01732 759725 50 AND FINALLY When did you first join the print sector and what attracted you? I first joined the print sector in distribution in 2017. It was the team who interviewed me that made me want to work in print, and getting to know the resellers, and being part of a great team is what has kept me here. What’s the most rewarding part of your current role, and what keeps you motivated day to day? The most rewarding part of my role at UFP is seeing the direct impact we have on both our vendors’ and resellers’ success, whether that’s launching with a new vendor, improving customer supply and profitability, or making new partnerships. Knowing that our work at UFP genuinely enables growth in the print channel makes it highly fulfilling. Ayisha Bandali, Business Development Manager, UFP 60 seconds with…. Ayisha Bandali What would be your dream job? A traveling food critic, so I could see the world and eat lots of lovely food at the same time. Money’s not an issue, what’s your perfect car…and where would you like to drive it? I’m not really big on cars, so I’m going a bit rogue with this one. I’d choose a classic VW campervan, one of the old‑school ones. I’d take it on a road trip around Europe, just travelling at my own pace and enjoying the journey. And then I'd fill it up with lots of trinkets from all the countries that I visited to decorate my house. Fine dining and good wine or a curry and a pint? Fine dining every time. How do you like to spend your spare time? With friends. I also go to a lot of concerts and I do quite a bit of traveling. Going back to my answer about my dream job, I really enjoy good food and I am always the first to want to try out new restaurants. Favourite app, and why? Mob; it’s a fantastic meal planner and recipes app, you can find a recipe based on what’s in your cupboard, create shopping lists, adjust the quantities based on how many people you’re cooking for, and follow easy recipes step by step right from your phone. I can't recommend it enough. Everything that I've cooked, I've liked. Favourite holiday destination? It's difficult for me to pick just one. I did 30 countries before I was 30, so I've been to quite a few places. I probably have spent the longest time in Thailand, and I would say that's my favourite cuisine, so if I'm choosing based on an overall offering – location, culture and food, it would be Thailand. Last film you watched? I Swear. It's a really good watch. It's sad in parts but there’s also a lovely humour that runs throughout. What keeps me motivated day to day is the pace and variety of the role, combined with the collaborative nature of working closely with vendors, resellers and internal teams. I am very lucky I get to work with a great team and people I consider friends. Every day brings new opportunities to add value, solve challenges and strengthen relationships, all while contributing to a business that is actively evolving and investing in the future of the print channel. What’s been the most defining moment in your career so far, and how did it shape your approach to leadership? Becoming a sales manager taught me a lot about leadership, doing your best, working together as a team, and really learning how working collaboratively can push everyone to be better. My new role at UFP has opened the door to a whole new set of opportunities. It’s given me the chance to get involved in different parts of the business that I never would’ve been exposed to in my old job, because we are a much smaller team. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received and how has it influenced your journey? Keep good people around you, they’re hard to come by, aren’t they? Good, hardworking people make all the difference. We all push each other to do better, and that’s a really good thing. If you had had a crystal ball, would you have done anything differently? Probably not, because once you change something, the outcome isn’t guaranteed. So, I don’t think I’d change anything, unless someone could tell me exactly how everything would play out afterward. But realistically, no, I wouldn’t change a thing. It might sound like a boring answer, but it’s the truth.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDUxNDM=