From Ukraine to the UK: Olena Ihnatenko’s Year of Culture, Challenges, and Change

When Olena Ihnatenko moved from Ukraine to the UK, she embraced new challenges and opportunities at Weidmann. With her expertise in production planning, Olena played a key role in streamlining processes and driving improvements within the company. In this Q&A with Olena, we explore her journey, the cultural differences she navigated, and her impact on Weidmann’s operations.

Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your role at Weidmann.

My name is Olena Ihnatenko, and I was born and raised in Ukraine. I have two Master’s degrees in Business Economics and Foreign Trade Organization. Since January 2016, I have been working as the Head of Production Planning for Board and Paper at WMPM.

The primary responsibilities of my team involve overseeing and planning the production processes for board, laminated board, paper, and crepe paper, as well as managing slitters. Additionally, we handle resource planning for board and paper production and customer service operations for intercompany activities.

What were your initial expectations when you first arrived in the UK, and how did your experience differ?

The difference from Ukraine was felt in everything: in the climate, in the food, in the traditions, and, of course, in the work. The work is similar, but production is slightly different, and the Ascman system was entirely new for me as I have eight years of experience working in SAP. I also had new responsibilities, such as controlling and purchasing all pulps and the base papers for DPP from Malyn, and regular stock takes of finished goods.

How did your colleagues in the UK support you during your time here, both professionally and personally?

From the first days after my arrival, I began to learn the Asсman system with help from my planning colleague, James Martin. After a few weeks, I started to see the difference between the systems (Ascman and SAP) and realized what needed to be improved to facilitate what I needed to do. I felt strong support and trust in my ideas from my direct manager, Andrew Marshall, and colleagues. I had a lot of questions, and everyone I asked tried to help me and provide as much information as possible.

On top of this professional support, I also felt great personal support from my colleagues. They always asked about my son, how I was settling, whether we needed anything, and if I needed support in everyday life. For example, Richard Lester gave me a lift to and from work every day. Sarah Speed provided many English books after mentioning that I started to read on long rainy evenings. I now have my own library of over fifty English books in Ukraine. I would also like to organize a shared shelf with English and Ukrainian books at the Malyn facility for my Ukrainian colleagues.

I also spent a lot of time with my colleagues outside the office, and I now consider many of them as my true friends.

Did any British phrases or slang confuse you? How did you figure out what they meant?

I was confused by the Yorkshire dialect and slang for the first few months, but I always asked my colleagues what they meant. And, of course, they would always explain what it meant. In addition, we began to write all the words and phrases I did not know with their explanation on the board in our office. Later, we wrote down both English words with their meaning and also Ukrainian ones. That’s how I was improving my English, and my colleagues started learning Ukrainian. The funniest thing was when one phrase had a very different meaning in two languages, and we laughed a lot.

Was there a British food you initially found strange but grew to like?

The strangest thing about food, which shocked me in the early days, was that many products in the supermarkets were semi-prepared and just needed heating up. In Ukraine, we buy almost all fresh products and cook everything ourselves. But later, I found lots of fresh products at farmers’ markets. I also tried different traditional English dishes like English breakfast, Yorkshire pudding, Homemade pie, Fish and chips, and Sunday Roast, and I really enjoyed them.

What was the biggest project you worked on during your time in the UK?

I worked on the Production Planning project, which involved many tasks, including handling inventory and stock control for raw materials, WIP, and finished goods, along with reporting and system updates in Ascman. I documented processes, trained operators, and implemented improvements in production tracking and system efficiency. 

What was the biggest challenge you faced while working on this project?

The biggest challenge during this project was improving the Ascman system, which could only be programmed by its developer and owner. Due to limited resources, it was challenging to implement changes, but we maintained a strong collaboration. I gathered and prepared all the necessary information, and the developer successfully implemented it into the system.

Can you describe a memorable moment from your time working on the project?

A funny moment happened during our first Microsoft Teams meeting with the developer. My colleagues warned me that his Scottish accent might be hard to understand, as they sometimes struggled with Scottish accents. They even offered to help if needed. However, I found his accent easier to understand than my colleagues’ Yorkshire accents, and after the meeting, I jokingly offered to translate for them.

In what ways do you believe the changes you made to the Ascman project will help the team?

I believe the changes made to Ascman will be helpful. The team now has traceability of finished goods, pulp, and work-in-progress, which is critical for logistics, sales, and planning departments. With the improvement of Ascman, planners no longer use many spreadsheets, which saves a lot of time. Beginners can use the written process instructions, which will help them a lot. The team can use different reports to monitor inventory, production, and raw materials.

How did working in a different country change your view of your role within the company?

I have traveled a lot around the world, but this was my first, and I hope not the last, experience of working abroad. After all, this is a great experience that expands your horizons, allows you to gain new skills and knowledge and share your own.

What advice would you give to someone else working in a foreign country for the first time?

Do not be afraid of new experiences, and be confident in yourself and your abilities; people are the same everywhere. I always use one rule in my life – treat people the way you want them to treat you – it definitely works!

What message would you like to share with your UK colleagues as you return to Ukraine?

I want to thank all my colleagues for an incredible year in England. You’ve been tremendous support, fantastic colleagues, true friends, and even like family to me. Thanks to you, I never felt like a stranger in a new country. It was a pleasure working with you, and I will always cherish the memories of my time in wonderful England.

I hope I’ve also been helpful and that the project and the changes in Ascman I’ve overseen this year will be useful and make your work a little easier. I wish you and your families happiness, love, and success. I wish you a wonderful life ahead with your families and friends! And welcome to Ukraine! Of course, to a peaceful Ukraine! It will be one day, I truly believe…