FMCG Edition - Simon McLennan on Mentorship and Career Transition

What makes New Zealand's (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) FMCG industry tick? Who are the incredible minds behind the brands we love?

Welcome to the Tribe Talks FMCG Series, where we dive into the minds of the remarkable individuals shaping the industry. I'm Cameron King, and I lead the Sales, Marketing, and Digital team here at Tribe Group. We have a long association and deep understanding of the FMCG sector, and we believe that behind every great leader there’s a great story.

In this series, you’ll hear firsthand accounts of unique paths and valuable lessons learned along the way. So let’s meet them.

Thanks for joining us today, Simon, for the FMCG Tribe Talk series. Do you want to start off by introducing yourself and telling us a little about what you’re currently doing?

Simon: Sure. I’m Simon McLennan, General Manager for Asia Pacific at Manuka Health New Zealand. We bring amazing gifts from the honeybee and the magnificent mānuka tree, and we export our products all around the world.

Cameron: Let’s go back a bit. How did you first get involved in FMCG? I know you studied law at university, so how did that translate into your career today?

Simon: I probably fell into the industry by accident. I studied commercial law and management at Victoria University. My friends and I assumed we’d end up at PwC or one of the big consultancy firms in Wellington. But when we graduated, the Global Financial Crisis hit, and those roles were among the first to go. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but through two amazing people - Kimball Thompson and Richard Tager, who owned New World Metro on Willis Street. I got introduced to Red Bull. Kimball told me I’d be great there, and that’s how it all began.

Cameron: I’ve followed your career and noticed how purposeful your progression has been. You spent eight years at Red Bull, then moved to Fonterra, then to Karicare, and now Manuka Health. Was that part of a clear plan, or a mix of luck and guidance?

Simon: The eight years at Red Bull were really important. It was a brand I was proud to work for, and I was passionate about what they stood for, especially around sports. I’m a huge Formula 1 fan, so working there when Sebastian Vettel was winning races made it easy to get up in the morning. I had some amazing leaders, Ab Schuler and Jason Sergeant, who really developed me and gave me my first experience of great leadership.

The training and development were incredible. I got to travel for global key account courses and training that gave me invaluable experience. When I left as New Zealand Business Manager, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go next. You and I actually talked about not moving just for the sake of moving, but being clear on the right business. I wrote down three points: I wanted to work for a New Zealand-owned business, a company with brands I loved and could be passionate about, and one of the big five FMCG companies in the country. That basically pointed to Fonterra.

Cameron: You had a few roles at Fonterra, right?

Simon: Yes. It was a big opportunity, short shelf-life dairy products, massive portfolios, and exposure to some of the best talent in New Zealand FMCG. It was a chance to broaden my experience beyond what I’d done at Red Bull.

Cameron: Then you moved to Karicare, which was quite different again, smaller, more entrepreneurial.

Simon: Exactly. It was a different challenge. Karicare was about ten years old, but still very entrepreneurial. They didn’t have the systems or scale of a company like Fonterra, but they had strong growth ambitions across Australia and export markets. I wanted to test whether I could apply what I’d learned at Red Bull and Fonterra in that kind of environment. I reported directly to the board and worked closely with the co-founders, which meant daily exposure to key decision-making. That was invaluable.

Cameron: And now at Manuka Health you’re back in a global business with a strong agricultural connection.

Simon: Yes, and that really appealed to me. At Fonterra, I loved driving past dairy farms on my way to work, it gave me a real sense of purpose. At Manuka Health, instead of cows we’ve got bees, and instead of dairy we’ve got honey, royal jelly, and propolis. It’s a substantial business exporting millions of dollars’ worth of product globally.

I’m on the leadership team, working with great people, and my role covers regions like China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Doing business in Japan or China is very different to Australia or Singapore, and I’ve had to learn a lot about cultural differences. The theory of sales and marketing is one thing, but being in a Tokyo boardroom is another, it’s a huge learning curve.

Cameron: You’ve also had mentors along the way. How important has that been for you?

Simon: Hugely important. A lot of people in the New Zealand industry have mentored me without even realising it. I think of them as informal mentors, people I could pick up the phone and call for advice. And now I try to create that same kind of mentoring environment within my own teams.

Curious around how to approach something, or maybe something's happened and I'm not too sure. Maybe they're a technical expert in retail or supply chain or something like that. These are the kind of people I could have a beer with or go and have a coffee with.

Brendan Laurie is a really good example. Brendan's been amazing for me in my career, and he's the kind of guy I can go and have a beer with, which is nice. So there's plenty of those people who I think helped me probably in my earlier stages of where I'm at now.

From a much more formal mentor perspective, Chris Quinn from Foodstuffs is an incredible professional mentor. The difference between the two is, don't get me wrong, I can still go and have a beer with Chris, but my first meeting with him from a mentor perspective was very structured. I remember sitting in the boardroom at Foodstuffs. He brought out a manila folder with my name on it. We spent about half an hour in almost a speed-dating style session. He was asking me about my career aspirations, my journey from Red Bull to where I was, my leadership style, etc. He was just working me out.

Then he gave me a book by McKinsey on strategic development, told me to read it, and to come back with homework done for the next meeting. For me that was really neat, because the informal mentors are always there, but when you need that extra level of care from somebody who has built an amazing career and is willing to help the next batch of people come through - that’s where someone like Chris Quinn plays such an important role for me.

Another formal mechanism I’ve been fortunate to have access to at Manuka Health is through Angela Neighbours, a leadership and development coach. I realized early on that when I resonated with amazing leaders, I wanted to learn from them. I built the courage to ask them for a coffee, a beer, or if they’d consider formal mentorship. That’s probably the biggest challenge for most people, figuring out who would be a good mentor, and then being brave enough to reach out.

My advice is: if you see leaders on the news, LinkedIn, forums, or industry events who inspire you, take a punt and reach out. Most of the time they’ll appreciate it and want to help, time allowing. Otherwise, if you’re not confident or don’t know who to approach, ask the people around you, your leaders, exec team, or wider network. Say, “Hey, I’d love to learn from someone specialist in this area, top of their game. Could you connect me?”

As for my team, we’re working on mentorship. Some people want it but don’t know how to get it, and some people just don’t want it - and that’s fine. For those who do, we’ve connected them to some amazing people in the industry. I’m proud of that, because the support given to me is something I want to pay forward to help the next generation of leaders.

Now, what I love most about working in FMCG is how dynamic it is. Of course, not everyone gets the privilege of working for their dream business straight away. Sometimes a job is a job, and you need to graft before doors open. But there are so many brands and businesses in FMCG that if you’re selective and clear on your passions and values, you can find one that aligns with you.

It’s a cliché, but it’s true: when you wake up, go to work, and feel proud of what you’re doing, that’s powerful. FMCG offers so many options, you can build a whole career in sales if you want, or you can move between sales, marketing, commercial, supply chain, and become a generalist. If you pick your moments and choose your path, the opportunities are endless.

For mid-to-senior managers in FMCG or even outside it, my advice is: be clear on where you want to be, who you want to work for, and what gets you excited. For me, those three or four things have always been front of mind. Mentorship really helps because New Zealand is a small country, and in FMCG most of us know each other. You don’t need to have all the answers yourself, people in the network can provide insight to help you decide whether a move feels right.

When I first left university with a law degree and joined Red Bull, I had zero FMCG experience. One of my favourite leaders, AB Schler, hired me for a key account manager role. I thought he hired me for my skills, but he told me directly: “I’m not hiring you because of your skills, because you don’t have them. I’m hiring you because of your attitude.”

That moment stuck with me. He said attitude is something he couldn’t teach, but he could coach me to build skills and experience. That lesson shaped my view: attitude goes a long way. For anyone trying to break into FMCG without direct experience, never underestimate how much your attitude and passion can influence your career direction, especially in interviews.

Even now when I hire, whether at Karma or Manuka Health, attitude is everything. Skills can be developed, but attitude determines success.

So thanks for the time today, it’s been great to share my journey, my mentors, and my perspective on FMCG and leadership.