Career Beyond the Expected Path: Ross’s Story on Growth, Allyship and the Power of People

Written by the Hilti GB / Northern Europe employer brand team – sharing real stories and insights into life, culture and careers at Hilti. 

 

When Ross joined Hilti in 2015, his career didn’t follow the typical path. He had no background in construction, no experience in sales, and no formal degree. What he did bring was people management experience, curiosity, and a willingness to step outside his comfort zone. 

More than ten years later, Ross’s journey spans sales, projects, leadership and now in marketing. But the real story isn’t about how many roles he’s held – it’s how being open to growth, challenge and inclusion shaped the path along the way. 

 

Finding your way without a traditional blueprint 

Ross began his Hilti career as an Account Manager in Mechanical & Electrical, coming from a retail management background. Early on, being surrounded by colleagues with more traditional academic and industry paths made him question where his own journey might realistically lead. 

For a long time, not having a degree felt like a limitation. Leadership roles and marketing positions seemed, at least on paper, out of reach. That perception began to change as Ross experienced Hilti’s approach to development firsthand. 

“The training and support showed me that progression wasn’t about where you started – it was about whether you were willing to learn, perform and keep pushing forward.” 

That shift in mindset became a foundation for everything that followed. 

 

Discovering what leadership really means 

After building strong performance in sales, Ross moved into the Projects team, where he combined customer-facing work with leading others. Over time, this developed into a sales leadership role covering projects across the UK. 

One moment in particular stands out. In 2019, Ross’s team became the top-performing team in Great Britain. For him, the achievement went far beyond results. 

It reflected the tough conversations, mutual accountability and personal growth that had happened along the way – and seeing others succeed because of the environment created around them. 

Watching the team get recognised together was special. It was proof that the effort we put into developing people really matters.

That experience helped shape Ross’s leadership philosophy: knowing when to lead from the front, and when to step back and create space for others to learn and grow. 

 

Stepping sideways to keep growing 

After several years in leadership roles, Ross made a move that challenged conventional career logic. He transitioned out of sales and into marketing, becoming Trade Manager for Interior Finishing. 

Rather than viewing this as a sideways step, Ross saw it as an opportunity to grow differently – to understand the business from a new perspective and work more closely across functions. 

One of his proudest moments in this role? His work on the launch of one of the tools – BX4 Concrete Nailer – was later recognised globally as a benchmark example of an exceptional marketing plan. 

“It really reinforced for me that growth doesn’t always mean moving up – sometimes it means moving differently.” 

 

Why people make the difference 

Across every role Ross has held, one factor has remained constant: the people. 

What has kept him at Hilti for more than a decade isn’t a single position or function, but an environment where challenge is encouraged and collaboration is genuine – even when processes don’t always make things easy. 

Whether working across sales, marketing or projects, Ross values teams that are willing to debate, adapt and align around what’s best for customers and colleagues alike. 

“You don’t have to agree all the time here – but you do have to be willing to challenge things and make them better.” 

Turning experience into allyship 

Alongside his role, Ross is actively involved in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, particularly focused on women in construction. His motivation stems from his own early experiences of feeling like he didn’t quite fit the expected profile. 

Ross is clear that allyship isn’t about speaking for others – it’s about listening, acknowledging barriers, and using influence to challenge assumptions where they exist.  

“There’s already enough challenge in life. Work shouldn’t add another barrier. If we can remove barriers, why wouldn’t we?” 

For him, inclusion shows up in practical decisions: how roles are described, how confidence is defined, and whose voices are heard in shaping the future of the organisation. 

 

Redefining what progress can look like 

Ross’s career isn’t a straight line – and that’s exactly the point. His journey reflects what can happen when potential is valued over preconceptions and when people are supported to grow beyond what they originally expected of themselves. 

It’s the culture of support and challenge at the same time. That’s what allows people to grow in ways they didn’t expect.

At its core, Ross’s story is about possibility – and how the right environment can help people realise it. 

 

Ready to write your own path? If you’re looking for an environment where you’re encouraged to grow, challenge assumptions and build a career that evolves with you, explore what life at Hilti could look like for you. Discover opportunities on our careers website and see where your path could lead.