Katie, who are you? Where are you from and what have you done so far in Life?
I’m Katie Oakley, I am 22 years old and I have recently graduated from studying at the University of Leicester with a Bachelor’s degree in Management and Marketing. I studied in the Midlands but now live in Suffolk in the UK where I am close to my parents and brother and our family pets. I am a creative person and have a love for art and design that is often expressed in my marketing style. I have always aspired to a career in marketing and I enjoy meeting new people so I am over the moon to be joining the global team at EP as Marketing and Community Manager.
What have you done before joining EP Equipment?
I previously worked for an EP dealer local to me, Armill Lift Trucks, where I developed my knowledge and interest of EP Equipment and realised just how much EP has to offer to the market. I have always been passionate about marketing and whilst studying I worked for my local council as assistant to the Events and Town Centre Manager where I developed and ran events with thousands of visitors and some amazing successes. I’m looking forward to making some new milestones personally and professionally as I grow in my position with EP.
What has been your main motivation to join EP?
When working in a dealership, EP products and the company message really stood out to me. The core values and practical innovation of the brand provided me with so much inspiration when creating materials that accepting a position to join the team really was a no brainer. The support from the team to the dealers was amazing so the move to EP felt very natural and seamless. The opportunity to work for an international company with such modern values has opened my eyes to the impact I can have as part of the team and I’m looking forward to making a network that can grow EP and our dealers.
Which product do you find most interesting and what do you want other people to know about the product?
Since joining EP my favourite product has actually changed. Prior to joining the team, I would have said my favourite product was the CPD20 L1 as this was the first EP forklift I was introduced to and one of the only trucks I got to operate in my time at Armill. Since joining the team, the EFL 302 has really stood out as its ability to act as a diesel truck whilst powered by Li-Ion breaks through outdated views on the limitations of electric trucks and provides a powerful example of the capabilities of EP’s products. The EFL 302 demonstrates there is really no need to compromise when developing a fleet.
What hobbies do you have and how do you spend your weekends?
I enjoy spending time with my friends and family drinking lots of wine and making memories and I have been lucky enough to travel to many beautiful countries around the world with them. I love taking photographs and getting creative but with lockdowns I have recently been spending most of my weekends with a true-crime documentary and my Siamese kitten Hector.
What is your biggest wish for your first year at EP?
My biggest goal for my first year with EP is to really develop my relationships with not only the EP team but also each of our dealers across Europe. I would love to create an amazing network and become a reliable recourse for EP and a point of contact that our dealers can trust and reach out to at any time. I have a lot of learning to do so in a year’s time I hope to be working with a well-developed knowledge of EP products and the dealers and customers we are working and growing with.
We’re very happy to have Katie in the EP family. If you are interested about our latest marketing activities or share some experience, you can contact her at katie.oakley@ep-eqipment.eu