Procurement Testimonials

Robert Giles

Petrochemicals Procurement Manager, OCP

One sentence describing your position: 

To deliver better value raw material supply contracts year-on-year that give us a sustainable cost advantage over our competitors.

How did you come to work for Dulux? 

I left England in 1994 and worked for Dulux in Malaysia.  Then a possible transfer to Australia opened up in 1997, just as it was announced the ANZ businesses were to be de-merged to form a new company, Orica.  I moved to Australia and now I am a fully fledged citizen of Australia, Go the Socceroos!

What do you enjoy the most about the jobs you've had?

I've been lucky enough to enjoy a diversity of countries and experiences that have been about more than just the job, but I enjoy helping people try to solve the problems that crop up daily.

What have been your career highlights? 

Designing the base paints and then jetting around Asia launching this new idea of a paint tinting system into stores for the very first time, which Australia was already taking for granted.  In Australia it was probably being thrown in the deep end on a major consultancy review of our spend when I first joined the Procurement team as a rookie buyer - and not sinking.

What training have you done at Dulux?

I did a coatings chemistry course when I first joined the R&D team but since changing career path in 2000 I have completed training in more commercial and project areas such as Negotiation Skills, Managing Complex (Supply) Markets, Six Sigma Green Belt, Facilitating Change and Interactive Management.

Would you recommend Dulux as an employer to your friends and if so why?  Absolutely, the Dulux difference is the people and the culture that we all pitch in to deliver projects and I have found that same culture at all the OCP businesses.