Fonterra

Tim Roberts-Ferguson

Tim has diverse experience as a capability leader, having successfully implemented leadership, sales, and business transformation projects in various industries and companies. He has a strong track record of creating meaningful strategic plans, developing programs, and implementing change management strategies that drive improved business performance and behavioral shifts.

Please tell us about the journey that you’ve had so far and your roles and responsibilities at Fonterra.

I have predominantly worked in adult education, with a significant focus on the finance and banking sectors in Australia. My expertise lies in enhancing sales and leadership capabilities, areas that truly ignite my passion. I transitioned to Fonterra, a world-leading dairy organization, six years ago in a sales capability role, enhancing sales proficiency across various channels to market within this multifaceted organization. Over the past two and a half years, my role has expanded to encompass heading the learning and development (L&D) department. While my primary focus is on our Australian market, I collaborate closely with our centers of excellence at Fonterra’s head office in New Zealand to customize our approaches to suit the local market dynamics while also designing learning interventions and programs that cater to our unique position in the industry. I’ve been involved in various forms of capability and people development for nearly three decades. Coaching individuals to grow and evolve, by recognizing their current skills and potential in different roles, or identifying future skills aligned with our strategic direction, is immensely rewarding. I’m dedicated to helping employees navigate their career and talent journeys by fostering their development and ensuring they’re equipped with the necessary capabilities to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape.

What are some of the major challenges in the learning and development space?

In regional Australia, where most of Fonterra’s manufacturing roles are located, we’re grappling with an aging, male-dominated workforce. This poses challenges in recruiting new talent and ensuring a sustainable workforce for the future. To address this, we’re actively exploring ways to market the dairy manufacturing industry so it is more appealing to younger generations by showcasing career development opportunities, learning pathways, and the potential for advancement. We’re focused on enhancing our ability to attract and retain employees, especially in the regional areas where we operate. We must demonstrate that manufacturing at Fonterra offers a clear career path enhanced by learning and development opportunities. We recognize the importance of investing in areas like automation, robotics, analytics, and artificial intelligence. These investments enhance our operational efficiency and appeal to younger workers seeking cutting-edge skills. By investing in these technologies and integrating them into our manufacturing processes, we aim to create a workforce that is well-equipped for the evolving demands of the industry. This shift represents a move from a more manual production approach to one that is highly skilled and technology-driven. It’s a central aspect of our strategic thinking, particularly as we consider our regional manufacturing operations from our headquarters. Another significant gap we’re currently facing lies in cultivating a learner’s mindset—an openness and willingness to think innovatively and creatively, rather than adhering rigidly to old methods. In today’s rapidly changing and fiercely competitive landscape, adaptability and unconventional thinking are paramount.

"Embracing every opportunity and actively seeking diverse experiences within different business functions, we gain a profound understanding of how the business operates and the challenges it faces. This enables us as L&D professionals to design interventions and programs that directly address the current and emerging needs of the business"

It’s about embracing intelligent risk-taking, empowering our employees to feel authorized and encouraged to explore new approaches, challenge norms, and continuously learn and improve. We’re currently emphasizing our change readiness and adaptability, which is closely linked with having a mindset geared towards continuous learning. We’re cultivating a culture where all voices are welcomed and encouraged to participate, fostering an environment of inclusivity and productive dialogue. Our focus with leaders is shifting from being specialists to becoming facilitators of meaningful conversations that inspire creativity, intelligent risk-taking, and the exploration of diverse perspectives. We’re dedicated to helping leaders refine their skills in inviting team members to contribute their ideas, perspectives, and challenges. We’re also committed to ensuring that when team members do engage, leaders and the rest of the team respond in a manner that creates an open and welcoming atmosphere, allowing for the exploration and integration of various viewpoints into decision-making processes.

How do you see the learning and development space evolve over the next few years?

Artificial intelligence and large language models are making significant waves across various domains. From an L&D perspective, the potential to generate new content, develop programs, and initiate initiatives using these tools is immense. While we haven’t used these tools to create and deliver programs, we’ve explored their capabilities extensively. This field is rapidly evolving and is likely to transition from niche to mainstream, especially as major players become involved, leading to accelerated advancements. In addition, there’s a crucial aspect of ensuring our workforce understands how to leverage these tools effectively. It’s not just about introducing them but about integrating them seamlessly into workflows to enhance productivity. For instance, in the post-COVID era, we’ve increased our reliance on online meetings, and tools offered by a number of providers have proven invaluable. They facilitate tasks such as summarizing meetings and assigning action items swiftly, ultimately streamlining operations and boosting efficiency. These tools transcend mere work productivity and have the potential to revolutionize how we approach learning and development. The main question lies in how we can efficiently and effectively enhance the workforce’s skills to utilize these tools in a manner that enhances their productivity rather than hindering it. Alongside this, there’s a need to foster a culture of continuous learning. This involves encouraging leaders to actively engage with their teams and individuals to discuss development plans, career pathways, and current skills, while also identifying and addressing skill gaps for future needs. We aim to cultivate a mindset where employees take ownership of their learning and development, recognizing that many may not always know which questions to ask or options to consider. Therefore, there’s a concerted effort to enhance leader capabilities to engage in high-value development conversations with their teams. We’re also working on promoting a culture of inclusivity and open communication, where all voices are welcomed, allowing a greater sense of participation and willingness to take risks across the organization.

Any specific piece of advice that you’d like to share with your fellow peers or other industry leaders?

One of the key factors that greatly benefited me is the opportunity to work across various business units, spanning sales, marketing, commercial, finance, and manufacturing. By embracing every opportunity that comes my way and actively seeking diverse experiences within different functions of the business, I’ve gained a profound understanding of how the business operates and the challenges it faces. This depth of knowledge enables L&D professionals like me to design interventions and programs that directly address the current needs of the business. I believe in fostering curiosity and asking questions, especially when engaging with senior leaders. By understanding their pain points, challenges, and the gaps between strategic objectives and operational realities, L&D professionals can identify the necessary skills and capabilities needed to bridge those gaps effectively. I’ve personally found immense value in the chance to work across various industries. I’ve noticed that skills in L&D are remarkably transferable. Exploring different sectors not only keeps me in a continuous learning mode but also fuels my energy and focus, ultimately enhancing my engagement in our field. In essence, I believe diversity of experience is essential for L&D professionals to become more versatile and effective.