”As part of DeLaval’s team, I’m excited to navigate it through”

Cecilia Wu, Senior Legal Counsel, had not worked in the farming industry before joining DeLaval. Read the article to learn more about what drew her to the company and what it is like to work with legal issues in a complex business.

Before joining DeLaval, Cecilia had very limited knowledge about the company and the dairy industry. “I wasn’t in the industry before I joined DeLaval and didn’t know the company very well, as many other colleagues did when they joined. Even so, I understood that DeLaval is in one of the most sustainable industries around the world, enjoyed a long history and continuously thriving and developing its competitive edges. Besides that, to be honest, I was drawn to DeLaval thanks to the natural and peaceful farm pictures shown on the website. As someone who lives in a large, busy and crowded city, I thought it would be nice to somehow be close to farms and nature. Due to the nature of my work, I’m not on farms that often, but I feel I learn a lot and get a better understanding of farm operations and industry knowledge by talking with my colleagues which is always rewarding”, Cecilia says “farm to me now means far more than just beautiful scenery, it’s a place operated with knowledge, hard-work, attention and caring”.

Cecilia Wu joined DeLaval in October 2015 as a Senior Legal Counsel, the position she still has, and she has been assigned more responsibilities throughout the years. As a Senior Legal Counsel, her job is very diverse and sometimes complex due to the global operations of DeLaval – something she find very interesting. “At DeLaval, I have the opportunity to work on a wide range of assignments in many different areas of law; from transaction to dispute resolution, from corporate affairs to IP protections. I learn from my fellow colleagues and external experts in different locations around the world, which is quite an experience,” Cecilia says. She continues, “Instead of being confined to one particular area handling repetitive work, I stay curious to the world by having my diverse assignments. Since DeLaval has global operations across jurisdictions and has very complex product lines that are subjects to different industry regulations, issue identification, resolution and good communication skills are required for the role.”

When asked what she think is the best thing about working at DeLaval, Cecilia wants to emphasise on her colleagues. “I have the honour to work with people in many different functions and departments from across the globe and the greatest thing about that is to see the “one DeLaval” mentality being displayed in practice. Across the group, people are being understanding and open to each other and focuses on problem solving – even under pressure.” She adds, “DeLaval has a long history but the company always strive towards keeping itself agile in terms of operation and decision-making. DeLaval has its policies and processes in place to manage risks, but at the same time, right people are being empowered in the company. If you want to work at a global company and be part of the complex and exciting industry and its challenges, DeLaval is the place for you.”

Going forward, there are several projects that Cecilia is looking forward to – one of them being able to manage the data protection laws and regulations as part of new, future product launches. “DeLaval is doing the most innovative things in one of the most traditional industries. I very much look forward to seeing launches of products and services with new technologies that takes milking into the digital era. With that comes responsibilities to be in compliance with data protection laws and privacy regulations which is a top priority for us. As this is the case in many different jurisdictions, this might be a bit challenging – as for most global companies – but as part of DeLaval’s team, I’m excited to navigate it through,” Cecilia concludes.

Thank you, Cecilia, for your great work and sharing your story!