Newly appointed General Manager of Kellogg’s New Zealand, Janine Baldwin, initially had entirely different aspirations for her career. Having studied and earned a degree in Chemistry and completing another degree at Auckland University in Commerce and Marketing, Baldwin’s introduction to the FMCG industry was cultivated through chocolate.
“I had a friend working for Cadbury then who inspired me to explore roles within the sector. I started my career at Procter & Gamble and have stayed within the FMCG sector ever since. I love the pace of the industry and the fact that no day is ever the same,” shared Baldwin.
Baldwin started as a Territory Manager for Proctor and Gamble in the nineties. Then she moved between roles within the enterprise as a Customer Marketer in Australia. Then Baldwin returned home as an Account Manager in New Zealand. In her resume, Balwin boasts an impressive repertoire of renowned companies she has worked with, including Heinz Watties, Colgate-Palmolive, Asaleo Care, and finally at Pernod Ricard, where she worked as Head of Customer Marketing and Category. This position at Pernod Ricard proved invaluable in earning her current general management position at Kellogg New Zealand.
Baldwin makes special mention of her previous employer, Kevin Mapson, Managing Director for Pernod Ricard, of whom she has glowing comments for his empathetic and caring leadership style.
“He was my manager for six years at the business and is a sensational leader who genuinely cares about the people within his teams. His approach to leadership has inspired and influenced my own, and I aspire to be as great a leader as he is.”
When reflecting on her time in the industry, Baldwin advises that who you surround yourself with is imperative for success, stating that building a solid foundation of relationships translates into building stronger teams and will most certainly pay off.
“We spend a lot of time at work, so it’s important to surround yourself with good people and then invest time in getting to know them. In this industry, we can get so busy ‘doing’ it can be hard to take the time to connect – but it is essential to make the time.”
As Baldwin has grown within the industry, she revealed that being her authentic self and believing who she was and what she brought to the table as Janine was more valuable and essential than attempting to fit a mould of who she thought others wanted her to be.
“I spent many years trying to be the person I thought people wanted me to be instead of just Janine. I would tell my younger self just to be who she was and not waste the energy trying to be someone else.”
This sentiment is shared by her current Managing Director, Anthony Holme, who often quotes Dr Seuss to the company’s leadership team.
“My current Managing Director, Anthony Holme, often reminds our leadership team of the Dr Seuss quote who summed it up when he said, ‘Be who you are and say what you feel because the people who mind don’t matter and people who matter don’t mind.’”
Baldwin’s passion for the FMCG industry has only increased over time. Her motivation for positive change is a driving force behind her passion. In particular, Baldwin mentions that she is proud of the strides in the industry of women taking up leadership positions, stating that when she entered the industry, it was heavily male-dominated.
For the future, Baldwin is excited to be part of Kellogg’s team and incredibly passionate about the company addressing food insecurity, which it has done through its Better Days programme and, more recently, has provided support following the devastation caused by extreme weather events.
“The ability to drive change and make a real difference motivates me. I also love the opportunity we have as an industry to impact people’s lives positively.”
