Amy inspires students with her career journey at Arla

Amy Punchard (Business Management with Marketing, 2022) recently returned to the Business School to lead an inspiring session as part of our ‘Lunch with Alumni’ event series.

Now a Brand Manager at Arla, Amy Punchard’s story is one of ambition and making the most of every opportunity to build a successful career in brand management.

During her talk, Amy shared how her career journey began with a marketing placement year at Arla, which provided her with invaluable insights into the dairy industry and hands-on experience in the field, helping her to develop practical skills and build her professional network. After graduation, she began her career at Arla, starting as Assistant Innovation Manager before stepping into the role of Brand Manager for Arla Protein. Since then, she has built a rewarding career in brand management, and she hopes to continue her career in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector as it’s an industry she is passionate about.

Amy also highlighted her transformative study abroad experience at the South Western University of Finance and Economics in China. This opportunity allowed her to immerse herself in a new culture, expand her understanding of global business practices, and gain a broader perspective on international markets.

In addition to her academic achievements, Amy founded a social society during her time at Leeds. She credits this experience with developing her leadership, teamwork, and organisational skills, which she believes helped to secure her placement year and launch her successful career at Arla.

The session was hugely popular, with over 70 students attending to hear Amy’s career journey. It also included an interactive Q&A where students asked about securing work placements, studying abroad, and advice on entering the marketing field. Amy’s practical insights and enthusiasm inspired students to pursue their career aspirations with confidence.

Reflecting on the event, Amy said: “It was a pleasure to return to the Business School and speak with students about my time at Leeds and my career journey. My experiences of studying abroad and undertaking a work placement year had a huge impact on my career, and both of these opportunities were made possible through the Business School. As a result, I wanted to share my story to inspire students to take every opportunity available as I found these experiences invaluable”.

The Business School is excited to continue its ‘Lunch with Alumni’ series, bringing more inspiring stories to students throughout the academic year.

If you are interested in sharing your career journey with us for a future event, please contact us at alumni@lubs.leeds.ac.uk. You can also find out more about how to get involved and volunteer with us on our website.