Vanessa Otake started working at Unilever in 2003. She is an engineer by training, and worked in technically-focused research and development (R&D) roles before making a sharp turn into HR, as a diversity and inclusion lead overseeing gender equity.
While that kind of move may seem uncommon for an engineer, Otake was well-prepared for this mid-career shift. She knew the D&I team well and felt she had a good understanding of their day-to-day responsibilities. The team already understood what she brought to the table and was eager to have her on board, and it wasn’t because they were happy hour buddies.
This happened because Otake took advantage of Unilever’s flex-work program to pursue a D&I project while still in her full-time R&D role. Otake told Insider the flex experience opened doors and gave her the confidence to pursue this new job, which she said has reinvigorated her.
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