Debra Nichol Storie

Debra Nichol-Storie – HR manager

Before joining Bakkavor I worked for Lloyds UDT, the car finance division of Lloyds TSB Bank as a Personnel and Development Officer in Edinburgh. Prior to this I worked for food companies United Biscuits and KP Foods.

I joined Caledonian Produce in 1999 as the HR Manager. I had missed the fast moving food industry and the direct approach of its employees. The role at Caledonian attracted me as it was then a small site with around 100 staff and a young executive management team which provided me the opportunity to influence my own department without the very controlled approach of a large corporate organisation.

Since joining I have felt that I’ve not needed another position. Our business has grown and changed tremendously over the past ten years with now around 950 employees at the site and my role has changed with it.

One of the key milestones for me was been able to develop a deeper understanding of manufacturing excellence techniques. However, the most important milestone has been the development of my HR Officers. As they have grown in their roles, they have given me the opportunity to work closely with the community and the chance to influence the overall Scottish Food & Drink industry.  Winning the Institute of Directors (Scotland) Award for Developing Young People was a real honour and I hope to use this recognition to work with other food producers in Scotland to improve support for the industry through education and training.

I love the sense of ownership of the business by our exec team and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. HR is definitely an integral part of the business, making decisions to support rather than hinder. We are a conduit for strategic change and the oil which supports the day to day running of the factory.

To be a HR Manager at Bakkavor you need to have an interest in what makes people tick and knowing how to get the best out of people is vital. It’s about understanding that all employees as well as the business are your customers and being committed to giving the best customer service you can.  Of course, a sense of humour also helps and being unfazed by even the most bizarre situations! You should have a ‘can do’ approach and think that nothing is ever a problem - if you don’t know the answer or have an immediate solution, you will always find one in the end.