Kevin O'Leary, EMEA Regional Implementation Leader, Procter & Gamble, Weybridge

Name Kevin O'Leary
Job Regional Implementation Leader
Employer Procter & Gamble, Weybridge
Education Bachelor of Commerce, Banking and Finance, University College Dublin (2004), MBS, Project Management, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Dublin (2007)

After working for a bank for a year I decided that it wasn’t my cup of tea, so I went back to college and did an MBS in project management.

While back at college I heard about Procter & Gamble. The Information and Decision arm of the company (for which I now work) was recruiting for their 'Business Challenge' – a week-long graduate assessment course in Brussels. I applied and got one of two places available to UK/Ireland students. It was a tough, intensive week, but at the end of it I was offered a full-time job in London. Although moving to a new country can be daunting, the company provided plenty of support and help with settling in.

My department is essentially a mesh of business and technology. I work in Supply Planning and project manage teams involved in implementing new or integrating other systems within our manufacturing plants across Europe. I manage a team of four or five people on each project, from business experts and technical experts to end users at the plant.

On a daily basis I have meetings with project stakeholders, the project board and my teams. Projects can last from seven months to a year and depending on which plants I'm working on I'll travel quite a lot. I’m based in the UK office but right now I’m working on two plants in Ireland, I've just finished a project in Romania and I’m about to start work on one in Pakistan.

Tips for graduates

When you start your first job, get in there, get your hands dirty and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Never underestimate the power of networking with colleagues to further the brand that is you!