We’re AB InBev, brewer of some of the world’s best beers, like Stella Artois, Corona and our American brand Budweiser. Read on to hear from one of our very own MVP’s Joanna.
Introduce yourself, your career at AB InBev, your current role and your responsibilities.
My name is Joanna, and I am an MVP (Market Visionaries Programme) trainee working as a Wholesale Account Manager in the North of London. I also cover the south coast so anything from Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Southampton, and South West London as well. My role entails a mixture of account management and targeting new business. It’s a very exciting and exhilarating role that involves building and maintaining relationships with your customers. I like to describe it as making friends but within a working environment.
Since joining AB InBev what has been one of the biggest challenges you have faced?
You have to keep yourself motivated, as you work independently, without lots of meetings or the buzz of an office. In our role, you work from your own energy, and learn to be resilient, develop your communication skills and take ownership of your own day and routine.
Alongside your daily role, have you taken on any additional projects?
Taking on projects is something that is really encouraged within the company, as owners, we are always encouraged to take an opportunity and run with it!
For example, together with another MVP, Anna, we took on a project that was based on safety at work as lockdown in the UK lifted. After a year of restricted interactions, we wanted to help empower our colleagues to feel safe and secure in their working environment, especially for those who are out and about all day meeting customers in trade.
We saw an opportunity to help make sure teams had the tools to feel confident when going out to work. We worked alongside the People Team (Human Resources) on this project and got guest speakers in to present to different business functions about how we can keep ourselves safe at work and in our personal lives too. It was great to be a part of this!
What are your thoughts on being on the MVP programme and why should future graduates choose AB InBev?
The benefits of the graduate programme are that you genuinely meet so many like-minded people. I know that’s quite a cliché thing to say, but I have honestly never been in a working environment before where I have absolutely loved everybody. Everyone is so supportive and friendly and great to talk to. That was something that immediately stood out to me when I started on this programme. The graduate scheme itself was impacted due to COVID but, in normal circumstances, there is a lot of opportunity for travel and networking.
If you aren’t someone that has an extensive knowledge of beer or the drinks industry you don’t need to worry. You just need the passion to succeed and you can learn on-the-job, with support from the company too. Whether that’s through tasting sessions, online courses or visiting the breweries, you will pick it up so quickly.
Any advice you would give to future graduates?
My advice would be to be ready to take on any challenge, whether moving locations or taking on a project that makes you feel a bit out of your depth. There is a lot of flexibility at this Company, and you have to make things your own, take that opportunity or project and make it excellent, and leave a legacy within your role. Just embrace the challenge and run with it!