Hear what some of the people who work for us say about their experience
Ian Holmes
Melanie Wardle
Field Technical Manager (North)
Campaign Manager Cereals (Customer Marketing UK & Eire)
It’s a great team of people. From day one I was impressed with the willingness of everyone to pitch-in and support each other and to offer a helping hand; it really helped with settling in as a 22 year old trainee! I have always been motivated by the ability to be field-based; able to run my own job day-to-day and being able to get my boots dirty in the field with growers and agronomists. The level of training facilitated by Syngenta has been excellent to develop my technical knowledge across a wide range of crops. I have been really pleased with the way Syngenta have allowed me to develop my own career, in a way that feels right for me. Ian Holmes joined Syngenta in November 2005 from Harper Adams University College as a Field Force Commercial Trainee, working alongside established Area Managers to learn about the business, our products and how we work with customers. In July 2006 he was promoted to his own area in Nottinghamshire and South Yorks, providing technical and commercial information to customers and developing business relationships with growers. With many customers involved with root and vegetable crops, Ian began to specialise in this area within the Speciality Crops Campaign Team, before taking over his current role providing technical support and training for the Northern Region’s Area Managers. Career path ---> Trainee ---> Area Manager ---> Field Technical Manager --->
The size and global reach of Syngenta was what really impressed me at first and it was clear there would be plenty of future opportunities. My first role, working in the trials department offered an attractive mix of a science based career but without spending all of my time in a laboratory! As time went on I realised I was keen to move to a more customer facing area of the business. My role in marketing is incredibly varied, being creative and innovative with marketing messages one day, and dealing with sales targets commercial strategy the next. It’s a fast paced environment and always busy – but that’s what makes it fun! That and the fantastic group of people I work with. Mel Wardle studied a BSc in Biology and Psychology at De Montfort University in Leicester. After a year travelling Mel joined Syngenta in December 2003 as a Fields Trials Officer working in the Research Field Trials department at our Jealott’s Hill site. In October 2005 Mel moved into marketing to cover maternity leave as Advertising and Promotions Manager. The opportunity arose for Mel to stay in this role then in 2007 Mel was successfully promoted to Communications Manager. Mel continued to progress within marketing and in 2011 became Campaign Manager Cereals. Career path ---> Fields Trials Officer ---> Advertising and Promotions Manager ---> Communications Manager ---> Campaign Manager Cereals