From Belgium to Brazil: a journey beyond chocolate and coffee
Daniel Erker - November 28, 2024
Relocating from OMP's head office in Belgium to our regional office in Brazil was more than just trading rain for sunshine or chocolate for coffee. It meant taking on new responsibilities and growth opportunities, challenging me to build strong relationships with local customers, and experiencing the power of teamwork in a fresh environment. I made the transition from a structured environment with 600 colleagues to an energizing start-up mentality as part of a team of 12 in São Paulo — and I’d love to share my journey with you.
Perks of a growing regional office
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I joined our Brazilian team in October 2023, just before we learned that São Paulo would be hosting the 2024 OMP Conference. Because every team member was involved in planning and hosting the event, it gave me the opportunity to showcase some of our latest product innovations. To adapt quickly, I opted to deliver one of the presentations entirely in Portuguese. And so, 6 months on, and supported by our Brazilian team manager, I found myself in front of a roomful of customers, talking about the advantages of using XAI models in demand sensing.
Being part of a smaller office has given me the chance to take on the kind of responsibility that at our head office would be handled by a specialist. The day after the conference, our team took part in the biennial - employee satisfaction survey, engaging in a structured discussion with Anita, our CEO. Being part of this meaningful dialogue on topics driving organizational change felt both empowering and rewarding. Even within a team of just 12 people, the office’s multilingual nature creates plenty of opportunities to practice English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish, whether through projects or casual conversation.
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The opportunities of a regional office
Working in a regional office offers the unique opportunity to engage in diverse topics and develop a broad skill set in a lot of areas. Soon after I arrived, one of our experienced team members in a key industry left the company. This gave me the opportunity to step in and lead a project in a dry run and go-live scheduled to happen just two weeks later. I was glad I got targeted support from HQ on managing these crucial phases.
Another consultant, who had some experience in the industry, was also assigned to the project, and could primarily focus on a different aspect — one of the advantages of generalization. While the journey had its learning moments , the project's go-live was ultimately successful. At OMP, we’re always aiming for improvement, so we started weekly knowledge transfer sessions with the US team to further build on our expertise. I learned a lot from this bumpy process. Being trusted to step up, while having the support from HQ as a safety net, I was able to grow as a person and gain confidence and valuable experience. The opportunity helped me to be more certain about my abilities, and that’s what it’s all about — learning and improving together.
Reflecting on my time at head office
As I reflect on my time at our head office, what I cherish most are the many traditions and special-interest events over lunch or after hours that have developed over time. The monthly birthday events, for example, were enjoyable and rewarding in themselves, but as much because they didn’t demand excessive effort from any individual participant. Inspired by this, our Brazilian team introduced monthly afternoon coffee snacks before our team meetings — a small, yet meaningful addition to our day.
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Here in São Paulo, we often grab a quick lunch together or dine with colleagues visiting from other offices. That’s how we stay connected with our local and global colleagues. One of my favorite team events so far was a live-action murder mystery in a colonial-era mansion, followed by a whitewater rafting and ziplining adventure in the state's interior. These experiences reinforce the strong personal connections among colleagues, something new hires have often mentioned as a highlight of joining OMP Brazil.
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Daniel Erker
Supply Chain Consultant
Biography
Daniel is passionate about solving complex customer challenges with OMP's solutions that address the bigger picture. His OMP career has led him to five countries across three continents. He gets energized by teaching, presenting, and building relationships, as long as it's about connection and building bridges, both personally and professionally. With expertise in the consumer goods and packaging industries, he creates value for several industries.
