'Finding new ideas with what you can do with milk is what we do' - Helen McDougall, Woodlands Dairy - CEO

Stephen Grootes profiles Helen McDougall, CEO at Woodlands Dairy in the latest episode of How I Make My Money.

Listen to the interview in the audio player below.

While she might be new in her current role, Helen McDougall comes with a wealth of experience, having previously served as General Manager for nine years at Mars South Africa and five years in senior positions at Danone South Africa.

Born and raised in Roodepoort on the west rand, she studied medical technology at Wits University, having initially harboured a dream of working in the field of medical science.

She would eventually secure a job working in a laboratory, but hated every minute of it.

"I then worked in a laboratory and hated every minute of it. It wasn't what I expected it to be. I loved the theory of it, loved the thought of it, but in practice it was just not me."

- Helen McDougall, CEO - Woodlands Dairy

It was in that job where she realised that working closely with people is where she needed to be in order to feel fulfilled.

She managed to find a job while scouring the newspaper, this time in medical sales. It wasn't her ideal job, but it got her out of the laboratory and working closely with people.

Fast-forward several decades, McDougall worked in sales and the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, where she spent time at Mars South Africa and Danone South Africa, before eventually finding herself in her current role as CEO of Woodlands Dairy.

Speaking to Stephen Grootes on The Money Show, McDougall says her career has evolved immensely over the years.

"Over the years, I've moved out of sales into more general management of oganisations, so I don't only handle the sales side, I handle everything..."

- Helen McDougall, CEO - Woodlands Dairy

Woodlands Dairy is one of South Africa’s largest producers of UHT milk, marketed under its flagship First Choice brand.

The company also manufactures and packs dairy products for leading retailers such as SPAR, Pick n Pay, and Woolworths.

It produces a range of other products, including as butter, amasi, custard, cream and yoghurt.

Reflecting on her current role as CEO of Woodlands Dairy, she says it's a massive task to operate a multi-faceted dairy business.

"I handle everything, from acquiring the raw material, in this case the milk from the farmers, right through to manufacturing it into something else, transporting it, selling it..."

- Helen McDougall, CEO - Woodlands Dairy

"Finding new ideas with what you can do with milk and keeping up with global trends, then bring them to South Africa is pretty much what we do."

- Helen McDougall, CEO - Woodlands Dairy

Scroll to the top of the article to listen to the full interview.