The Gordon TAFE celebrates 130 years in 2017. So each month, we‘re introducing some of the faces that have studied with us over the years to share where they are today, and how they got there.
Name: Troy Taylor
Studied: Advanced Diploma of Business (Marketing)
Year: 2001
Now: General Manager – Hong Kong and Taiwan, LEGO Group
A lot of your friends went on to study trades after high school, but you bucked the trend. What led you to study marketing?
I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do after school but I had an interest in retail and business. I chose to study the Advanced Diploma of Business (Marketing) as I felt it would give me a broad knowledge base and insight into business management.
How did the opportunity first come up to work for LEGO, and where has your career taken you so far?
It’s been a great 15-year journey with LEGO where I have had the opportunity to live around the world and manage numerous functions across the business. I started working at LEGO as a Field Sales Representative back in 2002. From there I progressed into account management roles, looking after some of LEGO Australia’s largest customers.
I was relocated to America in 2010 where I spent three years as Director of Customer Development, running the LEGO Groups largest global customer, then back to Sydney to head up the Australian sales department. Then I finally got the opportunity to move into marketing, where I was the Senior Director, Head of Marketing for Australia and New Zealand for the past three years.
I’ve recently been promoted to General Manager for Hong Kong and Taiwan and will be relocating to Hong Kong in May with my family where I will head up the region for LEGO.
How did The Gordon prepare you for the career you have today?
The Gordon gave me a good insight into the world of business and the process involved in marketing and developing a product. I liked the practical side The Gordon had to offer as that suited my learning style.
When you tell people you work for LEGO, what’s one of the first things they ask you?
People get quite excited when they learn I work for LEGO. I usually get asked how big my LEGO collection is and what my favourite sets are, followed by them telling me a story about their own personal LEGO collection. It still amazes me how much passion and love people have for the LEGO brand.
If you could pass on one piece of wisdom to those making career decisions, what would it be?
Take your time to think about what interests you. You want to go into an area you enjoy and have a passion for, otherwise you will not be successful.
Everybody has to start somewhere, so as long as it is in a field of work you are interested in, your effort and performance will take care of the rest.
Posted: 15/04/2017 6:00:00 AM
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