Keen footballer Katie Sampson has been appointed Kestrel’s new business development manager. The 26-year-old graduated with a sport business management degree and will now be pitching new products to a growing customer base across the Midlands, south Wales and the south-west of England.
Worcester-based Katie took a graduate job in construction and worked for two years for one of Kestrel’s distributors before joining Kestrel’s manufacturing team. “I love working in construction because there’s always something new being developed and there’s never a quiet moment,” she said. “You also get to meet many different people on a building site who are straight-talking and don’t hold back with what’s on their mind, and I find that refreshing.”
Katie has a very clear vision on how to develop her new role. She said: “My main aim is to look after existing customers, helping them to develop their business with Kestrel products, whilst also expanding our product portfolio to distributors.”
Katie, plays football for Worcester City FC but is currently recovering after surgery on a knee injury. “I’ve spent a lot of time indoors because I’m not playing football, which has given me the time to really research the trends of the manufacturing sector,” she said. “With more people spending time at home and fewer opportunities to spend money, many are investing in renovations, which can only benefit Kestrel and its distributors.”
Owen Thorogood, sales and marketing director for Kestrel, said: “Katie is one of our shining lights and we look forward watching her hit the ground running with her new role. She has the drive, personality and determination to fulfil her goals and I’m sure she will prove an asset to not only to Kestrel but to all of our customers the Midlands, south Wales and the south west over the coming years.”
