Romy van Gils - Data Analyst - Interfood Group
We add value to our business by innovating and creating new products and services and support our colleagues in their journey to become more data driven.
Hi Romy, can you please introduce yourself?
My name is Romy van Gils and I’m 29 years old. Directly after obtaining my Masters in Finance at Tilburg University four years ago I started as a Market Analyst within the European commercial team at Interfood in Bladel. After two years I changed to the role of Data Analyst within the Global Analytics Team. The learnings from both roles now allow me to combine the obtained domain knowledge and technical expertise to translate commercial needs into analytics products and services.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I like cooking (and baking cakes even better) as well as drinking a good wine. Next to that, you will find me on the tennis courts very often (at home or close to the office), I love making outdoor walks as well as train together with my colleagues in the gym in our office in Bladel.
What was your motivation to start a job at Interfood?
During my studies I figured out I wanted to start working for an international commodity trading firm. First and foremost because I am motivated to work for a company that supplies food to the world and adds value to the entire supply chain. Next to that I aim at working in a young and ambitious environment that allows me to develop on a professional level and matches with my personal values. With that knowledge, I started looking for trading firms, already calculating to move to Rotterdam or Amsterdam. In the end, I didn’t have to make that move because I came across the company I was looking for, in Brabant, close to my home town Tilburg. This is where I want to work, at Interfood!
What is your favorite thing about Interfood?
Interfood’s purpose ‘Together for better’ is really what you experience working at Interfood every day. I work in a team that continuously wants to innovate and connects departments and offices to work on projects together, all supporting the corporate strategy and focusing on adding the most value for our stakeholders. The fact that I get to work in an environment with likeminded people that all have innovation in their DNA makes me come and leave the office with a smile every day.
About your job at Interfood, what kind of work do you do?
My work is all about creating value products and services for commercial stakeholders. I am working to build and maintain connections, focus on project alignments, consolidate ideas into new initiatives and work on projects with colleagues and external partners. It is always a pleasure to translate business ideas into technical improvements together with my team to support the strategic pillars and focus on becoming a data-driven organization.
What do you like the most about your job?
To understand what drives my main stakeholders and create value to them with new innovations is what gives me most energy. I feel we work in a culture where we can make our own decisions and take responsibility by stepping in the driver’s seat. Every day is different, making it a vibrant and dynamic working environment for all of us. But also the fact that I get to combine two roles, creating a bridge between business and technology, is what suits me perfectly. We add value to our business by innovating and creating new products and services and support our colleagues in their journey to become more data driven.
Since you're working for Interfood for more than 4 years now, what is your best memory of your time at Interfood until today?
In the last 4 years we made so many great memories, so it’s difficult to choose one of them. What I can say is that, just like it is for Interfood, sportiness and healthiness is very important to me. Therefore, organizing our tennis tournament is one of the great memories I have. In the end, enjoying our well-organized social and sport events is great, but being passionate about my job is the most valuable in my opinion. That’s what gives me energy and what makes me thrive both in my professional and personal life.
What can you tell about the culture and atmosphere at our office in Bladel?
As mentioned before, our purpose ‘Together for better’. This is what drives our culture and atmosphere in Bladel, but also at our offices around the world. We work together on all different topics and like to help each other, in good and bad days. With a very diverse team with different nationalities, languages and personalities, all with the same goal, we innovate to continuously improve our products and services.
Can you explain why data and analytics are so important for Interfood and the industry?
The industry has access to a lot of data. If you don’t know how to convert data into actionable insights and products, you’re still not utilizing the power of data at hand. We get many questions about how to collect, store, transform and consume the data? Making data and analytics work for us is very important as it allows us to serve the needs of our business stakeholders and get the best business value out. It enables us and the industry to make better informed decisions and to improve processes and efficiency. Improved decision making and processes lead to better results and bring a competitive advantage. Data and analytics is huge and has continuous learning in it. For us the most important thing is to create, change and adopt innovative products and services that add value to our business.
What would you say to potential Interfood team members?
I am very happy and proud to work for Interfood and that feeling has only been growing over the last four years. Interfood is an employer that takes great care of its employees. From the healthy and social culture, with sport events, a gym and a daily fantastic lunch, to many opportunities to develop yourself and a flat hierarchy where you have the opportunity to shine. A great employer and a world class team! Are you ready?
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