A solid career started as an extra job while studying at university.
Our Country Manager for Russia & CIS has carved out a career at Professional spanning more than 20 years – and it all started as an extra job during his university studies. When he’s not working, he can be found honing his competitive edge on the slopes as an alpine skier in the FIS Masters Cup.
Tell us a little about your Electrolux Professional journey so far.
I started out as a field technician for the laundry business in 2000 while I was still at university. Then I graduated with a diploma in Applied Mathematics but I really enjoyed the work with laundry products and customers, so when Professional gave me the opportunity to stay on, I did.
Ever since I was young I have enjoyed all technical, mechanical and electrical stuff, and work with it. And while working within the Customer Care team in Russia, I also had a chance to practice in other areas of the business, such as sales, marketing, order processings and logistics.
In 2015, I became responsible for developing Customer Care across Central and Eastern Europe, which required a move from Russia to Slovakia. And last year, I took up my current role as Country Manager Russia & CIS. Now, with the Russian team, we are working hard to bring Electrolux Professional to the next level on the local market.
Your roles have involved working with many countries at the same time, right?
Russia is not the smallest country in itself, and our office is also taking care of other CIS countries too – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine
And the Central and Eastern Europe Region consists of around 28 countries. Add to that the colleagues we have from all around the world and it’s just an absolute pleasure to work with such diversity of countries and cultures.
What are you most proud of in your work?
The teams I work with. Regardless of the size, department, country, region or even language, we are gathered together to achieve a common goal. A great goal and a great team to produce great results – that is something to be proud of.
What conditions most effectively contribute to your learning and development?
Challenge. Every day is different with new challenges and opportunities coming constantly. It’s certaintly not boring!
And recognition. Like in sport, you train hard, day by day. Not everything goes your way, sometimes you miss out on goals, but you keep pushing and then comes the ultimate win.
What gives you energy and keeps you passionate?
The more energy and drive you bring, the more energy you get out of it! If I can compare it with slalom skiing, the more pressure you put on the ski during the turn, the stronger the rebound will be kicking you to the next gate.
Speaking of skiing, that’s a pretty professional-looking pic of you on the slopes – tell us more?
Aside from work, I get a lot of energy from sport and stay in training for the alpine skiing season in the FIS Masters Cup – a World Cup for skiers over the age of 30.
I missed out on the opportunity to take up sport as a child so pursued it later in life as a hobby – working at the same time as competing with professionals. My best result was in top 10 in the Russian Cup. The Masters series is just slightly easier.
What I enjoy most about skiing is the feeling of control – of the turn and of the speed. And similarly to work, there’s recognition when you know you have worked hard, pushed yourself and achieve a desired result.
Check out our global career site, if you aspire to pursue a career similar to Timofey’s.