Trudy Hills

is a dedicated associate of trainingreality, and is dedicated in more ways than just this one. Along with her enormous, wide-ranging and very real experience in the cut-and-thrust of the commercial world, she is massively enthusiastic, hugely engaging, and has an infectious desire to dive in and get things done.

Trudy's experience ranges from long-term strategic work with the likes of Procter & Gamble, to the pacy, fast-moving world of Wal*Mart. She's spent considerable time in the mature market of the UK, but also led great work out in the emerging markets of Poland and the Ukraine. She now brings this invaluable knowledge, along with her enviable attitude, to trainingreality.

Biog

Trudy’s initial career aspiration was in the direction of engineering. She gained a sponsorship with GEC Engineering Systems Ltd in Leicester and had a very enjoyable pre-university year receiving basic training and assignments in metal work, welding, electronics, technical design and control systems. Following this, she headed off to UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) to start a degree in Electronic Engineering, working back for GEC in the summer vacations with assignments in nuclear rig control testing, contract management and procurement

Trudy graduated in 1992 with a BEng (honours) degree in Electronic Engineering, but had already realised by then that a career in engineering was not for her. She joined the Customer Business Development (Sales) Team at Procter & Gamble Health & Beauty UK and thoroughly enjoyed various Account Management roles across the Asda, Pharmacy, Cash & Carry, Boots and Superdrug teams, learning in the very real world all about customer service, negotiation and collaboration. Her highlight of this time has to be when she was awarded “Millionaire’s Club” status by Superdrug for delivering the best ever beauty promotion, and celebrated by taking all of the joint business team from both companies out for a raucous night at Ronnie Scotts!

After 4 years of account management, Trudy took on the annual role of Graduate Training Manager. She was responsible for managing, coaching and developing the company’s new starters located around the UK, and also jointly responsible for designing and delivering the full training program to all new starts within P&G Corporate that year.

Following this assignment, Trudy took on the challenge of Customer Marketing Manager for Haircare within the UK. Within this role, she designed and delivered strategies, plans and tools for driving the P&G Haircare business across the UK, including successful product re-launches, and regularly presented to audiences of 30-200. She worked very closely with the internal category/Marketing teams in the UK and Geneva and also collaborated with all Account Managers to write and deliver tailored presentations to most UK retailers, getting a real understanding of the differences between them and how to work best with each of them.

Throughout all of her initial time in P&G UK, Trudy grew her stature within the Manchester Universities Recruitment Team, eventually leading the team. What started as representation of P&G at trade fairs and presenting at recruitment presentations soon led to becoming a lead interviewer and running a program of development seminars for Manchester students, many of whom later became key P&G employees.

After more than 6 years in the UK, Trudy got itchy feet and looked for opportunities farther afield. She was very fortunate to be given the opportunity to move to P&G Ukraine as the Corporate Customer Marketing Manager. Just weeks before she moved, she met her husband to be, Kevin. They got engaged after just 23 days, and once Trudy was settled in Ukraine Kevin joined her there!

In Ukraine, Trudy led a team in developing strategies, plans and tools for driving the Ukrainian business across all categories (H&B, Laundry & Paper). Just as she was moving, the Russian Rouble, and then the Ukrainian Hryvnya collapsed and the country experienced 50% currency devaluation and 30% category value decline. Despite this, Trudy and her team managed to deliver an impressive business index of 95 through understanding their Customers’ (mostly open markets and bazaars) needs and then changing strategies and plans to adapt to this quickly changing environment.

After a year in Ukraine Trudy handed this business back to a local colleague and moved to Poland to take on the equally challenging role of Corporate Customer Marketing Manager for Poland and the Baltic’s. She developed close working relationships with the Polish Marketing Team and the other Central European Customer Marketing Teams to share and reapply best practice. One of the changes she introduced was the first ever implementation agency into the business, driving an additional 5% growth to the business.

Back in the UK after 2½ years overseas, Trudy joined the ASDA Customer Team as the Personal Needs Business Unit Leader. She negotiated internally for plans and tools to develop the ASDA business and externally led senior level planning and negotiating with ASDA. As a result of her close collaborative relationship with senior managers within ASDA, Trudy was the only P&G employee to ever be invited to a monthly lead supplier forum run by Richard Hodgson, ASDA’s Trading Director at that time. During this time she additionally led and ran the Leeds University Corporate Recruitment Team.

After 12 fabulous years at P&G Trudy was personally approached by Asda and persuaded to move to “the other side” and accepted the position of General Manager, ASDA Health & Beauty.

At Asda, Trudy led a large team in running a £750 million business through c. 360 stores. She created the strategy and direction of the department along with action plans to deliver goals and had full P&L ownership. Her priorities included managing, motivating and coaching the team; leading joint business plans and negotiations with major FMCG and Own Label suppliers and full liaison internally with merchandising, operations, supply, pricing and marketing departments.

In each year at Asda Trudy over-delivered corporate sales and profit targets and in 2009 she delivered business growth at twice the national average, through landing what was described as some of the best range rationalization and modular layout work in the industry and through delivering the best ever pricing and promotional program to date. This was supported by ground breaking annual negotiations with the supplier base unlocking more cash than ever before and also focusing on cost savings through inventory reduction and reducing shrink costs.

In addition to her great business results she also achieved the best “We’re Listening” survey results on the trading floor, this is a survey that every colleague completes rating their Manager on a selection of leadership behaviours. This reflects the importance that Trudy has always placed on training, coaching, developing and supporting those colleagues who work for, with and around her.

Whilst at Asda, Trudy and Kevin were blessed with their delightful daughter, Georgina. She, along with their big, old, Victorian house, two chocolate Labradors and a big fat old ginger tomcat keep them out of trouble most of the time. Their weaknesses for fast cars and fine wine, and their propensity for playing competitive sport that they are probably too old for, are their only obvious vices!