Freya has spent the past year at Hellmann dedicated to improving the company’s operations and maximizing efficiency. With a deep understanding of the intricacies of supply chain management and a keen eye for detail, she leads the Newark branch in the US and is excited to share her expertise. 

Hi Freya, you started at Hellmann 1 year ago. Tell us about your background and how you found your way to Hellmann.

After I finished high school, I went on a one-year trip to Australia and, funny enough, I saw a Hamburg Sud Container in a small town, and I got a little homesick. I grew up in the Hamburg metropolitan area and spent a lot of summers at the Elbe River seeing all the big container vessels passing by. I thought: If this container made it here to the end of the world -from a European perspective- and reminds me of home, I want to do something that has to do with it getting here. That is why I started my career in Freight Forwarding as an apprentice in 2010. After that, I worked in customer service handling ocean freight for special commodities and later became an account manager in the same department. As if work wasn’t busy enough, I decided to get my bachelor’s degree in economics and management on “the side”. I knew this education was necessary to increase my chances for a position abroad which was a life goal of mine. In 2018, the opportunity finally came to move to the US where I took on an Ocean Supervisor role in New Jersey. Early last year, I joined Hellmann and I am now the Newark Branch Manager.

What are your main responsibilities in your role?

Budget, GP, revenue, KPIs, and productivity are key responsibilities but there is so much more than that. Being a good listener, mentor, communicator, coach or just cheering everyone up after a long day are important responsibilities as well. All in all, I am only as good as my team which is why I partially consider myself a service provider to them. I do whatever I can so they can excel in their job because if the team can excel, the rest comes naturally.

Why Hellmann? 

Being a German native, of course, there is a synergy. Also, I knew quite a few people that were, and still are, at Hellmann who spoke highly about the company. At Hellmann, no day is like the other. The diversity of the industry, the people in it, the international interactions, and the impact we have in everyone’s life by moving freight of all kinds from A-Z is incredible. I am fascinated by what we do and accomplish every day and I take pride in it. I get excited when I see container terminals, container ships, and even planes (the Beluga in particular)! Being able to work with what excites me is by far my favorite part of the job. Our industry is a people business and working at Hellmann has underlined again the importance of that. Our Corporate DNA says it right out: First, People First and this is what I experienced here from the minute I joined. I have been at Hellmann for less than a year, yet it feels like I have been a part of the F.A.M.I.L.Y all along. 

How has working at Hellmann helped you develop professionally and personally?

I have learned so much since I joined Hellmann. My background is 80% ocean freight so getting involved in all our other products has helped me get a better understanding of our industry. As our industry evolves and a lot has changed – especially since Covid - this was big for me. With the great network we have and everyone being open-minded and welcoming this has been an amazing experience. I was also able to participate in the Hellmann Let’s Lead Program which focuses on leadership skills and how to adapt these to our day-to-day life, not just on a professional level, so that is another big win that I am grateful for. 

What are your main objectives at your branch for the new year?

Besides continuing to be a contributor to the success of the US Organization and keeping all stakeholders happy, a major goal is to grow the business and with that, the team. We are an amazing group in Newark, and I am excited to see what else we are capable of. We have so much potential as a branch and I have no doubts we can accomplish many things and have fun while doing so.

What do you do for fun?

I love the outdoors, be it the beach no matter the season, the woods for a good hike, or strolling the streets of New York City. I like to travel, so on this year’s agenda, I will go to South America and practice my Spanish. Besides that, I like to spend time with family and friends, with most of them being overseas, I value the connections I have here in the US a lot. Whenever I have visitors, I like to show them my new home because New York City is like a big playground I have in front of my doorstep, so it never gets boring, and I enjoy that a lot. 

Thank you for your time, Freya!