Finding the formula for success

While attending Feilding High School, Matt found chemistry came naturally to him, and with his mother, grandmother and great grandmother all alumni of Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, he decided to follow in their footsteps.

Enrolling in a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry), Matt says he paired his chemistry papers with physics to build a broad understanding of science, while adding a few sport science papers for a change of pace.

“I enjoyed the small class sizes and the extensive support provided throughout the degree. I’m proof that the lecturers in Massey’s sciences department really want you to succeed.”

In Matt’s second year, he realised chemistry was not his strong suit in the way it had been at high school, resulting in him failing critical papers needed to progress into third year.

“I ended up taking the scenic route to receiving my degree, taking a second go at my second year. Professor Mark Waterland was an exceptionally accommodating lecturer. He gave me some good pep talks, continued to push me and showed a lot of patience. I owe my career to him,” Matt says.

During his time studying, Matt says living in Palmerston North provided the perfect backdrop to university life.

“The three greatest things were the price of living, the hockey culture and the fact that you knew everyone when you went to the pub. Together, they provided a happy foundation for my Bachelor of Science.”

After graduating in 2020, Matt secured a role with global brewer Heineken as a Brewery Planner.

“I scheduled a range of brews and green beer filtrations to ensure we met the sales team’s demand forecasts. My chemistry degree was crucial in securing that role.”

Following his time at Heineken, Matt progressed through a range of supply chain and logistics roles. During this time, he moved to the United Kingdom before securing a position with global food and nutrition company Danone.

Matt has recently made the move to Melbourne, where he now works in logistics transformation for Danone. He says what he enjoys most is that no two days are the same.

“I’m currently managing a team of three while leading the integration of a newly acquired company. We’re constantly discovering new challenges and gaps in the process, which we then need to solve and address before reporting progress to the Australia and New Zealand operations director.”

Matt’s proudest achievement was training for and completing a Half Ironman in Wales last year while working full-time and continuing to progress his career.

He says his journey from Massey to where he is today taught him a lot about resilience and problem-solving.

“I learned how to be resilient and solve problems through the content of the degree, but also how to dig deep and push through when things aren’t going my way. That’s been key to my career progression. My early failure did not stop or define me. It’s important to pick yourself up and become successful, whatever that means to you. Success is not governed by job title or salaries, but by personal satisfaction.”

Looking ahead, Matt hopes to continue travelling, both through his work and through personal adventures with his partner Olivia.

Matt’s advice for future students, and for his younger self, is simple: don’t doubt yourself.

“I second-guessed my abilities and whether I was ‘smart enough’ to do this degree. I doubted myself until I passed Chemical Energetics on my second attempt. Yes, I failed a paper or two, but at the end of the day, here I am with nothing but opportunities ahead of me. Back yourself!”