Vimala Dayananthan

My job is to lead the procurement department at DiGi. I am in charge of eleven people, who are divided into two units. One group deals with general purchases related to office administration, while the other procures goods for our marketing and technology departments. It is my responsibility to have a good overview of our activities and motivate my staff.

Well, I must say I enjoy the freedom and flexibility. The work environment is open and flexible; you can sit wherever you like in the office, wear what you like and communicate with anyone. This was quite strange for me at the beginning. But I really like it now. The open-plan office environment breaks down barriers. I can easily get feedback from my boss or share important information with my teams. I think this openness boosts creativity. DiGi has been rated as one of the most innovative companies in Malaysia.

It would have to be the opportunity to learn from similar departments in operations in other countries. All the procurement managers at Telenor meet four times a year to share experiences, coordinate purchases and strengthen the global team spirit. We meet in different locations. Our last meeting was in Munich – it was very useful and inspiring.

I would also like to stay with a foreign Telenor unit for a longer period. I have not taken advantage of this opportunity yet, but I have talked to others who have benefited from expatriate positions. It seems to be a very effective way to develop your skills. Your home unit benefits from it too, when you come back and are able to share your experiences.

I think it must be the company values, which I really like. At Telenor, you are asked to challenge norms and dare to push for change. We are not afraid of trying new things.

Let me give you an example. Previously, my department was considered a bit rigid – there were simply too many rules and procedures. So we simplified our working practices and then followed that up with a “road show” - where we visited all the other departments to tell them about our new ways of working.  As a result, our procurement department has a much more positive image internally. This is really a reflection of one of our company values: we make it easy.