Horizon talents visit real-life business in Dover

The future and the past: future key players of DFDS at the historical Leeds Castle where the second training module for the second batch of DFDS’ Horizon talents took place this week.

Take a good look at these young people. They are among our most talented colleagues and you should expect to see many of them in key positions in the future at DFDS. This is what they were selected for during the assessment process in February, and what they are being extensively trained for.

This week, the second training module (of a total of three) took place at the historic Leeds Castle in Kent, where the participants enjoyed a comprehensive programme, taking them through strategic training and how to use a strategic toolbox, with support from external expert Mark Thomas. There were games where they worked with sales and revenues on an imaginary freight route, and much more.

“Before the training module, we split the talents into four groups, each of which had to present a DFDS Business Unit. As a very important part of this, we gave them group tasks based on the real business in BU Channel, such as the check-in process, on-board experience and profit growth. So, on Wednesday, we went by bus to Dover to meet Kasper Moos and his management team and hear about the business from those who have general responsibility for it, and visited the business on Côte des Dunes and at the terminal,” says Kasper Damgaard, VP Training & Development.

Part of this field trip was to enable the participants to see the business from a different perspective and offer the management team suggestions for business development.

Kasper Moos, VP BU Channel, says: “It was a really great experience. Having the perspectives from our young talents is highly valuable to us. We were highly inspired by the presentations that were put forward to us. The groups succeeded in gaining ideas and knowledge, which made us all see our business in a new light.  In addition to this, I learned quite much about myself and my own career as I – for  the first time –  had the opportunity to answer question about my career and personal life at the fireplace session,” says Kasper Moos, VP BU Channel

“It was an extremely successful module, and even though the groups worked until three in the morning, and we had expected total silence on the bus home on Thursday, there was plenty of talk, joy and excitement,” says an equally excited Kasper Damgaard whose team is responsible for the Horizon programme.

Next week, we will share some great photos, videos and more details about this very successful module and the visit to Dover.

October 30, 2017