"I’m most proud of the business recognising the skills I have and giving me the opportunity to step up into such an important role, after being here for only 2 years"
Based: Melbourne
Role: Diversity & Inclusion Manager
Tenure at LR: 2.5 years
Having worked in HR for 10 years, two and half of them LR, Jessie became the
Diversity & Inclusion Manager for MPS (Marine Performance Services) and Digital
Products as well as supporting two regions the Americas and Southern Europe in October 2021.
With a bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Policy and Research, along with a love of connecting with people - it’s always been a field that he was passionate about, so when he saw the role, he knew it was for him! With great support from his colleagues and managers, who knew he’d be perfect for the role, Jessie now finds himself in a global position, making and being the change.
With D&I, in his words, “being a fairly new concept” at LR and many parts of the world, he sees it as an opportunity to get involved and make a difference, saying, “for me, it’s not just about LR and putting practices in place here, there’s a social justice mission behind the work we’re doing too. I have been openly gay for most of my career, and this has not always been something that was welcomed by those around me. Through the work we are doing at LR, I hope to make this a place where all people are recognised, seen and encouraged".
Jessie wants LR to become a beacon of diversity and inclusion within the industry, whilst also making LR the place you can come “and be exactly who you are”. He is helping this aspiration become a reality through his work as the D&I Partner and Co-Lead for LR’s Colleague Network for the LGBTQIA+ Community – Unity.
On a personal level, Jessie wants to take the richness of knowledge he’s gained, and remain in the HR field, using his experience within D&I. It’s with a business that recognises his skills, who allow for opportunity and growth and to step up, that he feels he can achieve this goal, and help shape the future for a more diverse and inclusive LR, and sector. Moving to Australia from the United States of America in 2006, he understands that he sees the world through a Western lens but actively challenges himself to expand his point of view. “LR operates in countries across the world, and I hope my career will take me to other locations where I can continue to learn and grow.”
He says “In the same way as we’ve helped set standards for ships, going back 200 years, I hope people see and take notice of what we’re doing at LR through D&I, and that also allows us to make change within the sector, so we can be more inclusive. The aim is that one day, roles like mine don’t exist, it won’t be needed. It will be about having custodians around the organisations, to carry it on, and it will just be the norm”.