Julia Sakovska
Having worked in accountancy for over ten years, I once decided that it was time for a new endeavor outside of my field. By that time I had known De Lage Landen professionally for a number of years and was intrigued by its remarkable success in building an open culture and attracting people who showed so much sincere interest in each other, as well as in their customers and suppliers. De Lage Landen’s “human touch” and focus on relationship-building were visible everywhere: I truly felt like a welcome guest at the reception desk, I was greeted by people I have never met before at many coffee corners, and I was offered help whenever I had a question. In addition, I always valued the international dimension of De Lage Landen: you can hear several languages in one day here. The company’s global presence is definitely an aspect that made De Lage Landen a unique kind of organization to someone such as myself (a naturalized Dutch citizen with an international career track record and ambition). So my action plan was very simple: approach De Lage Landen before looking elsewhere.
I first started working at De Lage Landen in a position of Manager Finance and progressed later to Vice-President Finance and Control, which is my current role. My range of responsibilities is quite broad, but what it boils down to is that my team and myself are there to ensure that the company is in control of its financial performance, while continuously challenging the business performance and providing actionable (largely financial) insights that help bring our business forward. On a day-to-day basis, I lead all of Group Finance and Control’s corporate activities and supervise a team of eleven staff members.
My first impression and my experience so far as a member of the De Lage Landen management team are pretty much consistent. Largely due to its people, De Lage Landen feels like a warm and welcome place to be, while it also allows to explore international opportunities. Working at De Lage Landen provides me with a truly global experience, as I work closely with many of my colleagues in about 35 countries where the company is represented. In addition, it is a very challenging and dynamic environment: everything is moving much, much faster than I could possibly have imagined when I just joined the organization. It is a tremendously stimulating environment to work in, as you are continuously encouraged to expand your boundaries, inspired to think creatively, motivated to learn and share knowledge and empowered to make a difference for the good of the company.
