Anthony Secoulidis

Where do you work?

I work at Carlton & United Breweries (CUB), which is a part of the AB Inbev family. I am currently working in the sales function of CUB, where I work as a sales rep (Business Development Executive) engaging with our customers.

What’s your job about?

I’ve just changed roles from working with our national retailers (BWS, Liquorland etc.) out in the western suburbs, to working with Restaurants and Café’s in the CBD and inner suburbs. In my job, I am responsible for securing new business for CUB by establishing relationships with various restaurants and cafes, and increasing the profile of our products in this channel to ensure greater cut through with our consumers.

What's your background?

I first studied a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Animal Health & Disease. However after finishing this degree, I pivoted and did a Masters in Management to move out of science and into business. Whilst studying I devoted a lot of my spare time to extra-curricular activities and part-time work for the YMCA. In 2017, I was the President of the Melbourne Business School Student Association where I led our 24 committee members to achieve strong growth in our primary events – the Business Ball & Case Competition.

I also competed in several case competitions whilst studying, representing the University of Melbourne in the APEX International Case Competition in India, where we placed 2nd.

These activities ensured that I had strongly developed soft-skills which prepared me for entering the workforce, and is something I would recommend all students currently studying to devote time towards.

What's the coolest thing about being a CUB Graduate?

Working at CUB you are working in an incredibly fun industry – as no matter what, it is almost impossible to make beer boring. As a CUB Graduate you are really afforded as many opportunities as you can handle, with direct access to senior business leaders who want to listen to what you have to say. As a result, it means that you have all the opportunity to stay engaged and make an impact on the organisation from day one.

What are the challenges you face in your job?

Sales is something I have never done before, and honestly something I had never considered doing. It is an emotional rollercoaster, as rejection and tough days can make you feel flat – but just as frequent are days where you get great wins and form meaningful relationships that overcome you with excitement and joy. Learning how to sell is certainly tough and a challenge I am still working around, but something I know will be so valuable to me in my career moving forward.

What 3 pieces of advice do you have for those applying for the Commercial Management Trainee program:

• Understand that you will be likely going into a sales role – where you will be out of the office, on the road and pavement learning the business from the ground up. There are a lot of office based projects that you will work on, but the core of the role will be this.
• Go into the role with an open mind, sales is one of those areas I believe is poorly taught at University (if taught at all) and can often have a negative perception in society. In fact, sales is the core of most organisations, so try to avoid letting those biases affect you.
• Learn as much about the company and industry as you can before applying and during the application process. Not only will this help you in the interviews, but it will help you understand the organisation that you will be joining and whether it is a culture fit for you. I encourage applicants to speak to CUB employees at the opportunities available to them and find out why CUB is right for them.