We had the pleasure of speaking with Victoria Goodenough, the Head of Business Development at Magnetic Line, whose experience spans across various roles and countries. In this interview, we’ll learn more about how her aviation career began, her experience working at Magnetic Line, as well as her goals for the future. We’ll also look into the challenges she faces in her line of work and her interests outside of work, including her hobbies and travel preferences.
How did your aviation career start? What was your experience prior to joining Direct Maintenance, newly known as Magnetic Line, a member of Magnetic Group?
Growing up in Germany on Royal Air Force bases and hearing Tornado jets fly overhead sparked my interest in aviation even as a young kid. When I was a teenager, I also received a flying scholarship. However, I didn’t begin working in the aviation industry until I relocated to Malta and had the chance to work as a key account manager for Lufthansa Technik. I spent six years there, which included a move to a role in product sales where I was responsible for the base maintenance needs of African customers. I then transferred to SR Technics, another big MRO, and from there to Direct Maintenance. I’ve recently begun dividing my time between the line maintenance business and the group’s other projects.
Moving from Direct Maintenance to Magnetic Line – what are the future perspectives? Will there be any changes in your line of work?
Along with assisting with Wheels and Brakes, Plug in workshop, PBH sales, and my business development in Magnetic Line, I already collaborate closely with other Business Units in the group. I do anticipate that customers will require flexible solutions that span multiple business units, and I am already considering how we might serve some customers with multiple products or services or expand what we do to provide services to new types of customers. I would love to see more integration and collaboration to offer customers the best-tailored services possible. Additionally, I see cross-business unit cooperation going beyond sales and even to shared operational and business performance excellence.
What are the main challenges in your line of work?
There are a lot. Line maintenance is a dynamic business, and we have chosen to work on many improvement projects, which I enjoy tackling. Sometimes stepping out of the ‘old’ way of thinking, to challenge the way we do things and be open to change is difficult, but under the new flag of Magnetic Line, we will witness a strong momentum for change and advancement.
What are your key goals for this year in your work?
My goal is to create opportunities for the business units I support to collaborate by initiating joint projects and new initiatives. On a personal level, I am keen on taking up more improvement projects within the management team of Magnetic Line to exchange experiences and ideas that can help us ‘level up’ our business operations.
Besides work, what are your hobbies?
I wish I had more time for hobbies; in addition to being a taxi driver to my budding ‘sports star’ daughter, I recently took on two rescue puppies and now spend much time walking and training them. It seems to be progressing well, but it certainly takes a lot of patience. I do enjoy snowboarding in the winter and some gardening over the spring and summer.
And a bonus question – what are your top destinations to travel to?
I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to live in various countries, including the United States, Japan, and Europe, and to travel extensively across Asia and Central America. As a regional sales manager for Africa, I also had the chance to visit several African countries, such as Mauritius, Ethiopia, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and more, so it’s hard to choose a favorite. However, I would say that one of my favorite trips was driving the garden route from Durban to Cape Town and back in South Africa roughly 20 years ago. Today, I still enjoy travelling to South Africa for work as it is such a beautiful country with a mix of cultures, a true rainbow nation with pretty much everything you can ask for – great food, wine, scenery, wildlife and exceptionally welcoming people. I highly recommend it!