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“We need professionals who can guarantee constant perfection” |
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For Tatyana Plyusnina, the events of 15 years ago set the stage for prosperity Everyone in Ukraine knows Chumak ketchup and pickles. What makes them so special? No doubt a combination of local traditions and modern technologies, along with eye-catching packaging. What fewer Ukrainians may know is Chumak’s Swedish origins, or how the 1998 rouble crisis nearly put it out of business. Ukraine had long established itself as the “breadbasket of the USSR” Union when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. But the collapse of communism took its toll. Unlike the central European countries that immediately set a course for the EU, for Ukraine and its CIS brethren the future looked far less certain. The rich soil of Chumak’s home, in the Kherson region, was little match for ineffective agricultural practices and appalling administration of agricultural activity. As communism crumbled, unemployment soared and hope withered. Yet two young Swedes founded Chumak in 1996 and have since built a company that not only employs 600 but provides inspiration across the region. A $15 million financing package from the EBRD, signed in July, is helping the company expand its edible-oil extraction business. Tatyana Plyusnina, HR Director, explains to EBRD external affairs coordinator Anton Usov that the real secret of Chumak’s success is its people. Q: What did you do back in 1989? A: I was working in a kindergarten in a small town near Norilsk in Russia. Although I’m a qualified interpreter, I was really lucky to get this job. My husband, a Soviet Army officer at a time, brought me down to Norilsk when he was posted there. But unless you were employed with the local industrial giant Norilsk Nickel you were destined to sit at home and do practically nothing. My major concern, though, was over the English language, the grasp of which was getting very loose due to obvious lack of practice. I eventually managed to start giving private English lessons before joining the kindergarten in 1998. Q: Did the fall of the Berlin Wall change much in your life? A: The early ’90s were very exciting indeed. “The wind of change” swept away all the things which were familiar to us. I was able to choose jobs freely and give better education to my children – even if this meant paying for it. It was a time when my mentality completely changed, and I became prepared for work in free market conditions. All this proved to be a “mission impossible” for many people I knew. I remember how small, and then major, international companies started arriving in Kiev. At last there was an opportunity to do more than the obsolete Soviet system could offer. After all, the two Swedish entrepreneurs [Johan Boden and Carl Sturen] who started Chumak in 1996 would not have been able to do this if not for the changes that brought down the Wall. Q: How did you end up in your current job? A: People involved in my trade in the 1990s were responsible not only for language services but also did part-time office management, bookkeeping etc. A bit of everything. So, when my first international employer, CDV Apple Computer, asked me to take more HR responsibilities on board in 1992, I was prepared. The HR concept introduced by foreigners was a complete novelty – a striking difference from previously used staff handling practices. I’ve since had HR management experience with a major international food company and now, of course, at one of the biggest Ukrainian food producers. Q: This year one of Ukraine’s biggest neighbours, Poland, has joined the EU, while another, Russia, has grown stronger with the high price of oil. What is your feeling about the direction Ukraine, or the CIS in general is headed? Do you feel more, or less, optimistic about the future? A: It is often debated which way should the country go, but I think that, given its unique geographical location and traditional links with Russia, we should keep the balance and try to work with both. Ukraine will eventually become an EU member, but Russia will change as well and, you never know, we may be moving in the same direction. I work for Chumak, one of the most recognised consumer brands in Ukraine, with a leading market position in ketchup and sauces, edible oil and mayonnaise. Having just celebrated our 8th anniversary in Ukraine, we perfectly realise that well-known brands and good market share are very important. But it is our employees who make the company competitive. We need to hire, develop and keep professionals who can guarantee constant perfection of our business. We often use employment agencies to find the right people for top jobs. Some technical experts are especially difficult to come by, and we have to do headhunting and even bring people from other countries, like Russia. It’s an ongoing process which involves both internal and external resources and requires a great deal of creative thinking. I am glad to say that, increasingly, my colleagues in other companies pay more attention to staff development. This process should translate into better management culture of the Ukrainian employers. We’ve come a long way in 15 years, and I’d like to look back in another 15 years’ time and be just as pleased by the progress achieved. 3 November 2004 |
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