Richard Duffett

Range & Space Planner

Watch the video below to see Richard talk about how working for Imperial tobacco means dealing with a variety of people, thinking quickly and being developed from day one.

Richard Duffett - Video Transcript

The current role that I am working on is in relation to pictorial health warnings, which is a new government legislation that is making sure we put those on the back of all the retail packets of cigarettes this year. My role is to ensure the smooth transition of those packs into the supply chain.

I think the skills you need to work for Imperial Tobacco are people skills. You will come across a lot of different people either internally inside the business or externally. And to be able to get your point across and be able to come up with ideas, you need to be able to deal with people of all different attitudes, expectations and behaviours and be able to adapt your approach to speaking to them.

I think there is such a thing as an Imperial Tobacco working culture. I think there is a very strong work hard ethic in the company, but we also work hard with a sense of fun and humour as well. You also need to think fast. I think the industry in which we work has got a lot of external pressures on us, whether they are legal pressures or whether they are from our competitors. So Imperial Tobacco need people that can be flexible, therefore making us a more proactive rather than reactive organisation.

I joined the company seven years ago on the sales force and right from day one you were on a six to seven week induction programme. You were supported by a mentor so you had continuous support in the field as well as in the classroom based modules. I then moved into the office into the trade marketing department. As soon as you come into office you are speaking to your line manager about future progression and what areas that you are perhaps weak in or have got a skills gap that you need to fill.

I think Imperial Tobacco is a fantastic company to work for. I would say that, yes, we have got a strong portfolio of brands but at the end of the day I think Imperial Tobacco recognise the fact that it is not just the brands that are important, it is the people as well and therefore they reward their people well. There are plenty of opportunities for growth in your career, whether in the UK market or abroad.