Justyna Elliott: A Spotlight
Next in our Employee Spotlight series is one of the BPF's most recognisable... Justyna Elliott - not only a staple member of our team, but a staple of the plastics industry as a whole. In a male dominated industry, she is strong-willed, hard-working, well-connected, and also a whole lot of fun. With a reputation as a fiercely diligent worker across the entire sector, let's find out how Justyna Elliott got to where she is today.
Justyna came to the UK in 2004 after completing her Bachelor’s degree, and though initially only planning to stay for a year or so, she fell in love with the British culture, sense of humour, and how welcome she always felt here. So here she is twenty years later! Justyna didn't waste any time, and joined the BPF in 2005, meaning next year will be her 20th work anniversary!!
"Sounds crazy, but it really doesn’t feel so long. It only shows how lovely the BPF is is to work for. I have grown so much throughout the years and the BPF has always supported me in my personal development."
After a few years of working at the BPF, she enrolled for a Master’s degree in International Business, completing it in two years - studying part time, whilst working full time.
She is now our Senior Business Development Executive.
Justyna's role covers a vast range of BPF operations. A large part of her job is looking after the BPF Equipment Group, which has been growing year on year and now has nearly 70 members! She also manages the BPF Associate Members, which are service providers to the UK plastics industry giving help to all BPF Members. Her responsibilities also include coordinating the British Pavilion of exhibitors at foreign exhibitions - such as K show, Chinaplas, and many more, as well as organising the BPF stand arrangements at the UK exhibitions.
"I love travelling and I love to plan things. My friends always laugh at me for needing to have a plan for everything, but that’s just the way I am! A quote I love is: “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. So my role of coordinating the British exhibitors at foreign trade shows essentially just combines the two things I love."
Justyna also always excels at liaising with show organisers/ stand builders/ the exhibitors to make sure there are no surprises when the BPF team arrives to the foreign country with a group of delegates. The BPF has been organising the British Pavilion at foreign trade shows for decades and helping UK plastics exporters in their export journey has been very important for us, so ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience is always Justyna's highest priority.
And she's learnt from experience! Having grown up dreaming of visiting India, Justyna was elated to find out she would be overseeing the British Pavilion at Plastindia in New Delhi - where she had to coordinate a group of seventeen exhibitors. However, Justyna landed in India to discover that all the BPF colleagues who were meant to join her had been snowed in, with no flights leaving Heathrow for days! Justyna welcomed all exhibitors on the BPF stand to the show for the first time and completely on her own; and thanks to her organisation and pre-show preparation, everything went smoothly. "Talk about being thrown into the deep end!"
One of our favourite things about Justyna is that even after a long day on a stand, she will always try to arrange a spot of sightseeing for exhibitors after the show hours. Whether it's an old town in Istanbul, or an an off-beaten-track restaurant in Shanghai, Justyna always prioritises the group's cultural experience and adventure.
Outside of work, Justyna loves running - having completed two half marathons so far with her sights set on a full marathon soon!
"I have also taken up tennis and I enjoy playing with my two boys. They are getting better than me though, so I have to try rather hard to keep up with them! I also really enjoy cooking and my speciality is hearty Polish soups. Some of my best are a gherkin soup and a beetroot soup called Barszcz."
When asked about Justyna, her colleagues described her as ‘a force to be reckoned with and a true inspiration to women across the entire industry'.
What Next For Justyna?
"The BPF is growing every year and we now have around 600 members and counting. This means there are always new challenges and projects to be involved in, and I really enjoy being part of the BPF. I learn something new every day and the company culture is second to none."
Justyna has truly grown with the BPF and crafted the company into what it is today. We are always grateful for Justyna's attention to detail, organisation, and warm personality.
Click here to connect with Justyna!
Learn more about the BPF's upcoming Exhibiting opportunities: here.
Author: Rebecca Shortland
*Please note that this article is not to be published on any other website unless given specific permission from the author.
