DPD: ‘What is your role and what do you particularly like about it?’
Manuela: ‘My title is Team Leader Sales Coordination. I have a lot of contact with our key accounts. I mostly handle their management and am here to answer their questions or to try to personally address their concerns.
What I especially like about it is the direct dialogue with the customers as well as the collaboration with our sales staff and my line managers. I have had dealings with the key accounts ever since I joined DPD so I have a very special connection with this position. I additionally handle the global and local invitations to tender that we receive from customers regarding parcel shipping.’

 

DPD: ‘How do you spend your time outside of work?’
Manuela: ‘I am very much a family person so I love to spend time with my family, in particular my sister’s kids. We enjoy doing things together. For example, it has become something of a tradition for us to always eat together on Sundays. As well as my family, I like to meet friends and also travel. I love discovering new places.’

 

DPD: ‘Describe yourself in three words.’
Manuela: ‘I’m not sure I can come up with three single words. I love to laugh. Laughter is part of my identity and I think it’s really important that you never lose the ability to laugh. I am also definitely sociable and communicative. Another aspect of me is that I am very much a family person. My family comes first. I talk to them a lot and am always learning as a result. All of my family members are role models for me, in particular my parents. Last, but not least, I would also describe myself as spirited.’

 

DPD: ‘What are the biggest lessons you have learned to date both professionally and personally?’
Manuela: ‘Looking back, something which has definitely shaped me professionally is my own development over the years, so that’s the biggest lesson I have learned in my career. I have evolved from a very reserved and sensitive 22-year-old into a strong and spirited personality over the years.
The biggest lesson I have learned in my personal life is to spend time with my family as I learn from them on a daily basis. Travelling a great deal has also taught me a lot. For example, I have learned to always pack the most important things in my hand luggage. This is because my luggage was once rerouted for two days while I was travelling, so I was left without a number of important things.’

 

DPD: ‘If you could have one ability or attribute, what would it be?’
Manuela: ‘I would like to be able to fly. I love to travel and I think having the freedom to fly anywhere would be fantastic and rewarding.’

 

DPD: ‘Is there anything you would absolutely love to do again?’
Manuela: ‘I would love to travel more again. I love to discover all kinds of countries and places. A continent which is definitely on my list is Australia. Australia is a dream destination for me as it is a country with many facets. I have heard that the people there are very relaxed and the wildlife there is incredibly diverse too. Koalas, which are obviously native to Australia, are one of my favourite animals.’

 

DPD: ‘Do you have any other travel destinations?’
Manuela: ‘I would absolutely love to travel to Cuba. I love the culture there, the history, the country itself and simply the atmosphere.’

 

DPD: ‘What would be your perfect day?’
Manuela: ‘My perfect day would be to get up in the morning at home in Italy and make a latte, then go to the sea and spend the day there. I love the sea. It gives me serenity, strength and inner energy. Spending time by the sea is how I recharge my batteries.’