Texaco people profile: Aleksandra Rikovski

I have been working with Texaco branded distributors for more than 20 years, helping them navigate and grow through challenging and ever-changing business environments. Throughout my career with Texaco, I have covered several areas, including technical and sales support, marketing and now, transitioning to an account management role for the Nordics, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus and Belarus.

What do you believe Texaco has to offer customers?

There are three key pillars to the Texaco offer. Our people and their interaction with customers, our products, helping users get optimum performance and finally the partnerships we build with OEMs, technology partners and our distributors.  This is all combined with a transparent and honest approach to doing business and our commitment to customers to grow together.

What behaviour or personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why?

I think one of the most critical skills is listening. Taking this approach is beneficial across all aspects of our supply and value chain, for both internal and external stakeholders. I can then apply that information in the best way possible to meet specific business targets and exceed customer expectations.

What piece of advice would you give to someone starting out in your industry?

As I have a technical background, I believe understanding product technology, how lubricants work inside equipment and what benefits they bring to customers is a great starting point. I’d recommend starting with that knowledge and then building on it with insights from other relevant industries and overlaying with personal experience. I believe continuous learning is the key to success - don’t make assumptions and don’t be complacent.

“Whatever your job will be in the future, just do it properly.” Advice I received from my mother while I was still in school.

If you could become an expert at something in an instant, what would it be?

I would like to be able to travel from one point in the world to another - without the need to spend time at airports!