Employee Profile
Name: Feng K.
Title: Commercial Director
Career Area:
Sales & Commercial
Location: Weifang City, Shandong Province, China
Education: Nanjing Agriculture University, Master, Animal breeding
“I work with some of the best people in their field and I will one day become one of them. By learning from and respecting one another, we achieve more together than we ever could alone."
Think about your experience and journey with Cargill. Which statements resonate most with you?
Ethics and Values: The way we succeed as a company is as important to us as success itself. We all share a caring approach, a sense of respect and responsibility, as well as high ethical standards and values.
Personal Development: Making the most of opportunities begins with owning personal development. I know that by taking personal responsibility for my development, I will be presented with exceptional career opportunities at Cargill.
Share an example or elaborate on the statements you chose in the previous question.
Cargill has more than 100 years of experience in animal nutrition solutions. When you work at Cargill Animal Nutrition, you are surrounded by trustworthy colleagues, rich in experience, who can coach and support you. During my 16 years working at Cargill, I have changed roles and working locations several times. Regardless of change, we consistently learn from each other and work together to deliver performance as one team.
Describe your work responsibilities and the importance of your role.
I am responsible for leading the sales team’s efforts to develop our swine business in the Shandong region. With rapidly changing environments, it is important to actively lead the team in close collaboration with customers, and put customers first. This means working with functional teams to create value through understanding and quickly responding to customers’ needs. This allows us to deliver quality products and solutions to them.
Describe your day-to-day activities and the skills needed to perform well.
An ability to communicate is the foremost skill needed to effectively lead our team and serve our customers well. We have regular team meetings focused upon creating a communication platform to convey knowledge of safety, animal nutrition, sales effectiveness and farm management, and then share best practices. Further, we have regular customer visits to communicate with them and better understand their needs. Additionally, an ability to lead is essential for me to coach team members and develop talent.
Describe your career path. Where did you start and how did you get to where you are today?
I started at Cargill in 1999 as a salesman in Nanjing. Following that, I transitioned into a number of managerial roles, including sales in Jiaxing, as well as business development and commercial director in Zhangzhou.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
A commitment to serve our customers and their best interest is the most rewarding aspect of my work. By leveraging our team to serve our customers in the best way we can, we have demonstrated the ability to increase their revenue and grow their market share. Accordingly, I am proud of the team I work with.
Why did you choose to join Cargill and what keeps you here? In other words, how has a career at Cargill helped you to thrive?
I pursued a career at Cargill because it is a company adept at creating opportunities for employees to grow and develop. We continually commit to being the best and encourage others to be as well. During my career, Cargill has taught me how to deal with challenges and changes, which is very important to my work and personal life as well.
What advice would you give someone interested in a career at Cargill like yours?
• Have a passion for success. If you are a passionate person, Cargill is a good place to help you achieve success.
• Be fond of learning. Cargill is the leader in animal nutrition, and you have the privilege of learning how to utilize state-of-the-art technologies, innovative solutions and leadership models.
• Never give up. You should never quit when you meet difficulties and challenges. With Cargill, you will have global resources and trustworthy colleagues to support you in conquering such challenges.
Share an interesting tidbit about yourself such as hobbies, volunteerism, favorite foods or activities, accomplishments inside or outside of work.
I really enjoy soccer. We even arrange games among our team members, which helps reinforce the spirit of teamwork and strengthens our relationships with one another.