box and openly discuss your development with your manager. Cargill offers amazing career opportunities all over the globe. Do not shy away from making bold steps to spur your career. Be assured that Cargill leaders are making all efforts to find the most suitable next career steps for you, even if you may not recognize it. Stay humble along the way and learn from the feedback you receive from your manager, peers and colleagues.

Share an interesting tidbit about yourself such as hobbies, volunteerism, favorite foods or activities, accomplishments inside or outside of work.

During vacations and business trips, I always enjoy trying out the regional cuisine. At times the food can be quite exotic and I have to admit that I did not dare trying everything. At home, I enjoy cooking for my family, if time allows. The recipe is my orientation while cooking, but I greatly enjoy experimenting to invent some new variations.