Maizene Porter — Creating impact from the ground up

AS a professional, Maizene Porter endeavours to strike a balance between being humble and being fierce and this has undoubtedly served her well in her career over the last 25 years. Currently the head of accounting and reporting at Red Stripe, Porter’s journey has been a phenomenal one.

From humble beginnings in West Prospect, St Catherine, Maizene Porter took the path less travelled to professional success. She explained how she moved from a trainee to middle manager at one of Jamaica’s top companies.

“I came to Red Stripe straight out of high school as a HEART trainee,” she said. “I did two years as a trainee in the finance department and another two years in a temporary role until I was confirmed as a data entry clerk.”

She said it was a bit intimidating as it was the first place she worked, and she had to learn the social cues and the do’s and don’ts of working in a big company.

“There was a family atmosphere, and my department allowed me to learn,” she reflected.

Throughout the years, Porter has held numerous leadership positions at Red Stripe ranging from reporting manager to supply chain business controller, to her current role, where she is in charge of master data for the company and internal and external reporting, tax compliance, and the treasury, among other responsibilities. In a corporate environment marked by competitiveness and unpredictability, she cited her continual growth among the leading reasons she has remained with Red Stripe for many years. In March, she was honoured with the long-service award for her two-and-a-half decades of stellar work at the world-renowned brewery.

“The type of behaviours and values they stand for has kept me attracted to the company. I think I would’ve left if I was just in one role for most of the 25 years. I haven’t been in a role for over three years. The company is very dynamic, so even though I’m at one company, I haven’t been stagnant in a role, and I’m always learning,” noted Porter.

She further explained that these learning opportunities allowed her to build her career and move up the ranks. Porter received her qualifications from the UK-based Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Manchester Business School, all while she was an employee of Red Stripe.

In relating the non-traditional career path she took, the Charlemont High graduate said, “Ideally, I wanted to go straight into sixth form or college, but I didn’t have the financial support at the time, so that is the main reason I would’ve chosen to work and go back to school. I chose Red Stripe because it is an iconic brand, and hearing people talking about Red Stripe, I thought it was a good place to start my career and grow personally and professionally.”

Among the things that Porter is most proud of in her career is the impact that she has been able to have on the professional journeys of others. She fondly recalled the guidance and mentorship from managers and senior staff throughout her career and shared that she strives to replicate the same value and support to others.

From her experience, Porter imparted some powerful advice for young professionals who desire similar career success.

“You must be intentional with developing a plan and a career path. Having mentors and people to guide you is crucial. I’ve also learned that you have to stay humble, but at the same time, you have to be fierce and stand up for what you want,” she said. “And you have to be willing to take feedback even if it’s not what you want to hear. Those are things that will mould you into a successful professional.”

Porter further encouraged those climbing the corporate ladder to take the initiative and not rely solely on their managers for guidance. She also stressed that following your own journey is crucial to success.

“I have this natural knack for wanting to succeed. It’s like an innate desire that comes from within. I come from a humble background, so I don’t have the choice of failing. I had to succeed to break the generational path and live a better life. I didn’t want to struggle. Mediocre is not my thing; I want to do my best. That’s some of what motivates me.”

Porter shared that she wanted to be remembered as a fair, authentic, compassionate individual. She added that her ultimate goal was to head a company’s finance department.

“If something is going against your moral fibre, you have to speak. Let your voice be heard, and never compromise your morals and values,” she said.