Anniversary Interview
PETA COMPANY IS CELEBRATING IT’S 33RD ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GET A FEW MINUTES FROM THE VALUED TIME OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR , MRS PARVIN PETROU , WE GIVE BELOW A VERY INTERESTING SHORT INTERVIEW.
SINCE NOVEMBER 1977 YOU HAVE BEEN CHARTING THE COURSE OF PETA , MANAGING TO SAIL THROUGH CALM AND ROUGH WATERS. WHAT ARE YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES FROM THIS JOURNEY ?
THERE ARE SEVERAL , ALTHOUGH PERHAPS THE MOST SATISFYING MOMENT WAS RECEIVING OUR FIRST EXPORT AWARD FROM THE CYPRUS GOVERNMENT.
ALTHOUGH WE STARTED OUT BY CATERING TO OUR LOCAL MARKET , MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AROSE WHEN WE VENTURED OUTSIDE OUR BORDERS. WE BUILT RELATIONSHIPS THAT LAST UP UNTIL THIS DAY AND THIS HAS MADE THE LONG JOURNEY REALLY WORTHWHILE.
SINCE 1997 THIS HAS CLEARLY BEEN A FAMILY JOURNEY.
AS A FAMILY BUSINESS LEADER , DID YOU FEEL COMPELLED TO INTRODUCE YOUR CHILDREN INTO THIS AREA ?
NO SECOND GENERATION FAMILY MEMBER WAS PUT FORWARD BY ACCIDENT. MOST ENTERED AT FIRST STAGES OF FACTORY OPERATIONS AND AFTER UNIVERISTY GRADUALLY MOVING ON TO MANAGEMENT POSITIONS.
GRADUAL GROWTH OF OUR OPERATIONS WAS A KEY FACTOR.
ALSO , THIS EXPERIENCE (AS WELL AS NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE) IS A KEY COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AT THIS DAY AND AGE.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND DO ONE THING YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE DONE OR PURSUED WHAT WOULD THAT BE ?
A LITTLE MORE FAMILY TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE , AS WORK COMMITMENTS DID NOT ALLOW SIGNIFICANT FREE TIME.
HOWEVER , THE PRINCIPLES AND UNDERSTANDING ARE THERE AND I FEEL BLESSED.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT FUTURE PLANS ?
WITH THREE OPERATIONAL AND FULLY OWNED FACTORIES IN CYPRUS AND JORDAN , NO MAJOR CHANGES ARE PLANNED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
ON A PERSONAL LEVEL , RETIREMENT IS STILL IN THE HORIZON , BUT FOR NOW I ENJOY THE DAILY CHALLENGES.
