Meet Phillip: ‘Enjoyed the diverse range of opportunities that Hydro has offered’
Phillip McIntosh, 33, whose job is in Primary Metal in Hydro, works to lift our aluminium plants to be their best.
From
Born and raised in New Zealand. Bachelor of Chemicals and Materials Engineering, University of Auckland; MBA Class of December 2016, INSEAD.
Job and location
Owner’s representative in Primary Production, Oslo
Duties
Currently I am leading an initiative to lift productivity in core production processes at our Norwegian smelters, working to shape Primary Metal’s response to weakened markets through the contingency planning project, and helping to ensure a smooth business planning process for several of our joint-venture smelters. This is in addition to other more formal roles at some of Hydro’s joint venture smelters, namely Albras in Brazil, Slovalco in Slovakia, and Tomago in Australia.
Likes
I have enjoyed the diverse range of opportunities that Hydro has offered. This is both geographic diversity, where I have been able to live and work in different countries and in different parts of Norway, as well as role diversity, where I have been able to work in R&D, operations, and now here in Oslo headquarters.
Socially
Hydro is full of fantastic people and this has meant it has been easy to establish social networks everywhere I have been. Looking back, this is something that has been a very rewarding part of the job, and I have enjoyed the exposure to different cultures, customs, and ways of working.
Development
A steep learning curve and room for development are the most important factors for me when considering any position. I started out at our technology center in Øvre Årdal in Norway and then progressed into the primary smelters. Along the journey, I was fortunate to work with some true experts in aluminium technology and operation, and yes, the learning curve was steep! More recently, I was able to take a year away from the business to pursue an MBA.
Goals
In such a dynamic world where new opportunities are always arising, it is difficult to foresee the next steps. However, what is important to me is to have a challenging job where I am both able to learn and contribute positively.
Recommendations
I would say go for it! Hydro is a company with an exciting strategic direction, and most importantly, a company that has strong potentials for career growth, no matter where you are in the organization.