From rural South Africa to high-tech dairy industry

Chazel Botha (29) is one of the Motoppers living her dream at FrieslandCampina. Originally from northern South Africa, her path led her to the Netherlands a year ago, determined to make a contribution to the food industry. No surprise, because with a background in Biomedical Sciences as well as Data Science, she had all the knowledge she needed to make a difference.  

Perseverance conquers all

“From our first conversation, it was clear how determined she was to get started with us. She immediately left a strong impression. Although she is now not doing what she was originally trained for, this position offers her a valuable opportunity to move on to a permanent role within FrieslandCampina. She gets the space to discover what she really wants,” says Ron.

Chazel’s growth development is there for all to see. “The Chazel we see now is no longer the Chazel of the first interview,” Ron says proudly. “She is incredibly independent and learns quickly. Of course she occasionally encounters technical challenges, but that’s part of the job. Everyone needs time to settle in properly. What I admire most of all is her perseverance. Despite the obstacles, she remains motivated to bring out the best in herself.

“I’m super excited because all my interests – IT, innovation and organizational processes – come together in this job” 

At FrieslandCampina, she works independently on a knowledge management project in SharePoint. This may sound simple, but the impact extends far beyond document management. She is optimizing communication processes and is even so excited that she has set a countdown timer for the first phase of her project. Every time her supervisor Ron Veldhuizen, Global OT Director, logs in, he sees that clock counting down.” She just does that spontaneously, which I think is fantastic,” he says with a smile.

Dutch workculture

Chazel experiences Dutch culture differently from where she is from: “I am too shy to speak. That’s why I take Dutch lessons through the municipality. Language plays an important role in adapting to a culture and provides insight into a country’s history. As for the work culture, I like that there is a lot of autonomy here. In South Africa, there is often micromanagement and you follow the director. Here you get the space to fill in your own work, and that feels good. I work independently on my project and have a lot of contact with other stakeholders. I notice in everything that I am really welcome here.”

Cooperation with Motopp key to success

Ron appreciates the cooperation with Stefan van der Munnik, People Development Manager at Motopp. “What works really well is that Chazel has regular contact with Stefan. If I discuss something with him, it is picked up immediately within Motopp. This kind of communication is essential, especially when working with non-technical clients. Chazel is our expert in her field, and we coach her on where she can still grow. I also notice that with Stefan; he coaches her wonderfully.”

Bert Nijbroek is also impressed with how quickly Chazel adapts to the dynamics within FrieslandCampina. “Her learning ability is impressive,” he says. “Although Ron is her direct supervisor, as a department we bear responsibility for her SharePoint project. In the beginning she found the reactions of some colleagues difficult, but that’s just part of the learning process.”

Bert highlights the unique challenges within FrieslandCampina: “Our company has been shaped by multiple mergers, which makes for a complex project environment. The ‘not-invented-here-syndrome’ still plays out in several locations. Each plant acts as its own kingdom, where crucial knowledge often lies with a select group of people or is hidden in the plant’s technical architecture.”

Dare to take on new challenges

Chazel looks to her future with enthusiasm: “I needed that push to get off to a good start. I would like to grow further within FrieslandCampina. This experience has taught me that you shouldn’t be afraid to try something new, even if it deviates from your original plans. What I am doing now, I had never considered, but I turn out to be good at it.”