Linda Carels has been the right- hand person of VAEX CEO, Dirk Govers, since July 2018. In her role as management assistant, she supports him and organises everything at VAEX The Livestock Traders from A to Z, including some HR tasks. Joost Pennings started working as operations manager in March 2018. His focus is streamlining company processes to make them simpler and more efficient. Linda, Dirk and Joost form the management team of VAEX The Livestock traders and they set the goals for improving the company and team performance.

Modern trader
Thirty-six-year-old Linda Carels has a clear preference for working in a man's world. "My work experience included working as account manager in the building trade, so moving to the cattle and pig trade was not such a big change in that respect," she says. "The dynamic aspect was also not such a big change, but I was sceptical about the trading side. I was very surprised by what I found: an exciting company with a modern trader and a team of young people."

Joost, who doesn't have farming roots, can identify with Linda's statement. "I also had preconceptions about a pig trading company: rather old-fashioned, a low-status trade." Funnily enough, on the day of his job interview at VAEX he also attended an interview with another company dressed up in a suit and tie. "That doesn't suit me at all”, he says. "I like informality, the easy-going atmosphere you find in Brabant and short lines of communication”.

Taking big steps
During the two years that Linda and Joost have worked for VAEX, they have already seen a lot of necessary changes. According to Joost, important steps have been taken in the areas of company processes and IT. "I like to make other people's work easier, clearer and more up-to-date. It also works out cheaper”.

Linda tackled the challenge of responding to the corona regulations, applying them within their organisation and keeping people involved. "From ensuring that people can work effectively at home and what to do if someone has tested positive with corona to making a schedule for the office," she explains. "Even though people are working at a distance from the organisation, I make sure that the team spirit and performance continue to grow. We have a stable group of motivated people with an average age of 34 years old. Everyone is in tune with each other”.

Full speed ahead
Of course new goals have been set for the year 2021. We will always move onward and upward. Full speed ahead. Individual goals are collected and converted into objectives for departments and for the whole VAEX team. In the same way, Joost, who works in various locations, wants to store knowledge in the content management system so that the information is accessible to everyone. “Having internal matters in good order and a good working relationship between departments has a positive effect on the team and the customers," says Joost Pennings decisively. "Modern working methods with more responsibility and freedom”.

Linda's enthusiasm and hard work create support for the changes. "Full speed ahead, but our people are also allowed to make mistakes. They learn from them and develop. A precondition is that they are happy and can be themselves. They can do that here. I am proud to be able to work for VAEX.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Joost and Linda both play football; Joost plays for Rhode in Sint-Oedenrode and Linda plays for VV Nijnsel;

Linda is a real morning person; Every workday, she starts work in the VAEX office in Reek between 7.15 am and 7.45 am;

Joost and Linda both hate it if people drag their feet, it's full speed ahead!;

Joost and Linda live in the same village; They didn't know each other before they started working for VAEX;

Joost does a lot of volunteer work; He can't sit still.