Jolomi's story: Striving for continuous growth

CCHBC is a very interesting place to work because the values of the company resonate with me, and it has provided me the chance to realise my dreams.

Working at CCHBC, I've been able to express myself and my creativity because there are many opportunities for career progression and personal development. I have been given the opportunity to air my voice, which has kept me motivated and inspired.

My journey started about nine years ago in August 2009 when I joined Coca‑Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (CCHBC) as a management trainee. I was fresh out of school and I was looking for work when my mother saw the ad, but I joined because Coca‑Cola is such a well-known brand, found in every household in Nigeria. It’s a company I grew up knowing. I had always dreamed about having a career at a multinational company, and I’m so thankful CCHBC gave me that platform.

Since I started in 2009, I’ve worked in various capacities in Human Resources, and now I’m the Senior HR Business Partner. The whole purpose for us as part of the management trainee programme was to drive change and breed a new generation of leaders within the company, so my journey has been a success in that respect. It wasn’t easy because CCHBC is a performance driven organisation, so you know every day that you have a job to do and you have to perform, but I like challenges. I like to get involved in things. I don’t stop at mediocre, I always want to go the extra mile. 

It hasn’t been easy the entire time. So much has happened with many different managers, but at every step I have learned something new and constructive.

For instance, I was assigned to a mentor when I joined, and he told me that I would always face challenges but that what would change is my ability to overcome them. This was a very important and encouraging lesson for me.

Our Talent Director was my second mentor, and she really helped me stretch beyond my abilities at the time. There are so many new things happening at CCHBC, and she helped push me toward those opportunities and to believe in myself. It works because CCHBC rewards high performing talent and you see that all the time throughout the business. Everyone has the opportunity to prove themselves and be rewarded for their good work.

CCHBC wants you to perform well so you can make a positive impact, and that means you get exposed to a lot of training programmes and opportunities to learn outside of your core responsibility. Every time I do my work, I get feedback. But the interesting thing is, I see the motivation to do more and this is good.

This extends to our relationships with the communities in which we work. When we have certain roles to fill, we most often look in locations where we do our business. We go beyond standard advertising of the role and reach out to the local communities, which creates employment in communities across Nigeria.

What’s great about this approach is seeing talent that I recruited being considered for higher responsibility. We saw their potential, and when they are given a chance they perform, and that is really rewarding. I’m proud to be recruiting talent that helps us meet business needs and build a stronger organisation.

And in the end, we work, learn, and grow together. We’re not in competition against each other, and no one will hold you back. We’re working together to create and take advantage of great opportunities.