Meet Tommaso Origo – the wannabe jet pilot who spread his wings from Europe to Asia
As a young boy, he had ambitions to take to the skies and, while his career took a different route, his ambition to combine work and travel took off.Having spent over a decade specializing in Purchasing and Supply Chain with Electrolux and Electrolux Professional, Origo is now General Manager at the Crathco Plant in Thailand that produces a range of products in Professional’s beverage portfolio.
Your career started at Electrolux in Italy 2009 as Supply Chain Manager – then you moved on to Professional in 2012 – how did that come about?
I was given the chance to collaborate with Professional and it was a wow moment! After three years gaining valuable experience in the household appliance business, I was looking for something new that covered an impressive product portfolio. The connection between the professional and domestic appliance world is very active but I’ve always considered the Professional like the Formula One of appliances. Innovation is often carried out in B2B and then transferred to household applications to become a unique selling point, like cooking with steam, for example.
With Electrolux Professional, I have also had the opportunity to work internationally.
Speaking of which, having the opportunity to travel – even relocate – was always front of mind for you, right?
Yes! I grew up in a small village – not far from Professional’s Italian HQ in Pordenone so given that I had the ambition to travel – and dreams of being a jet pilot as a young boy – it seems strange that I first ended up working for a company very close to home.
However, it gave me the opportunity to travel and I spent time in Sweden, France and Switzerland before I got the chance to move to Thailand in 2017, with the responsibility of Supply Chain for the APAC region and Global Raw Material management.
That’s a big move – how big of a decision was that for you?
My wife and I decided we would go for it the same day I was asked because we had been planning for and thinking about an opportunity as such for a long time. I believe that you need to be ready for change to be part of it and a proactive approach is a fundamental factor.
We are supposed to experience change in our lives – the corona pandemic is a tough but real example of that. And change becomes an easier decision if you create a clear path for yourself and push to make things happen. You can’t always wait around for it, so my advice would be to talk with your manager if you are looking for a new opportunity.
What are your main learnings from working and living in different countries?
Stepping outside your comfort zone and adapting to new habits and cultures as well as discovering different point of views is a great chance to challenge yourself and improve your skills. Collaborating with many great colleagues, from various backgrounds and ways of working, has also really helped me to grow. Living in an international environment for a while can really change your perspective and give you a different approach to life itself.
Speaking of which, having the opportunity to travel – even relocate – was always front of mind for you, right?
Yes! I grew up in a small village – not far from Professional’s Italian HQ in Pordenone so given that I had the ambition to travel – and dreams of being a jet pilot as a young boy – it seems strange that I first ended up working for a company very close to home.
However, it gave me the opportunity to travel and I spent time in Sweden, France and Switzerland before I got the chance to move to Thailand in 2017, with the responsibility of Supply Chain for the APAC region and Global Raw Material management.
That’s a big move – how big of a decision was that for you?
My wife and I decided we would go for it the same day I was asked because we had been planning for and thinking about an opportunity as such for a long time. I believe that you need to be ready for change to be part of it and a proactive approach is a fundamental factor.
We are supposed to experience change in our lives – the corona pandemic is a tough but real example of that. And change becomes an easier decision if you create a clear path for yourself and push to make things happen. You can’t always wait around for it, so my advice would be to talk with your manager if you are looking for a new opportunity.
What are your main learnings from working and living in different countries?
Stepping outside your comfort zone and adapting to new habits and cultures as well as discovering different point of views is a great chance to challenge yourself and improve your skills. Collaborating with many great colleagues, from various backgrounds and ways of working, has also really helped me to grow. Living in an international environment for a while can really change your perspective and give you a different approach to life itself.
Check out our global career site, if you aspire to pursue a career similar to Tommaso’s.