“We are working to make Performance Management more real. To make it a part of daily work and to give managers and supervisors a tool that will allow them to evaluate and score people as often and as informally as possible..”
Marius Gentry
THE INTERVIEW
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: How do you think your knowledge of different aspects in business such as customer service and preparing budgets has helped you as an HR group manager?
Marius Gentry:I see HR as a support function to the business. In order to understand and support business my knowledge and experienced gained from different industries and roles has best prepared me for my current role. Having a broad base of experience to draw from is almost essential in today’s business world – understanding the requirement of your “customer” is essential to success.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Avis Rent a Car is an international company committed to CSR and creating a great working environment for its employees. Tell us more about your experience of managing the HR function of this firm in UAE.
Marius Gentry:Avis Rent a Car is a big operation, covering short term rentals, leasing (short and long term), bus transportation services, chauffeur drive services and garages or service centres for vehicle maintenance and repair. As a result of this diversified operation, one must cover various needs and requirements from the various business units and this is across all the disciplines within HR. When working for such a diverse group of people, one must be able to adapt and react quickly. When it comes to people management, I believe in being consistently fair. This gives me credibility with my staff – they know they can trust me. Furthermore, I believe in treating people with dignity and respect and these are the things that has made Avis such a great company to work for.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Please give us a brief introduction about yourself and what did you study in college? How does your education benefit you in your current career? And how did you start your career in the HR?
Marius Gentry:I was born and grew up in South Africa as a country boy. I am fortunate that my parents used discipline as the foundation for raising their children. After high school I studies Human Resources and Labour Law – a subject I absolutely fell in love with. I was astounded by the various interpretations of the law and how business and labour played in this field daily in an effort to enhance their bargaining power. After college I joined the military and then went on to my first job in the private sector.
Education is essential in the world we live in today. Individuals must compete to be the best and there are a lot of candidates in the various markets searching for a rewarding career. However, the best place to learn is in the working environment. Facing issues and problems daily, difficult and demanding managers, staff that are not happy or display unacceptable behaviour. This is where we learn and we are able to apply the knowledge we learnt at school. This is where we can challenge ourselves to do better every day and thus we keep learning and we keep taking a few steps forward every day.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Tell us about the transformation from being an HR manager for one company to overseeing the HR functions in a group of 10 major companies.
Marius Gentry:I was extremely fortunate. I had support along with very clear direction from the owners and my CEO and in truth; this made my job a lot easier. Furthermore, the CEO and I were perfectly aligned. We share the same vision for the group and that makes things so much better at work. The companies within the group cover transportation, retail, information technology, real estate, manufacturing and service – all very diverse, however, the owners wanted a uniform HR framework across all these companies within the group. I worked in stages to with a clear plan and very clear goals along with a timeline on each goal. Obviously the role is much more strategic than the HRM role in one company within the Group and does not always allow me the luxury of connecting with staff on a daily basis. I do however like to be hands-on and I make sure that I remain visible and present in each of the companies as much as possible. I connect with people daily, talk to them and try to understand how we as HR can help – staff and management alike. Having a great team of people – strong people that work together is our recipe for success at MHAO. I am fortunate to have that great team of individuals that work hard to deliver on our promises. They will tell you that I am difficult and tough, but discipline is the key to success and I am relentless in maintaining discipline – it always pays off.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Performance measurement is a core responsibility for any HR manager, how hard is it to measure the performance in a diversified employee environment such as in the UAE?
Marius Gentry:It is very difficult. For many managers it remains an exercise to tick the box and get it done. Performance Management is something that is currently in the process of evolution. We are working to make it more real. To make it a part of daily work and to give managers and supervisors a tool that will allow them to evaluate and score people as often and as informally as possible. It is an exciting project and I look forward to making this another success story for us at MHAO.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: You were a general manager for more than 3 years then you fully committed yourself to working in HR. How did you take this decision, have you ever regretted it? Do you ever wish you were a marketing manager for instance?
Marius Gentry:HR was always my field. I moved from HR to the GM role, so going back was easy. HR is my passion, it never feels like work.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: As a non-Arab working in the UAE, what do you find most interesting about living in the Middle East?
Marius Gentry:Absolutely the people. The diverse backgrounds, cultures and habits of the various people. I have learnt so much from all these people – the experience has enriched my life so much. I am truly blessed.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: What are your advices to GMs and CEOs working in the UAE while dealing with the HR?
Marius Gentry:HR management is a part of your daily function. Embrace it and make it a part of your daily work. Never underestimate HR. It is a key tool to the success of the business you run and ultimately your own success.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Recently you took part in HR Tech Summit 2016 that took part in Dubai as a delegate. Can you please describe to us your experience there? How did this conference add to your career? And what are the hottest topics that grabbed your attention?
Marius Gentry:It was very interactive and most beneficial to me was the exposure to new technology that is available to HR managers and companies alike. Tools that will make the working environment more interactive and ultimately engage people who will then deliver better than expected.
