Bringing 26 years of experience, Nigel Lockett appointed as the Country Manager for DHL Express PH
One of the hallmarks of a great organization is its ability to cultivate leaders from within and prepare them to step up when the need arises. This way, the execution of key plans is not disrupted, and the company culture remains intact. This was evident at DHL Express Philippines when then-Country Manager Nurhayati Abdullah stepped up to a new role in the organization and didn’t have to look elsewhere but within for her successor.
The DHL Way: Leadership from Within
With 26 years of experience in the Big Yellow Machine, Nigel is deeply embedded in the DHL way. He has a solid understanding of the company culture and leadership style that embodies Respect and Results. Within those 26 years, he has traveled across the network, serving assignments in different countries such as Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand – giving him a broader view of DHL’s operations in the APEC region. But more than that, a big part of his formative experience within DHL has been spent in the Philippines. In the early 2000s, he managed the Manila Gateway that served as the heart of DHL’s operations in the country. From there, his great performance earned him a promotion to Senior Director for Operations before being assigned as General Manager for DHL’s Bangkok Hub.
Now, as the country manager at a pivotal time in the history of DHL Express in the Philippines, the road ahead lays out key challenges and opportunities that will set up the next 50 years for the company: leveraging on crucial investments in infrastructure, sustainability,and technology to meet customers’ needs and empower employees; driving company’s resilience even amidst the pandemic; strengthening a people-first culture and keeping an eye on the overall strategy and goals of DHL. Equipped with operations expertise and first-hand experience of the Philippines market, Nigel is fully prepared to meet these challenges and take advantage of opportunities.
“We will continue to expand our footprint to ensure we are close to our market. We want to remain as the Provider of Choice for air express logistics in the Philippines 50 years on,” said Nigel Lockett, Country Manager of DHL Express Philippines.
“With varied facility upgrades and relocations slated for the next three years, we will ensure that we can cater to the continued shipmen
Still the Pioneer
Half a century ago, DHL pioneered the air express industry in the Philippines under WExpress. Today, DHL continues to be the pioneer in the industry and is now championing automation and digitalization in its operations and laying the groundwork for sustainable logistics.
“We are extremely active when it comes to automation and digitalization. We encourage ideas from everyone when it comes to improving our employee experience, customer service, or improving efficiencies,” said Nigel. “Under the guidance and leadership of our Digi Council, we have now completed more than 100 local digitalization initiatives over the past few years.”
Through its digitalization efforts, customers can now access DHL’sglobal shipping platform – MyDHL+ – making it convenient for them to process their shipments online. Its Digital Assistant ensures that they can connect with the sales teams and customer service representatives without leaving the comfort of their homes. MyBill, an electronic billing solution, allows customers to efficiently manage and pay their DHL invoices online while promoting a paperless transaction to reduce waste.
The commitment to driving
People at the Core: A Great Place to Work
Nigel’s journey to the Country Manager position is an excellent example of how DHL values employee development – discovering and promoting the potential of every one of its employees – and having a clear purpose and strong values is critical to keep people motivated.
“At DHL, we have a very clear strategy that every employee can relate to,” shared Nigel. “Our purpose of Connecting People, Improving Lives is very relevant. Those four words always motivate us to deliver excellence, and our values of Respect & Results define us as a great place to work.”
Early in his stint as a Country Manager, DHL Express has earned the top spot as a Great Place to Work in the Philippines, contributing to the ranking of DHL Express as the No. 1 Best Workplace in the World. “We always put our people at the forefront of our initiatives. We believe that without motivated people, we would not have the great business we have today,” Nigel said.
“We encourage ideas and initiatives from all. Through our employee engagement activities and a very successful learning and development strategy in our Certified International Specialist (CIS) program, we ensure openness and transparency at all times. Finally, we could not be a Great Place to Work without being a Safe Place to Work.”
Enabling the MSME sector
DHL Express has been a part of the nation’s goal of bringing local entrepreneurs globally for five decades. This was achieved by building strong relationships with prime movers and organizations of the country’s economic sector, such as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE).
“The MSME sector is a significant contributor to the country’s economy. We are seeing the huge potential in bringing our local products to the global market,” shared Nigel. “We have programs, people, and infrastructure in place to support this vision, and partnerships with organizations and government agencies such as GoNegosyo and DTI are critical in ensuring our initiatives provide a positive impact to the growth of MSMEs.”
Joey Concepcion, the founder of PCE, had this to say about their partnership with DHL and looking forward to Nigel’s leadership, “For several years, the partnership between DHL and GoNegosyo has endured various challenges along the way, including the effects of the pandemic to small businesses in the country. As the world shifts to e-commerce and online business, logistics partners like DHL will ensure that businesses remain unhampered. I am certain that under Nigel’s capable and solid leadership, we will have more fruitful years ahead of us in terms of helping MSMEs gain access to more markets beyond the Philippines.”
DHL recently unveiled a key project with DTI through the Phygital Program activated in DTI Negosyo Centers nationwide, which offers a special 10% discount to all their customers on published tariff rates through promo codes valid until August 30, 2022. It aims to support the MSME sector and encourage international business opportunities. The partnership also extended to different regional groups of DTI, where DHL representatives lead learning sessions for their MSME mentees and maximize their opportunities beyond the Philippine market.
“DTI congratulates Mr. Nigel Lockett on his appointment as the new Country Manager of DHL Express Philippines,” said DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez. “Under Mr. Lockett’s leadership, we look forward to further strengthening DTI’s partnership with DHL in implementing initiatives that will empower local MSMEs in conquering international markets.”
Beyond the Call of Logistics
Continuing the collaboration with key government agencies, DHL played a critical role in successfully delivering over 40 million vaccine doses to the Philippines in support of vaccination efforts, such as the Resbakuna campaign of the Department of Health (DOH). “We are very proud of our involvement in bringing in over 40 million vaccines into the country, leveraging our network, process, and people and with great cooperation from the Department of Health and the Bureau of Customs,” said Nigel.
This aligns well with DHL’s thrust to enable social impact programs across the globe and Nigel keeps this close to heart and sets the tone for the rest of the organization. “We encourage our people to get involved in creating a positive and lasting impact in the communities we operate in. Under our social impact initiatives, we activate our support in different areas of sustainability, such as the environment, social development, disaster management and sustainable, and inclusive growth,” Nigel shared. “We also have an internal program called DHL’s Got Heart, where the company supports our employees’ individual or group advocacies through funding. This helps us to reach far-flung or neglected areas and improve quality of life for orphanages or elderly care.”
Onward to the next 50 years
For Nigel, coming in to set the company’s trajectory as it celebrates its 50th year in the Philippines is a worthy and exciting challenge. Looking forward, he remains optimistic about the future and is inspired by the people he leads. “I am extremely proud to be leading the DHL Express Philippines team. I have worked side by side with many of the team since 2002, and I am extremely excited to see the personal growth in the team,” Nigel said. “I look forward to supporting the future aspirations of every one of our motivated employees.”
The future looks bright and exciting indeed for DHL Express Philippines, and Nigel comment
ADVT.
