I joined Honeywell Group in 2011, having spent approximately two and a half years at KPMG Professional Services as a management consultant. I had two major reasons for choosing Honeywell: first, I wanted industry experience; secondly, I wanted to contribute to the growth and success of an indigenous company.

The first thing that validated my decision to join Honeywell was the ambience of the corporate office where I worked from – it stimulated creativity. Coming from a consulting background, I had thought the ambience of my previous work place could not be matched, but Honeywell topped it. Second was the freedom with which staff related among themselves; it is an environment that allows people to be themselves and challenge the status quo.

I joined the Group as Team Lead, Internal Efficiency within the Special Projects function, and straight away, I became involved in many key projects the Group was executing at the time. I cannot forget my first opportunity to make a presentation to the leadership of the Group (the Chairman, Executive Director and CEOs of our operating companies). My team had just completed the review of the procurement function of some of the Group’s operating companies and we had identified certain insights that we wanted to share. My boss at that time was not available and the responsibility fell on me to make the presentation. I was barely six months old in the organisation. This opportunity however gave me exposure that I continue to leverage. I went on to manage many other key projects and was also exposed to high caliber training aimed at making me a better performer on the job and a better person.

After about 5 years working in the Special Projects Team, my role changed and I became the Technical Assistant to the Executive Director of the Group, Mr. Obafemi Otudeko. The role took my learning and exposure to a whole new level, as I was now in the thick of what the Group was doing in the present and for the future. I was exposed to the intricacies of what goes into top level business decision making. At first, it was hard to keep up as my previous role was project/deliverable based; one or two projects at a time. As the Technical Assistant, it was a deluge: multiple projects, company operations, organising and attending meetings, drafting memos (which I did not particularly fancy), following up to ensure tasks were delivered to time and set objectives and many more. Over time, I got used to the pressure with the help of my boss. There were times he would say “use me to get some of your work done and don’t go about trying to do everything yourself”. The role not only fine-tuned my business acumen, it made me a better manager of people and resources; delegating upwards, laterally and downwards as appropriate. I had so many sub-roles on this role, at a point, I was a Sector Expert responsible for the performance management of companies within the energy sector of the Group (6 companies in total). At some other point, I was the Head of a transformation team overseeing the implementation of the Group’s strategic initiative called M4C. I am most grateful for the opportunity to have worked with the Executive Director. 

My role changed again in April 2019 when I became the Head of Strategy & Innovation for Honeywell Flour Mills Plc., an operating company within the Group and one of Nigeria’s largest food processors. Given my experience on the job in the last 5 months, I can say all my previous roles in the Group have led me to this point. My current role is unlike anything I had done previously as I can now affect an organisation from the inside. 

I have enjoyed the past eight years of my career working in Honeywell. I have had fun, grown professionally and as a person, and I have developed meaningful relationships. I look forward to being part of greater successes of the Honeywell Group. I would advise anyone joining the Group to be ready to learn and unlearn, be flexible in your approach to work and try to enjoy every moment of it.