I had been travelling after graduating in finance and economics from university, and wanted to come back home to Northern Ireland, so I applied to study web technology, which was quite a progressive programme at the time. Part of that course involved a business secondment with Kingspan. I went through the whole interview process and my placement was in, what was then, the Environmental division.

The work was very varied, involving IT projects, internal communications and CRM implementation. After 6 months my contract was up, but the division was doing well, and they wanted to bring new blood into the business. And essentially, I secured a role doing more of the same and working closer with the commercial teams. That was in 2003, and my career has continued to grow and evolve ever since.

At the time the division was growing but didn’t yet have a mature marketing strategy. There was a big rebrand underway and the Marketing Director needed support, so I took up a role as Marketing Co-ordinator. I had no real experience, but I did have good common sense and a willingness to learn new things. I started off with responsibility for one product range and brand, then multiple products and brands in different regions. I became Marketing Manager, Head of Marketing, and eventually reached my current role as Divisional Marketing Director for Light, Air + Water. I have been lucky to have experienced so many different product sets, projects and global exposure.

I learnt most of my marketing experience on the job, putting myself through the Chartered Institute of Marketing to qualify what I was practising, and I was fully supported in doing that. I also took part in Kingspan’s PEAK programme for potential leaders, which was a life and career changing experience. It highlighted something remarkable to me – I thought I was simply doing my job, but it showed me how I could help to shape the direction the company was going in, the strategic influence and leadership I was able to provide without even realising it. More recently, participating in INSEAD Business School has further broadened my horizons and strengthened my approach to leadership.

I honestly couldn’t describe a typical day – the variety is what has kept me inspired for so many years. My role spans everything from driving brand awareness and supporting commercial growth initiatives to leading digital transformation projects and employee engagement programmes. There is always a wide range of strategic priorities in motion, from sustainability initiatives such as Planet Passionate to helping the business embrace new technologies and ways of working. However, the most rewarding part of the role is working with my team and colleagues across the business. Building strong relationships, developing people and bringing others with you on the journey is essential to delivering lasting success.

There have been so many highlights that it is difficult to choose just one. I can still look back on projects from my early career with a great sense of pride, seeing how well they were executed and the results they achieved. As my role has evolved, my focus has become much broader, centred on people, leadership and helping to shape the direction of the business. The greatest reward is seeing a team come together around a common goal, working through challenges, supporting one another and ultimately succeeding. There is always a real buzz when people are thriving, growing in confidence and delivering something exceptional together.

“You’re only as good as the team around you.” That advice has stayed with me throughout my career. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of building strong teams, communicating openly, ensuring everyone is aligned and celebrating successes together. It’s not just about your immediate team either. Success comes from working closely with colleagues across the wider business, whether that’s IT, technical, commercial, operations or senior leadership teams. Leading change, delivering projects and achieving business goals all depend on bringing people with you.

You just have to look at one of our recent hashtags – Better buildings for a better world. These aren’t just empty words, they are what Kingspan does, in its own practice and with its products. Global climate change is the most pressing issue of our time, and water is one of the resources that is most impacted. I am proud to be working for a company of great integrity, developing innovations to help overcome some of these challenges.

Not being afraid to try new things, being ambitious and maintaining a spirit of positivity. Don’t forget that all important teamwork, and if you work hard, you will have your chance to make your mark. There are a lot of very talented, very long serving employees in this company, and that alone speaks volumes. This is a plc, with entrepreneurial flair, that is run like a family business. The leadership style in Kingspan is something that we should bottle – it is utterly unique to have that entrepreneurial spirit in a large corporation, but still be able to maintain the feel of a family business.