Testimonials
Nothing beats information straight from the source. Hear what our employees have to say!
During the first part of my expatriation in France (2004 - 2009), I was working with the Group's Chief Technical Officer to determine the direction of the Group's new technological advances and to establish the strategy for Lafarge's infrastructure and web technologies, by overseeing the design of emerging the current technical application architectures and system solutions for Lafarge to ensure the effective implementation of all related infrastructure and web technologies.
Subsequent to my post in France, I assumed the post of Regional Vice President of Information Systems in Africa where I operate according to the frame of Lafarge Group's Information Systems (IS) strategy and set regional priorities and align local business units plans with Group strategies and plans. Also, sponsoring and leading key IS projects in the region, by implementing IT standardization, resource optimization and enhancing IS values in the business environment through the extension of common services and driving cost effectiveness in services rendered. I also identify possibilities for regional business improvement and carry out a number of innovative initiatives.
I made a set of determined choices that enabled me to enjoy the challenges and adventures of a new life. I actively pursued my career advancement prospects within Lafarge and was able to get hands on leadership and technical skills, expand my own horizons and explore different cultures that not only enriched my personal experiences, but also those of my family. Learning to recognize and adapt to cultural differences was critical to the success of my assignment. It gave me the opportunity to see the world in a different light and drove me to strive to be a catalyst for change.
My experience in Fuhais Plant has been intense and definitely rewarding so far. In only one year, I have had the opportunity to work with the team during a very challenging situation that has been extremely motivating at the same time. I really appreciate the warm welcome I received from the Fuhais family.
The difficulties in the market, as a result of increasing pressures from our competitors, the challenge to improve our results in terms of performance and cost have been very good reasons for me to dedicate and channel all my energies towards success.
What makes Lafarge unique for me is its approach and orientation to people. I find Lafarge's dedication to the safety of its employees, the sustainability of its business and the welfare of its stakeholders and local communities admirable. The company's dedication to developing and sharing technical knowledge gives it a competitive advantage, and also enables it to continue to be a leader in its field.
Working at Lafarge is also a superb opportunity for personal growth and development. My own experience is an example of the added value that working for an international company has to offer. My work at Lafarge has made it possible for me to learn from cultural differences and to share experiences on how things are done in different countries. Such experince gives people the opportunity to broaden their horizons and benefit from a greater range of options for professional development.
I joined Lafarge in January 2011 and have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the company. I came with no cement manufacturing experience; it was my enrollment in the "Cement Professional Development Program" that gave me the opportunity to gain knowledge beyond my expectations. By working on the assignments from the program, I was very soon integrated into the plant community and had the pleasure of meeting and working with many professionals in the field.
Before joining Lafarge, I worked in the quality of pharmaceuticals field, which required a high level of accuracy and precision. Similarly, the quality of performance at Lafarge is a top priority and is constantly improved in order to meet Lafarge's standards for professional excellence. Tangible testaments to these efforts stand proudly nearby in the form of bridges, towers, dams and buildings that Lafarge's materials helped build.
I've been an expat for almost 5 years now, my expatriation journey started as a Vivier process engineer at Lafarge's Europe technical Centre (ETC) in Vienna- Austria. During that assignment, I underwent an intensive training program for over a year, overseeing and supporting a number of interesting long and short-term projects in plants all over Europe and the Middle-East, such as the Rashadiyah modernization project and the Voskresensk cement mill commissioning. Subsequently, I was given the responsibility of improving the performance of grinding shops for three plants in Eastern Europe.
For the last 2 years I have been working as Process Manager in the Voskresensk Cement Plant in Moscow. I am responsible for the performance improvement of a 1.8 MT plant. I ensure best practice implementation and support the plant in achieving its budget figures.
A key motivator behind my decision to take on expatriate assignments was my need to continuously challenge and to be challenged. I have always had a strong desire to grow, achieve, learn and develop both professionally and personally. Expatriation provided me with a unique international experience, helped me strengthen and increase my technical and managerial competencies, gave me a better understanding of myself and allowed me to push myself to new limits. I encourage interested young professionals to consider expatriation, my advice to them is to have patience and to gain family support before making the move.
At Lafarge, safety is a core value we incorporate into all our operations. We continuously strive to create a safe work environment for our employees, suppliers, clients and contractors. Lafarge Jordan Cement also seeks to maintain and preserve surrounding environments and is keen on embedding safety values amongst community members.
In this context, Lafarge is dedicated to implementing the highest health and safety standards across all aspects of its operations through training and various work procedures, in addition to setting-up specialized equipment and necessary precaution measures to ensure the safety of Company employees. As a pioneer in the field of safety, Lafarge seeks to raise awareness amongst its contractors and clients through the provision of consultancy services, training workshops and tools that allow them to create safe work environments. Furthermore, the Company applies both local and international health and safety regulations at all its locations and operations.
Since entering the local market, Lafarge unwavering commitment to safety has built a culture that successfully contributed to ensuring safe operations within all Company facilities and surrounding communities. As a member of the Lafarge family, these values resonate loudly as I have been in charge of the development and application of these health and safety standards at Company locations and have encouraged my colleagues to adopt them. With the utmost determination, I took on this task and worked hand in hand with my colleagues to aid our Company in achieving its goal of applying top-notch health and safety standards and creating a health culture and safe work environment across all Lafarge locations in record time.
It is fair to say that ensuring the safety of colleagues and team members is both a noble and pleasurable task that is constantly encouraged by the Company's wise management team. More importantly, it has also motivated us to continuously benefit from the invaluable knowledge and long-standing experiences of Lafarge Group units across the world. This experience has enriched my own personal knowledge and aided my colleagues in aquiring and developing skills that could not have been obtained within such a short period of time.
