Maeve Magennis

I joined FD 4 years ago as a Business Operations Graduate, and since then my role has grown into Regional Operations for our UK Mainland and EMEA regions. I work closely with our teams to support growth, help solve day-to-day challenges, and make sure we've got the right people in the right places to deliver for our clients. Every day is different, which is one of my favourite parts of the job, it keeps me on my toes!

Outside of work you will usually find me catching up with friends and family, getting outdoors or planning my next adventure. I am a big coffee lover, so you will rarely see me without one in hand - especially in the office! I genuinely enjoy being around people, so getting into the office and catching up with the teams around me is something I really value.

When I was finishing university, I was convinced my career was going to be in retail management. I had worked part-time in retail for years and loved it so I couldn't really picture myself doing anything else. Growing up around Newry, FD was one of those companies you knew about. You would see people out and about with FD lanyards on, hear friends and family talking about it, and it had a really strong reputation locally. The graduate programme caught my attention because it gave me the chance to explore different parts of the business before committing to one career path. At that stage, I didn't have everything mapped out, but I knew FD would be a great place to learn, challenge myself and figure out where I wanted my career to go.

Looking back that impression couldn't have been more accurate. I've been given great opportunities, challenges, and have progressed into different roles. One of the highlights was being nominated for a Women in Tech award while completing the graduate programme, which was a proud moment. Safe to say, things worked out differently than I had planned and I am glad that they did.

I started out in recruitment as part of the Business Operations Graduate Programme before moving into resourcing within the Murex practice, supporting our consultants and helping the team grow. As the business evolved, I gradually took on more responsibility across System Integration and Application Management, working with practice leads and supporting in multiple areas within the business.

Currently I work on operations within UK Mainland and EMEA regions with our respective PRMs. Every move has pushed me to learn something new, whether that is building relationships with different teams, developing new skills, or getting a broader understanding of how the business operates. Looking back, I definitely had no idea how much there was to learn when I first joined, I didn't even know what Murex was!!

The support I've had throughout my time at FD has been one of the reasons I've enjoyed my career here. I've been lucky to work with managers who have trusted me with opportunities I probably wouldn't have backed myself to take on at the time, while always being there when I've needed a sound board or a vote of confidence. I've also been fortunate to work alongside some amazing female leaders who have shown me what is possible. That kind of support makes a massive difference, especially early in my career. Everyone is always happy to help and no question ever feels like a silly one!

For me the biggest development has come from learning by doing. Every time I've moved into a different role in the business, I have been trusted to take ownership while having the right people around me to learn from. Working with different teams and leaders has helped me to build confidence, improve my own personal skills and understand how different parts of the business fit together. I think that is one of the best things about FD, if you are willing to put your hand up and get involved, and step outside of your comfort zone from time to time, there are plenty of opportunities to keep learning and developing.

I would say the people, and the fact that no two days are the same. One day I could be celebrating someone securing a project and the next working through a challenge with our PRMs. Seeing people progress in their careers, knowing we have played a small part along the way, is definitely rewarding. It is also the little things - chats over a coffee, catching up with friends in the office, working with different regions and getting to better understand cultures on a global scale. When you enjoy the people you work with, even the busy days become enjoyable, and that is something I've found during my time with FD.