\nPlease see the interview with Irina Kitiashvili \u2013 Head of Logistics Department, Diplomat Georgia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
First of all, please tell us about your success story, what stages have you gone through, what difficulties were there and what stage are you at now?<\/strong><\/p>\n
First of all, I consider myself very lucky because I had very good teachers in my life. From the very beginning, when I was very young, I was surrounded by people who shared the greatest and the most important experience and knowledge with me both at the university and at work, and who played a big role in my personal and professional development. So, once again I consider myself blessed and I thank the universe for this.<\/p>\n
I am a biologist with a master’s degree in cellular and molecular biology. Despite the fact that my profession soon changed (I am an operations manager), the knowledge I received earlier still helps me a lot to better understand technological processes and to better understand and manage people. Then there was the Faculty of Economics and Master’s Degree in Business Administration. At the same time, I started working first in the field of environmental protection, then I gradually moved to international oil and gas logistics, then to production and supply chain management.<\/p>\n
From this point of view, I have come a long way before arriving at my current profession, but I have learned many important things at each stage. Most importantly, I use this diverse knowledge to this day, and therefore I can say that I am satisfied, so it has guided my professional development.<\/p>\n
What was the biggest challenge on your career path, an obstacle that seemed insurmountable at first, but you were able to overcome it anyway?<\/strong><\/p>\n
The most difficult thing was to achieve everything by myself, that is, I can safely say that I am “self-made”. However, this is also a certain strength. In my field, mostly men work, therefore it is difficult for a woman to establish herself in such a field or organization where men dominate. At first glance, it is not easy to be a woman and, at the same time, the supervisor of hundreds of men. However, this factor also has important advantages, because women can be more sympathetic and empathetic leaders, unite the collective and achieve incredible results. The main thing is to believe in one’s own strength and use it correctly.<\/p>\n
What is your main motivation to keep moving forward?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Perhaps I will not be original and say that the main thing is to realize yourself and your abilities. It is very important to have a balanced life where, apart from work, I have time for my children, parents, friends and myself. In addition to self-realization, my main motivation is to raise my children, as complete, well-rounded people who will be useful citizens of their country and happy people at the same time.<\/p>\n
Tell us about your current activities at Diplomat Georgia, what position and direction you work in, and in a few words, tell us about your future plans.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Currently, I am the head of the logistics department at Diplomat Georgia.<\/p>\n
“Diplomat Group” combines 50 years of international experience and 5 countries, which Georgia joined in 2008. Today, we are a leading international distribution company with an advanced logistics infrastructure and a world-class sales network.<\/p>\n
As we know, you are a member of the Board of Directors of ICC Georgia, the Vice-Chairman of the Trade and Investment Committee, and at the same time, the Vice-Chairman of the Customs Committee of ICC Global. What activities and projects do you carry out within these committees and positions, and do you plan to implement any initiatives in the near future?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Fortunately, years of friendship connect me with ICC Georgia. This is a great honor for me. We are involved in various projects, through which we want to make ICC international tools available to more Georgian entrepreneurs and operators. Since 2021, I am the co-chair of the ICC Global Commission on Customs and International Trade. Along with great honor and trust, it is a great responsibility to represent the region and, first of all, Georgia in the international arena. My work as a representative of the region in the Global Commission is uniquely aimed at increasing awareness of the problems of Georgia and the region and raising it to the highest level. Today, in the process of realignment of global supply chains, our country is faced with many problems, on the one hand, and interesting opportunities at the same time. It is important that businesses, the state, and international organizations work synchronously so that both the country and the region as a whole can use this opportunity as much as possible.<\/p>\n
Finally, limiting ourselves to the traditional question, what would you advise aspiring professionals and young people who are now taking their first career steps?<\/strong><\/p>\n
I will say directly that I envy the current youth. A variety of tools to “accelerate and increase efficiency” of operations have actually emerged recently, and will become even more accessible in the future. Many things are digitized, speeding up, and therefore opening up amazing possibilities. The time for multi-talented people is coming. However, skills and attitudes are equally important. We are witnessing a kind of evolutionary step, and accordingly, as always with such a big change, more chances are given to the unscathed, easily adaptable and versatile people. So get a lot of information and try hard, ask a lot of questions, use the knowledge and examples of the older generation and gather as many skills as possible. All this will definitely be useful in order to achieve the maximum you want in the future.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>