MY CAREER IN SIX SPOTLIGHT

CHARLOTTE NELLIST

 VP – Global Supply Management

American Express

Sharing her career journey by answering the six questions below.

Who or what has been your biggest source of inspiration throughout your career?

My Grandma, known as Mini Gran. She was a force of nature, kind and determined, and taught me so much about seeing success as something within rather than around you. Carrying her belief with me every day is part of who I am and how I show up for myself and others.

Would you say your success is primarily due to luck or hard work?

Hard work has an amazing ability to show up as ‘luck’ in the eyes of many! The harder you work, the ‘luckier’ you become in terms of opportunities and options.

What is the driving force behind your career aspirations?

Belief – both in myself and those around me. My advice to people is to picture it, work for it, and go for it – you are forever inspiring others even when you don’t realise it. The future is in our hands to create. Someone has to be the first to try – why not you? Fostering an environment of inclusion and belonging is such an important part of our culture at American Express. As a leader, providing open forums for colleagues – regardless of where they are in their career – paves the way for their future achievements. Creating a safe space, showing vulnerability, and being open about my career journey drives transparency for colleagues interested in getting into leadership positions and dispels their concerns about getting there. Helping others believe they can do it is so important for me.

If given the chance to do one thing differently in your career, what would it be and why?

My career began before the rise of social media and before we realized the power of online networking. Networking early in your career through external forums such as Women in Payments is vital. This is something I didn’t do enough of, and I would encourage others to take advantage of these opportunities. I’ve learned so many career lessons through meeting incredible people, and those experiences and lessons are available to everyone if you put yourself out there to make those connections.

What was your most favourite job/role and why?

While I have had many incredible roles with increasing responsibility over the years at Amex, when I think about a role that was foundationally very important to me and my career, I look back at my first job as a sales assistant in a clothes store. It gave me the confidence to speak to anyone, help people, and learn what customer service was all about. It drove my desire to work with people.

Do you have a favourite motto or quote that guides your professional life?

A smile is understood by everyone no matter the language, culture or situation – kindness is a skill we can all master.