Following on from her ‘A Day in the Life’ feature, Fuel Oil News caught up with Charlotte to learn more about her role at WP Group, what the award means to her, and her experience as a young professional building a career in the fuel distribution industry.
Congratulations on winning the award. What did it mean to you?
I was honoured just to be nominated; to then win was incredibly rewarding. It means a lot to be recognised for the hard work I’ve put into an industry where I’m constantly learning and developing.
For me, this recognition is for more than just the work. It reflects the decision to move across the country, step out of my comfort zone, and rediscover my passion for sales. It shows how quickly that passion can be reignited with the right company and the right support.
It also represents not just my own effort, but the support, guidance and collective effort of my team, who have played a huge part in my development.
The award celebrates people making a significant contribution early in their career. What are you most proud of so far?
When I first started with WP, I took on an outbound project working closely with some of our senior sales team to generate new business. That experience was a real turning point for me. It helped me build confidence on the phone and develop strong relationships with prospective customers. It also changed my mindset – I now genuinely enjoy cold calling!
Taking on that challenge early in my career gave me the foundation to manage my own accounts and grow my portfolio. While I’ve taken on further projects since, this was my first major one and it really set me up for success in the industry.
What attracted you to the industry in the first place, and what has kept you motivated?
I come from a farming background, helping on my family farm from a young age and later being involved with my local Young Farmers group. That gave me a real understanding of how important a reliable fuel distributor is to farm operations.
When the opportunity came up to join WP, I was keen to build relationships with farmers and support them through key periods like harvest and drilling.
I also have an uncle who worked as an HGV fuel driver for many years. Hearing about his experiences and the role he played in keeping customers supplied, often working long hours and in all conditions, gave me real appreciation for the operational side of the industry. It sparked my interest, although I was drawn to an office-based role where I could focus on building customer relationships.
What keeps me motivated is celebrating the small wins, whether that’s reactivating a lapsed customer or securing a larger order. Even after hearing “no” multiple times in a day, each success keeps me driven to stay on the phone and continue building relationships.
How do you think the industry needs to evolve to attract more young talent?
I think the industry needs to better promote the variety of careers available and challenge some outdated perceptions. There’s a lot more to it than people realise, especially in relationship-driven roles like sales.
I’d also like to see more apprenticeship opportunities, particularly in operations and for HGV drivers, as that’s an area the wider transport industry currently lacks. Creating clearer entry routes into these roles would make the industry more accessible to young people.
Finally, providing strong support and development early on is key. From my own experience, being given responsibility and guidance from the start made a big difference in building my confidence and keeping me motivated.
How do you see the energy transition affecting the industry, and what role can distributors play?
In the fuel industry, we’re currently seeing more focus on HVO as a stepping-stone towards a lower-carbon future. It’s becoming a practical option for customers who want to reduce emissions without completely changing how they operate.
I’m interested to see how this develops over the next few years, especially as more companies start moving towards HVO fleets, and farmers start to look at more sustainable ways of working.
I’m excited to be working with WP as a distributor because we’ll play a big part in helping customers through that transition in a way that works for them day-to-day.
What skills do you think the next generation of industry leaders will need as technology and customer expectations continue to evolve?
I think they will need to be comfortable with technology, but not too comfortable. It’s easy to hide behind emails and texts because it feels quicker and, if I’m honest, sometimes it’s a lot less daunting than picking up the phone or having a tough conversation.
When you’re younger, a cold call or chasing an issue can feel like a big step, but it’s something you quickly get used to. Technology has its place, but it shouldn’t replace proper conversations. Some of the best relationships still come from speaking to people directly, whether that’s over the phone or face to face. At the end of the day, people buy from people, and I don’t think that’s ever going to change.
Alongside that, I think adaptability is key. The industry is changing quickly with new fuels, new systems, and shifting customer expectations, so being able to learn on the go and adjust quickly will be just as important as anything else.
Are there areas where the industry could be quicker to adapt?
I think there are, especially when it comes to technology and making day-to-day processes simpler for both customers and teams. A lot of things still feel quite traditional.
There’s also room to be a bit more confident in how we bring new solutions like HVO to customers and make sure they properly understand the benefits. I do think things are moving in the right direction though, it’s just about keeping that momentum going.
If you could change one thing about the sector tomorrow, what would it be?
It would be clearer entry routes into the sector for young people, especially through apprenticeships and early careers roles.
A lot of people come into the industry at a younger age, but there are so many opportunities that get overlooked, from finance and account management to HGV driving and transport planning, which would give more hands-on learning experience.
What’s one thing about working in this industry that would surprise people outside it?
I think people would be surprised by how much of the role is about communication and problem-solving. It’s not just systems and processes; you’re constantly speaking to customers and working through issues in real time.
When the market gets volatile, we’re not separate from it either, we have to react and adapt alongside our customers as things change.
Finally, where do you hope your own career takes you next? Would you like to be judging this award one day?
I’d like to take my career step by step. I work with great role models, from account managers and BDMs through to sales managers, and I’d like to follow that path myself.
Longer term, I’d like to progress through the sales cycle and eventually move into a role where I’m leading a team and helping develop others.
It would be great to bring new young people into the industry and, one day, even help guide someone who could be in this position and winning this award themselves.
Image credit: UKIFDA
