Women in logistics

“Raised in a loving family with one older brother I was very protected but also encouraged during my youth. As the roots of my family lay in shipping it was logical that I studied Maritime logistics at school, later I graduated in Languages-Management because I felt the need to broaden my horizon. After my studies I started working for a bank but very soon changed to the logistics sector. In my first job as a forwarder I started with documentation, then advanced to orders for transports and customs and bookings and even later on with sales. At that time, we got some more room to grow I think, but you did need to invest personnel time and effort to move up. In my opinion, then but also now, that is the way to grow, get the change but also take it and work hard for it.

I then changed to a smaller company where a client apparently had given good feedback on my services. As of then I taught myself, sometimes the hard way, to complete files from A to Z with containers, LCL, RORO and break-bulk. As Belgium is only a small geographic country I worked for foreign clients and I actually liked this because the use of other languages makes the job even more international. What I also learned is that good knowledge of the job is important, however for forwarders it is also very important to know the right connections. After all, we are a service team and we need to treat our customers and suppliers the way you want them to treat you. I became a steady value in the company and handled my own accounts but also was involved with the attaining of ISO qualifications and new licenses and of course the growth of the company.

Two years ago, I started the Belgian Office of the Maurice Ward Group, I was very honored with the chance given and looked forward to this new step in my career. I already knew the group because I had worked for some offices but the full knowledge of how the Group operates and the magnitude and way of thinking came only after my visit of the head office in Prague and the office in Lyon. I now run the Belgian office the way I learned and truly believe the right way to work is with respect, professionalism, confidence and courage, as these are my 4 keywords.

COVID breaking out only 3 months after my start of course was not how I expected it, but we have not stopped growing and the work has not stopped increasing. It is nice to see that what I imagined would work, also indeed works. The only difficulty that I did not foresee, is finding personnel. I hear from other Belgian companies, but also from other MW offices, that we are not the only office facing this difficulty. Still, I am proud to be the head of the office in a European group and of a hardworking, positive team”.