Ben Pearman

Current Employer/Organisation Name

General Mills

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

Working in the food industry, for different branded FMCG multinationals, living and working across Europe, MENA and North America in different expat assignments. Now returned to the UK to lead General Mills’s business for Northern Europe.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

I wanted to work in marketing for a branded FMCG multinational that could train me to be successful in business and provide significant career development opportunities

Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?

Member of both Community Action and Christian Union societies.

What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?

Working with a bright, diverse and curious cohort with challenging teachers and professors that we always prepared to reflect, debate and share perspectives. Extreme diversity of thought across my year group from atheists to people of non Christian faiths.

What did you enjoy most about studying here?

A great campus, great degree and, as always with life, it all hangs on the people you surround yourself with.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

It was Exeter or Durham. I would have had to learn Hebrew at Durham and Greek already felt enough of an ask.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

Putting forward clear, persuasive and well structured thinking in a compelling way.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

Get some compelling work experience whilst you are at University to demonstrate your interest and put yourself ahead of the pack…and of course work hard and get a strong result to demonstrate intellectual horsepower!

What are your plans for the future?

Continue within the industy and increasingly add on additional responsibilities that well pay it forward.