Tobacco processing company kindles career in shipping

SALES AND marketing manager of Hoegh Autoliners, Carol Graham started her shipping career over 25 years ago at Zimbabwe-based tobacco processing company Transtobac. It was during her Transtobac days as shipping manager that she was exposed to the shipping lines and first made contact with Rod Eaton – a key figure in the industry who clearly recognised her talent and potential and would play an important role in her later career development. Her philosophy is that every job, every training course provides you with insights, skills and experience that will be put to good use down the line. At Transtobac and later Superleaf she gained invaluable shipping experience – while at software company Softrite, which she subsequently joined, she cut her teeth in the sales field. With these skills under her belt, and after spending two years travelling the world, she was ready for new and bigger challenges than Zimbabwe could offer. At the time – around 1992 - Rod Eaton was general manager of Rennies Ships Agency Johannesburg branch and employed her as his personal assistant and computer network administrator. She later moved into the non-liner division, and when Hoëgh-Ugland Autoliners made its first call in South Africa in 1993, Rennies was appointed as local agent. The service was placed into non-liner division since the initial impression was that vessels would not call regularly. But the growth in vehicle imports and exports translated into significant growth in the service, and she was involved in the marketing, helping to develop the brand along with Rennies director Tony Kee. Graham always loved the ro/ro business and enjoyed dealing with Hoegh- Ugland Autoliners. She worked closely at the time with trade manager Anne Hagen. In 2004, when the line – then known as HUAL – decided to move the sales and marketing function in-house, it wasn’t surprising that they approached her to head up the division. After working part-time for five years she was ready to return full-time – and she’s never looked back. As most in the industry agree – shipping is addictive. “If you’ve been in shipping you tend to always come back.” The challenge for women, she says, is balancing family life with the demands of a high-powered position especially if it requires travel away from home – but clearly she’s up for the challenge!