Interview with Ribier Céline | Marketing Strategy Packaging, Senior Manager - Philips Automotive Lighting

I joined the packaging engineer school (ESIEC) in Reims (France) in 1996 after a first degree in biochemical.  After becoming engineer, I started within Carrefour (reatailer) as packaging manager for their own Brand. As packaging Manager, I was in charge of the shape development with suppliers the first 2 years for Food products. And then the next 3 years I was responsible for the Baby range and “les cosmetiques” ranges mainly. The last 2 years in Carrefour, I worked still as packaging manager for all home products like glass, bathroom accessories, … In 2008 I joined Philips Automotive lighting as Packaging competence center (PCC) manager in a packing factory, managing a team responsible for the development of packaging and introduction of new products. The responsibilities of my function were extended in 2010 to become responsible for the 3 PCC in Automotive lighting : France, Poland and China under the Global Marketing management. In the PCC team we have designers, project leaders and documentatist.

In those 17 years learning and working in packaging area I have covered several kinds of products : cosmetics, technical, food, … worked in different areas : headquarter, factories… and for sure as for all the people working in packaging, in relationship with lot of other functions : quality, marketing, sales, planning, purchasing, procurement, supply chain, suppliers, agencies…

The main challenges at work remain the management of diversity, the implementation of good communication, good processes, always keeping in mind, that improvement can be done. Without to forget the long term strategy implementation. 
I have never seen any packaging department (in industry or retail) without being under quality, supply chain or marketing management. From my point of view, none of them are good enough. I’m dreaming on having packaging in the same level as quality, marketing and supply chain as we are working with all of them an no one of them should have been preferred as packaging is the best compromise coming from several parameters linked to all of them. 
 

In 5 years from now, I see my organization merged with other Philips packaging teams in lighting, healthcare or consumer lifestyle. With less and less focus on the specificities of each activities, region, country, customer, consumer. But with more and more efficient processes, more uniform message for the Brand to end consumer, with better purchasing price.
    

 

My future plans is still to extend my knowledge with packaging area. I learned a lot in the last years about management and this is one part of my job I really appreciate because this is the opportunity of transferring the knowledge to the others and  being challenged every days.
I liked working in the factory, in a small division of Philips and in a long term future I would like to work for 

• Organize a  kick off is done with all the key stakeholders
• Get the commitment of all stakeholder regarding the objectives, deliverables, KPI
• Define a retroplanning
   

• Making sure they answer the need, not more, not less
• Implementing continuous improvement
• Providing services to customers
   

• Defining clear specifications and needs
• Create partnership with suppliers without damaging the prices discussion
   

Weight reduction linked to legislation and environmental trend  had a huge impact and most of the packaging cannot be lighted anymore without losing their first function: protection of the product.
 

In 5 years from now, packaging industry should have find a solution to answer to the customization trend that all other industry are following. The packaging will become more and more consumer friendly by enhancing the opening experience of end consumer. The packaging machines will have become more and more flexible answering to the complexity of the world and allowing customization.