Andy Wells

University of Southampton - Mechanical Engineering

I recall being impressed I was assigned to a real job from day one .... as a "contact engineer" trouble-shooting day-to-day issues on the Refinery Distillation Units. I had lots of questions and found my colleagues very helpful and willing to contribute their time in helping me to become established.

In the next 12 years, I worked in almost all departments at the Refinery moving to a new role every 2 years on average. I enjoyed all my roles but I think the highlight of my time at Fawley was the Shift Site Manager's job. It was my job to lead the site, on-shift including evenings and weekends, and deal with whatever came up ...... and it usually did! There was none looking over your shoulder, you were it ................. felt like a big responsibility.

I left the Refinery some 10 years ago when I was asked to take a special assignment to assist the whole UK company get even better at Operational Safety. I went from having 160 people in my department and a multi-million pound budget to a small desk in Head Office - It was different ... it allowed me to spend time with all the UK businesses as well as surveying what other companies were doing to improve the common goal of workplace safety.

Since then I have worked in Planning, Research and currently I a member of the leadership team for the Global Aviation Business.

As the Manager of Global Customer Services, my engineering roots seem a long way behind ... but many of the concepts remain valid. It is about leading people ... in this job a truly international "family"; at least that is how it feels to me.

A day in my life....

My day starts with calls to Asia in their afternoon. My Regional Manager is based in Singapore but also has people in Melbourne and Tokyo. I check-in with him to see how things are going. Then, after dealing with overnight emails, most of my middle day is spent interacting with the Europe, Africa & Middle East team based in my office in Leatherhead. Early afternoon, America awakes and the balance of the day is spent with my team in the Americas.

This job has allowed me to experience the world ... or a lot of it. I travel one week in 3, to Asia or America. I got to know folk from all over the world ... which is great.

When I am not travelling, I try to get away by 5pm most days ... work/life balance is important after all.