At Polar, we cultivate success stories, and Rodrigo Almeida’s journey is one of them. With 25 years dedicated to the Polar team, he welcomes this new management with enthusiasm, propelling his continuous professional development.
Can you share some moments from your 25 years at Polar and how this relationship of trust with Polar began?
I graduated from the last Instrumentation class at Escola Técnica de Campos and received an invitation for an internship at Polar, initially planned for six months. However, before the internship’s end, I was hired to work in sales, specifically in technical specification. Initially, my intention with Polar was just the internship, but as I adapted to the processes, I worked in various sectors, such as the counter, stock, and deliveries. The area I identified with the most was sales. My career at Polar gained momentum when I began serving customers at the navigation counter. As many of them were foreigners who frequented the store, usually Evandro attended to them. However, as I spoke some English, in Evandro’s absence, I started assisting and stood out. This helped unlock my English, and customers were happy to have someone who understood them and could provide the necessary material. I developed in serving drilling companies, and Polar contributed significantly to my training. I excelled as one of the top salesmen, advanced to supervisor, reached management, and spent a considerable time as an account manager. Along the way, I specialized in customer relations, where I began doing more external work and participated in various projects. Today, everything I have comes from Polar.
The company announced the new Marine & Offshore BU under your management. Could you tell us about the idea behind this initiative and the main goal of this new area within the company?
To talk about this BU, we have to go back a bit. I contributed to Polar in developing even suppliers, establishing good relations with the market, and closing good deals, like with RS. The idea of Polar Componentes Europe arose from customer requests, and I was responsible for registering Polar UK in the market, developing relationships with offshore clients. In 2022, I was given the mission to develop Polar in Brazil, which we successfully accomplished. Now, I take on the mission of leading part of the team in the United Kingdom, in a decentralized project, as we now have more than one manager handling international projects. This gives more strength to my BU, allowing me to develop the same client both in Brazil and the UK, with more alternatives to offer. This year, the focus is on developing clients who were not well-assisted, despite doing an excellent job last year, with a significant increase in revenue. So the goal for this year is to enhance the quality of service, both nationally and internationally.
In 25 years at Polar, what do you think was essential for your development and to remain relevant in the company?
There are many factors, but I believe focus, persistence, and ambition. My goal initially was just to complete the internship, but the “sales bug” bit me due to the opportunities that arose. This sparked ambition. The fact of not being limited is what drives me. As long as I have the opportunity to grow, I will keep advancing.
The interviewee’s journey not only highlights his commitment, adaptive skills, and ambition but also underscores the company’s commitment to providing continuous improvement opportunities for its employees. This dedication not only strengthens Polar’s position in the market but also fosters the individual progress of each employee. Together, we continue to build a bright future full of achievements.
