Through the Red Door with ARI’s Sue Kelly – an Elizabeth Arden column

Born in 1881, Elizabeth Arden was a woman way ahead of her time. Fascinated by skincare from a young age, she went on to pioneer the international beauty industry with many firsts including travel-sized products and the cult Eight Hour Cream. An ardent suffragette, legendary innovator and tireless entrepreneur, Elizabeth Arden was an early example of the ability of women to achieve success against the odds.

In a male-dominated era, she created a global empire with her famous Red Door Salons. Her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to innovation, quality and excellence remain the soul of the company today. In the spirit of Elizabeth Arden, this column sets out to recognise the women in our industry whose personal and professional stories make them deserving of industry recognition.

Aer Rianta International (ARI) Global Head of Business Development Sue Kelly

Introduction: Sue Kelly is known as a straight talker and a hard worker; someone who goes the extra mile not just for the company she has worked for over 25 years but also for her colleagues. Her strong work ethic is matched by a healthy sense of humour and an ability to shine in what is often a male-dominated world.

She talks with The Moodie Davitt Report’s Colleen Morgan about her upbringing in Ireland, her ability to juggle – which had her grandmother concerned that she would become a circus performer – her love of the sea, and her career with one of the world’s leading travel retailers.

Let’s start with your childhood. Did you have any idea of what you wanted to be when you were older? How did you choose your study and career path?

I was born in Dublin and grew up in the Southeast of Ireland. We moved around a bit due to my Dad’s job, so I always felt more of a Dub than a Culchie [a term for someone from rural Ireland]. I had lots of aspirations for my potential career in my early years. My Grandad taught me how to juggle three apples, quickly moving on to eggs, much to the horror of my Granny.

So, in my early years, I was pretty sure it would be the circus life for me.

In my teenage years I got a job at a local radio station, WLR (Waterford Local Radio), where I worked as the weekend newsreader and even had a segment as a children’s correspondent. That led me to pursue a BA in Communications at Dublin City University.

However, graduating during a recession in the 1980s made it quite challenging to find paid work in radio or sound production. I did manage to do some freelance work as a studio and live sound engineer, but it wasn’t enough to make a living.

Life’s practicality led me to a job with Allied Irish Banks which was a bit of an odd fit for me. But I have some great memories of living and working in Dublin in the early 1990s. I ended up leaving during a strike in 1992.

And that led you to ARI?

Not immediately. I’ve always been a Francophile, so I then decided to move to Paris as part of the opening crew for EuroDisney. I started off in retail, in the camera shop. My claim to fame was selling a camera to George Lucas [the American filmmaker best known for creating the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises]. I still remember his grin when I recommended the appropriate type of film to use for the weather, showed him how to load the film and the basics of using the camera. All before copping on to the name on his credit card.

I moved on to join Disney’s mobile recruitment team and in a sliding doors kind of moment – during a chat with an ex-colleague and former business development executive from ARI – it transpired that I had interviewed him and hadn’t given him the job.

After a couple of years, I felt I needed to think a little more seriously about getting a ‘proper’ job and answered an ad to join ARI in Eurotunnel. That’s where I first worked with Philip Eckles, Adrian Donovan, Nigel Bradish, Helen O’Keeffe and other super ARI veterans.

I worked on both sides of the tunnel for two years before moving to the ARI headquarters in Ireland as Assistant Buyer Fashion and Accessories and, ultimately, Senior Buyer Beauty. I was managing negotiations for our businesses in Russia, Ukraine, Ireland and Eurotunnel.

It was during these years that I first was exposed to business development, supporting various bids with category analysis and write-ups. It was challenging and I enjoyed it.

I still had itchy feet though and wanted to travel and live abroad again, so in 2001 I was thrilled to join Montreal-ARI North America as Purchasing Manager. I spent four great years in Canada. Montreal is a super place to live and work and remains one of my favourite cities in the world. However, I had no desire to be a long-term expat. Home was calling and I moved back to Ireland joining the ARI team working in Dublin.

Wherever I worked in ARI, I always sought out business development and put my hand up to support development and implementation projects. I worked on several of ARI successful bids, including Auckland, Abu Dhabi and Muscat, as well as a few heartbreak tenders that we didn’t win.

I formally joined the business development team in 2018 and was appointed Global Head of Business Development in December 2020.

And here I am, over 25 years with ARI.

I’ve had some amazing opportunities and was always the one within my circle of friends who ‘appeared to have’ an exotic life, always flying here and there. Russia and Ukraine in the 90’s, and later New Zealand and Australia, Asia and the Americas, and, of course, the regular TFWA events in Cannes and Singapore.

Business development is a rewarding field to work in, especially for someone who has worked so long in an organisation. It requires both an inward and outward view, while allowing for a long-term horizon and vision. I hope to be working on projects now that will yield results for ARI well after I leave.

I’m also very proud of ARI and its special position in the industry. As the founder of the duty free industry – the first ever duty free store was opened by Aer Rianta in 1947 – the company has maintained a commitment to deliver amazing customer experiences through retail excellence and partnership.

That’s what business development is all about. Finding the right places, the right avenues, all the while delivering the joy which ARI has as its new ‘Joy on your way’ corporate and consumer-facing brand identity.

What is the most challenging aspect of your work?

In terms of challenges, each project has its own challenges. But ARI is a well-oiled machine with an approach to business development that mobilises company-wide support to work on our most important bids. The business development team is very well supported by Ray Hernan, our CEO, the ARI executive team, and all our workstream colleagues.

We choose our projects very carefully to make sure we are putting our time, money and effort into working on the opportunities where we know we can add value and hopefully win. Sometimes projects get down to the wire and this type of deadline-driven work requires a certain type of resilience.

In this business, you also lose more than you win and coming second is just as painful as coming last.

What is your greatest strength… and weakness?

Definitely resilience. I don’t give up too easily and can usually find a way through or back from difficult situations. I’m also very fortunate to be blessed with an optimistic outlook.

Weakness? I always have a nagging feeling that I didn’t do something more worthy. But then that thinking helps me to put things in this industry into perspective and I don’t get too carried away by the glamour.

I can also be quite single minded and lacking in patience, and I often have to remind myself to stop and think more critically about the direction I am going in.

Do you have a mentor?

Many people – both men and women – have inspired me over the years. I admire people who work hard, who are creative and who are open to new ideas, those who are not afraid of breaking boundaries.

My Mum retired during the COVID pandemic. Then she was 81. Always a stay-at-home mother, she decided to go back to education in her late 50s and qualified as an IT adult education tutor at the age of 60.

Mum worked for over 20 years with students across all levels of society, including older people, teaching them computer skills, social media skills, sometimes pushing herself well beyond her comfort levels. So, in many ways, she has been my mentor.

That said, I did not inherit her patience and I’m an awful teacher. However, I hope I have her ability to adapt and change and the bravery to push beyond my comfort zone.

What are your thoughts on strong time management?

I am in awe of well-organised people, like my super colleague in business development, James McLean. My approach to time management is usually to put my head down and power through until the work is done and only then can I relax.

I much prefer to work late into the evening if I have pressing deadlines than leave something important until the following morning. That’s the way I am.

How important is that downtime to you?

It’s very important and I make the most of the hours I am not working.

I’m a water baby. I love sailing, fishing, and swimming. I haven’t sailed that much in recent years, but I used to race and cruise. I did the RYA Offshore Yacht Master qualification some years ago, but now would probably describe myself as competent crew.

I still fish with my dad and brother. We grew up fishing the lakes and rivers of Ireland for brown trout, sea trout and salmon. We have a multi-generational family holiday every year in Ballinskelligs, County Kerry. I’ll be there soon for two weeks and will get out for some fishing on Lough Currane where, I am happy to say, there is no mobile coverage in the middle of the lake.

Swimming is the big one for me at the moment. I feel I could rule the world when I am in the water. I love it; a great feeling that I rediscovered during the first lockdowns.

From May through to October I swim at least three times a week, up to 2km a session. That can be in the sea or in a lovely seawater outdoor pool near where I live here in Dublin. From November to April, I go indoors. My swimming is less frequent though as the indoor pool is not as compelling.

I do love getting a sneaky dip in the Mediterranean during the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes every year too. So, if you meet on Le Croisette and my hair is wet, that’s where I’ve been.

Is there a secret to Sue Kelly’s success?

I’m not sure I view myself as particularly successful, and I am honoured and even a bit intrigued to be invited to participate in this series. But I am, and have always been, very fortunate to have incredible support from my family and my colleagues.

My secret could be my ability to lead while remaining a part of a team, encouraging input, and collaborating to push beyond that comfort zone.

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Note: This article first appeared in The Moodie Davitt eZine. Click here for the eZine edition. ✈