MOL CREW | Kathy Dias Nunes | Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.

Profile

Name: Kathy Dias Nunes
Birthplace: Portuguese
Affiliation: MOL (Americas) LLC

Profession: General Manager / RoRo Business

Kathy Dias Nunes works as General Manager at MOL (Americas) LLC. For more than 20 years, she has been on the front lines of car carrier operations. She oversees the profit and loss for all trades under the Americas region control. She is responsible for achieving the budgets and maximizing profitability of each trade by taking an overall MOL perspective. Her role requires the strategic management of cargo allocation, space utilization, scheduling, and tender negotiations. She is also focused on training the next generation.

I Navigate Life to Where I Can Grow

What led you to pursue your current job?

I studied international business in college, but when it came to finding work, I wasn't just looking for any job. I wanted a company where I could build my career for the long term. That's when an acquaintance who worked at a port introduced me so I could get an interview with MOL. The interviewer listened attentively as I explained my background and even gave me a tour of the office, introducing me to the staff. It felt like a company culture where you could grow through hard work, and I just sensed that I could grow here. Actually, at that time I had already started working at another company, but I decided to quit and take a position at MOL. That intuition was the beginning of my MOL career, which has now gone on for over 20 years. When I look back now, I still believe I made the right choice.

A Series of Decisions Supports Consistent Shipping

What's a typical day like for you?

My role involves overseeing car carrier operations, originating in North and South America and managing services that connect to destinations worldwide. I have a wide range of responsibilities, including optimizing routes and vessel allocations for specific trades, adjusting schedules, maximizing space utilization, preparing shipper contract proposals, creating budgets, and conducting profit-and-loss analysis and reporting. I start my day by reviewing a bunch of emails and holding meetings with related departments such as sales, operations, and marine quality & safety. I coordinate closely with each department to make decisions on daily navigational plans and space allocation. To maintain safe and consistent shipping, I review services and consider improvement proposals as needed. Team development is also a key part of my role. I want to help team members grow by carefully explaining the context behind their tasks and sharing the rationale for decisions. Rather than just looking at the numbers, I make countless decisions each day while imagining the customers and colleagues those numbers represent. That's my day.

Dialog Starts by Lending an Ear

What's important for you in your work?

The most important thing in management is good listening. When you have team members from different backgrounds working together, it's critical to be an attentive listener, to understand people and their situations, and then respond accordingly. By taking this approach and sharing a positive perspective, I believe I can encourage cooperation instead of conflict. All my decision-making is fact-based. I gather the relevant information, perform the necessary calculations, and speak with stakeholders before reaching a decision. Decisions that are based on information, not emotion, are what build trust in a team. I also make a conscious effort to create an environment where people can challenge themselves without the fear of making mistakes. This is something my old boss at MOL taught me. I want us to be a team that understands that failure is part of growth, and where everyone feels comfortable voicing their opinions.

Passing On What I've Gained to the Next Generation

Throughout your career, what has made
a particularly strong impression?

During my 20-plus years in this career, I've worked with many assignees from other countries. The Japanese colleague who first trained me stands out the most. In addition to business fundamentals, I learned so much, including the importance of showing respect for others, as well as professional ethics. Those teachings still form the foundation of how I approach my work. While it's challenging to pass on this knowledge because team members rotate every three to five years, I hope to pass on what I've learned to the next generation.
I place a particular focus on trust. Operating a car carrier involves many people and organizations, so it's a complex endeavor where a single decision can have significant consequences. That's precisely why accurate information sharing, meticulous communication, and trust-building are essential. It's also important to me to create an atmosphere where every team member feels comfortable sharing their opinions. Seeing younger team members take on new challenges and grow in their roles makes me realize that my experience is directly contributing to someone's future.

Face Your Environment and Lead the Way to the Next Age from the Worksite

What new things are you doing
in the car carrier business?

Awareness of the marine environment is growing by the year, and the car carrier business is no exception. MOL's BLUE Series LNG-fueled car carriers, which we are proactively bringing into service, symbolize this commitment. As we implement new technologies in the field, various challenges inevitably come to light. The ingenuity of the worksite teams solving these challenges is shaping the future of our business. I take personal pride in being part of the team driving these efforts to develop car carriers into more sustainable vessels.
To lower our environmental impact, while also maintaining safe and efficient transportation, we must prepare extensively and coordinate. That's precisely why it's so significant for our global operations and internal departments to work together as one. Each location is always thinking together about the best approach to take. I think the strength of the MOL Group's network comes from our colleagues worldwide who support our operations. This cross-border approach toward shared goals is a truly wonderful culture at MOL.

Quiet Time with Special People Reset the Mind on Days Off

How do you spend your days off?

On my days off, time with family is important to me. We watch movies, go out for meals, go to concerts, or invite relatives over for BBQs. We do all sorts of things together. Since everyone in my family loves the beach, we often go there on sunny days. When I swim in the ocean, and I relax in the breeze, I release all the tension that may have built up at work. There are quiet moments and active ones, but each one enriches my days off because I know I'm with important people in my life. This family time is what drives me to get through the next week.

Each Voice Moves the Future

What are your dreams for the future? And say something for your colleagues working around the world.

For the business, I want to take on the challenge of establishing trade on new routes. Precisely because the car carrier business is so dynamic, it's full of new opportunities and offers tremendous fulfillment. Personally, I also want to prioritize work-life balance and spend more time with my family. Work hard, play hard. That's the mindset I want to keep. Life passes in the blink of an eye, so I hope my MOL colleagues also treasure each day. At work, don't hold back. Speak up, ask questions, and share your ideas. There is value in every person's opinion. Let's build the future of the MOL Group together, supporting and learning from our colleagues around the world.