Mechell says being focused, authentic and generous have been her key drivers to success.
Seasoned HR executive Mechell Chetty cannot wait for her real adventure to begin as she takes over her new role as head of people function Latin America, IMEA and Global Commercial at A.P. Moller - Maersk, based in Denmark.
Mechell, who previously held the position of head of HR at the integrated logistics company, says she has travelled for the last 18 years for work, but this will be the first time she will live outside the country.
“This is going to be a real adventure for me. I am South African and will always have my roots here, but I will use this experience to engage with people from other walks of life, travel through Europe and do more hiking, hopefully. I am bracing myself for the Danish winters, though, so you will find me in sunny Cape Town for parts of the European winters.”
Mechell says for her short-term goals in the position, she will mostly be listening and learning, and trying to connect with as many people and leaders as possible. “The people agenda ahead of us is truly exciting, and also daunting. We are a growing company in the thick of transforming end-to-end supply chains and shaping digitisation in the industry. Our people are critical to realising that vision. We have a deep purpose of improving lives for all by integrating the world, and I am so drawn into that, whether I think about building careers, shaping development or igniting creativity in our people. It’s just energising.”
Prior to joining Maersk in 2021, Mechell was in various positions at Unilever ultimately ending her 22 years at the company as human resources vice president Africa.
For Mechell, reaching such great heights in her career is surreal, but also a proud moment. Growing up in Benoni with a policeman dad and a stay-at-home mom, she was the first to attend university in her family.
“My dad always encouraged hard work and excellence in what I did. Being in public schools and living in a block of government owned flats in Actonville was not a limitation. He never saw limitations in me, be it my environment, my gender or my race.”
She adds that while climbing the career ladder she has learnt that success is not about chasing job titles or money: “Instead success is being authentic, working towards what you are passionate about and constantly giving back, bringing others along with you and re-evaluating what you could be doing differently.”
Her parting shot to her colleagues in the region is, “Don’t treat your work as a job, treat it as a passion. To lead the people agenda is a privilege unmatched, but also a responsibility that will challenge you daily. Think big and listen often.”
