Elena, you have recently changed roles at VTTI. Can you tell us what you’ve been doing?

I recently worked in data management for the Enterprise Resource Planning and Computerised Maintenance Management systems. I’ve since joined the Finance team at VTTI, where I work as an accountant. 

I joined VTTI after studying business and accounting at university. VTTI is a unique company in Cyprus, and I was intrigued to work in such a special environment on the island. When I finished university, I thought I would have a go and see what happens. In the time since, I have been lucky enough to find a stimulating industry through VTTI. Energy storage offers so many growth opportunities and VTTI is making it happen. 

How does your day look as an accountant?

My day-to-day work follows a familiar pattern. I start by prioritising the key issues for the day. Because of my background in data and finance, I am at the intersection of the technical and finance departments and can be involved in a wide range of tasks. Throughout the day, I can find myself handling invoices, preparing data analyses and working on efficiency improvements. 

I’m passionate about data analysis and reporting, so any free time I have is spent improving my skills in these areas. My recent move to the Finance team has allowed me to develop my interest in numerical disciplines from a different angle to data analysis. I’ve found that the two areas complement each other well. 

What are your reflections on VTTI as a company?

One thing I’ve learned from working at VTTI for the past decade is that you can always expect a good challenge. You will never be bored here! 

There’s also something special about the VTTI terminal in Cyprus. It’s a friendly and welcoming environment, and I feel valued as a colleague. The terminal also hosts regular social events for employees, where our families join us. Our terminal has two shifts, and these events are a great opportunity to develop social bonds with people we don’t normally work with.  

I also regularly share ideas with VTTI colleagues around the world. When I was working on technical systems, we held a global meeting in the Netherlands where I got to meet the people that I’d been working with on Teams! 

What is one of your highlights from working at VTTI?

In 2018, we held a global meeting in the Netherlands with representatives from each terminal. At the meeting, I was assigned to visit one of our terminals in Panama to work on the implementation of a new technical system.  

The Panamanian team was so welcoming. It was a great privilege to visit their premises and see how the terminal works – all insights that I could take back home to share with my colleagues in Cyprus.