We speak to Ricky Berry-Shah, International Finance Manager, about how Weetabix helped him gain his accounting qualifications and secure a promotion, as well as his love of walking his two dogs on the rolling hills of Northamptonshire.
What’s your role?
I am currently an International Finance Manager for Weetabix – I am the finance point of contact for the international team which are based around the world. We have teams based in Dubai, Madrid, The Netherlands and not forgetting our home of Burton Latimer.
Each day in this role can be different, one minute I can be looking at the sales forecast for the next 18 months, then I can be planning a new product launch within our international markets.
How long have you been at Weetabix and what attracted you to joining Weetabix?
I have been working at Weetabix since October 2018 and I’ve been in my current role since April 2021. I really liked the idea that Weetabix love to support employees in any way they can, and it was brilliant that they supported me on completing my professional qualification. I became a qualified accountant in 2020 and ever since then, Weetabix has helped me gain the skills and experience I needed to get a promotion, which is the role I am in now.
Weetabix is one of the best companies I have worked for, the culture is the main thing as the business makes sure all employees feel included by ensuring they feel comfortable in the place where they work.
Tell us a little about your career/education so far?
I studied Accounting & Finance at university and ever since graduating I have had a role within a Finance function. I have really enjoyed learning how each finance function can look and it is learning those aspects which I look forward to.
Within my three years at Weetabix, I have had three very different roles, I started in Operations Finance which was focused on our product costings and looking at how much we were spending and investing within our manufacturing and engineering teams. I then moved into Financial Planning and Analysis where I was responsible for creating the monthly P&L and reforecasting, along with creating reports and presenting these to the board of directors. Alongside this, I business partnered our Commercial and Support teams to ensure that their cost centres remain on budget. This led me to where I work now, into the world of International finance.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
It has been a strange world since March 2020, with not being able to spend time with the people I work with, and that is the thing I think everyone at Weetabix would say they have missed the most. I am looking forward to getting back into the office and meeting my new team, who I have only met virtually. Hopefully in 2022 I will be able to visit some of our international markets and see our products flying off the shelves.
What do you love doing outside of work?
Usually I love to travel, but over the last two years I have been staying in the UK more which has let me explore more than I probably would have. Also, instead of travelling I have been able to spend more time doing outdoor bootcamps. I tend to do three or four bootcamp sessions a week which get very muddy and wet! It includes tyre flips, stone ball carries, monkey bars, deadlifting a car, keg throws, crawling through tyres and a lot more…
And not to forget spending time with my two dogs (Henry and Gigi), we live behind the rolling hills of Northamptonshire, and they love it. They get to run free, getting muddy and wet in the process (I must say it wasn’t easy trying to get a nice photo with me nearly being thrown on the floor). Whilst working from home they love to sit next to me and keep me company and sometimes they might even pop up on a Teams call to say hello.
