Phillip Burgess left school in Christchurch 12
years ago with no idea of what he wanted to do. Today he heads the South Island
operation for a global freight forwarder and has just been named the sector’s
most promising young professional.
Phillip, South Island Manager for Burnard
International, based in Christchurch, is the 2017 winner of the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation of
New Zealand’s (CBAFF) Young Achiever Award.
Now he is keen to encourage other young people to explore the career
potential the sector offers.
“It’s a great industry for the right young people,
with few barriers to entry, but we tend to be an ‘invisible industry’,” said
Phillip.
“International freight forwarding plays a
significant part in many industry sectors, however our services and
marketing focus generally doesn’t deal direct with the public, so many people
are simply oblivious to international freight and the complexities involved.
“From my experience, a freight forwarder is a
unique person who gets satisfaction from the weird and wonderful challenges
thrown at us on a daily basis. Generally people new to freight forwarding
quickly determine if they possess those unique traits to embrace what is a very
exciting and rewarding industry.”
Phillip says that at school he was “more interested
in washing my car than studying”, and left without any career plan. However, his
mother was working in the shipping sector and told him about a junior position
with small local freight forwarder, NZ Express International.
“I didn’t see it as a career at first,” says Phillip.
“It was initially an opportunity to get a job. However, I soon realised my
passion for international freight forwarding and my aspirations to be a sales
representative.
“I knew I’d encounter restrictions of experience versus the tertiary
qualifications that open doors to experience, so I decided to hedge my bets and
get both.”
NZ Express International was ultimately acquired by
Toll Global Forwarding, who supported Phillip’s studies for New Zealand
Diplomas in Business, Sales Management and Marketing while he worked in various
import operations roles.
During his OE he successfully set up Toll’s
telephone sales department at Heathrow Airport before returning home in 2013 to
a business development manager role with Toll.
He became Toll’s top salesperson nationally before
getting the opportunity to set up Burnard’s South Island operation. He is now also
studying for a Diploma in Management.
Phillip was presented with the Young Achiever award at the CBAFF annual conference, held in Napier. Entrants had to submit a detailed 2,000 word report describing a complex shipment process, import or export. Shortlisted applicants were then interviewed by a panel of industry representatives.
Phillip receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Singapore to meet agents and view an airport and seaport in operation; $1,500 spending money; a Leadership Management Australia (LMA) course; award plaque and complimentary attendance at the 2018 CBAFF conference.
2017 CBAFF Young Achiever Award Winner Phillip Burgess with Award Partners. Left to right: Richard White of WiseTech Global, Tania White of Singapore Airlines Cargo, Suzanne Wilson of Leadership Management Australasia, Phillip Burgess and CBAFF president Glenn Coldham
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