We’re proud of our products

There is a vast difference between rich and poor in Thailand, which is why Morten Halfdan Petersen and his colleagues make clothing collections for poor people twice a year. Many of his Thai colleagues come from modest backgrounds and help to decide which villages should benefit from the collection drives.

“VIKING is a small company that seems big because it is global, has many subsidiaries all over the world and offers a stimulating, international working environment.”

That is Morten Halfdan Petersen’s description of the company he has been working for since 2005. As the managing director of VIKING’s manufacturing subsidiary in Thailand, he is one of only four Danes who work with 440 Thai colleagues, which makes him the executive manager for almost 40% of VIKING’s total staff.

Morten Halfdan Petersen hasn’t worked in Denmark for the past eleven years, as he has been employed by other international companies in places like Switzerland, Thailand and Hong Kong, and took an MBA in London. He had actually decided to head to Europe after the posting in Hong Kong when he saw VIKING’s ad for the job in Thailand.

“The ad fitted me perfectly: ‘Production engineer with an MBA and knowledge of Thailand’. I could answer yes to everything and was tempted by the prospect of being a director for such a large factory,” Morten explains and has no regrets about postponing his return to Europe and accepting VIKING’s challenges instead.

“I like working with a production process because if you change something, you can see whether it works by actually getting to touch the results. At the same time, VIKING gives me lots of latitude because they've got faith in me to handle the job I’m hired to perform. There’s a very optimistic team spirit: we're proud of our products and we work to achieve a common goal.”

Dane in Thailand
“Our manufacturing process must be faultless because our products save lives, and this is an important message to impart to our employees on the production line. Our products must be thoroughly effective – even if, when all is said and done, we all hope they’ll never be needed, of course,” states Morten Halfdan Petersen, who is down on the production line every day – giving him plenty of opportunity to practise speaking Thai. Although he is taking Thai lessons, all communications with the other managers are conducted in English.

“We’re trying to establish a pleasant workplace that provides stimulating challenges to the employees. One of the ways we do this is by hiring Thais for the management positions so the management group isn’t made up of only foreigners, as is the case at other foreign companies here in Thailand.”

“VIKING is good at offering interesting positions and unique opportunities for an international career. The company keeps what it promises, so it’s possible to fulfil your wish of global job rotation.”

While Morten Halfdan Petersen works almost exclusively with Thais, the nationalities among the circle of friends he sees in his spare time are more diverse. Together with his wife Annemette and their three daughters, Kristine Sofie, Karoline and Mathilde, he moves in an open, international milieu, primarily comprised of other families who have been posted abroad by their companies.

“Thailand is a magnificent country to live in and we feel happy here. The climate is superb, it’s peaceful and the people are very friendly,” he says.

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