Ole, welcome to Hellmann California! Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?

Ole Heiken: Logistics was actually my second choice for careers, I originally wanted to become a pilot and completed school in Germany aiming to join a large airline. However, due to the financial crisis from 2009, there was a hiring freeze, and they asked me to reapply in two years. To fill the gap, I found my way into logistics. I did some internships and then started an apprenticeship at a well-known freight forwarder in Hamburg. Later, I pursued a bachelor's in logistics at Bremen University. Wanting to make a bigger impact, I joined a medium-sized company in Hamburg as an assistant to the general manager. In 2019, I then set up my own e-commerce department in the group of companies and gained experience in personnel management and profit & loss responsibility. At the same time, I successfully completed my MBA in business administration in Leadership and Supply Chain Management while continuing to work full time. These were stressful but also great years. My two main goals at that time were to lead a team and move abroad.

What drove your desire to move abroad?

Ole Heiken: Spending seven years in Dubai during my childhood very much influenced me. So, from a very early age, I had a strong desire to move abroad one day. This is also one of the reasons why I decided to join international logistics and freight forwarding, as the business is exciting and worldwide. Hellmann, with its global presence, caught my attention and was my first choice for the next step in my career.

What was your initial impression of Hellmann California, and how has it evolved over the past year?

Ole Heiken: My first impression was that it was challenging but exciting. Over the past year, I've seen a lot of positive changes and progress, especially in branch management and process improvements. There's still much more to do, which keeps things interesting for me. We have a well-experienced team with long-term employees who know the business and our customers well. Our locations, which recently underwent renovations, are close to our customer base and represent us well. 

How do you support work-life balance for your team?

Ole Heiken: We have a hybrid setup allowing flexibility. We also renovated our office recently, so we decluttered and reorganized, moved all operations to one floor, and created common areas, including a kids' room and a biergarten setup to add a German touch. The “Hellmann Junior Room” serves as an emergency space for parents to bring their children when needed. Overall, as the renovations were a huge team effort, it has improved our employee morale tremendously.

What sustainability efforts are in place at the branch?

Ole Heiken: We're 100% paperless and have eliminated single-use items by providing reusable cutlery and dishes. There's always more we can do, but these steps are a good start.

Wonderful. What has been your favorite part of the job so far?

Ole Heiken: The freedom to make decisions and drive change. It's all about teamwork, and I appreciate our great team structure and their willingness to push forward and embrace new challenges.

Finally, are there any fun facts you'd like to share with the audience?

Ole Heiken: Before logistics, I also considered becoming a sea captain. I even spent three months on a container vessel with Hapag-Lloyd, which gave me great insight into logistics!

Thank you, Ole for sharing your story. It's been fascinating to hear about your journey and your vision for Hellmann California!