Making Moves within Birla Carbon

Mark Bass was promoted from Sales Director, Rubber Blacks, North America, to Global Sales Head, Specialty Black Business. The role involved a physical move: from Marietta, USA, to Bangkok, Thailand.

What thoughts did you have when considering the move?
The prospect of becoming the Global Head of Sales for our Specialty Blacks Business presented several opportunities for me. On the one hand, there was the obvious professional development associated with increased global responsibility; on the other, the move gave me the opportunity to build a team in a growing area of the business, and to live abroad with my family.

How easy was the transition? What support did you get from Birla Carbon?
While moves of this nature are unavoidably hectic, Birla Carbon offered support in Thailand and at home (USA) to make the transition as smooth as possible. This included a wide variety of activities: from assistance with the visa and immigration process to making sure that my family was settled and informed in Thailand, as well as helping take care of the home that I was leaving in USA. I was and continue to be especially pleased with how the company has responded to the needs of my family, as their support has been key to the success of our move.

Would you advise employees to consider making similar moves, where possible?
The answer certainly depends on the individual and their – and especially their family’s – inclination for living and working abroad. It’s an adventure and can prove both serendipitous and unexpectedly challenging, sometimes in the same day. The experience has thus far proved rewarding for my family, and we would most certainly recommend an international assignment for anyone who is open to the idea of living and working in another country and a very different culture. It will not always be easy but the difficulties are far outweighed by the experience and what you learn about yourself.