When I told my friends about Doughnuts and Discovery with Hugh Grant, the response was more enthusiastic than I had anticipated. Then I realized they were thinking of Hugh Grant, the British actor from popular films like Love Actually, Two Weeks Notice and Bridget Jones's Diary. I laughed and quickly explained the Hugh Grant I was referring to is the Chairman, President and CEO of the multi-national agricultural company , Monsanto. But the more I thought about it, Hugh Grant the actor and Hugh Grant the CEO of Monsanto are not as different as people might think.Both Hughs were born and raised across the pond. Hugh Grant, CEO of Monsanto was born and raised in Scotland and still charms audiences with his native accent today. Both Hughs are very humble and downplay their celebrity statuses. When Hugh Grant (CEO) walked into the auditorium to speak to Monsanto Interns and Co-ops during Doughnuts and Discovery, everyone in the room went silent. Hugh walked to a seat at the front of the auditorium, sat down, chuckled and playfully said, "why did everyone get so quiet?" As he introduced himself, Hugh laughed as he talked about his summer "internships" selling wallpaper and cutting lettuce back in Scotland.
As Hugh (CEO) began talking to our group of eager, young professionals, it became apparent that he has a great deal of charisma and wit, just as actor Hugh Grant demonstrates in his films. But the Monsanto CEO does not earn the respect of 23,233 employees worldwide on personality alone. Hugh (CEO) has a B.S. degree in Molecular Biology and Agricultural Zoology from Glasgow University, a M.S. degree from Edinburgh University and a MBA degree from the International Management Center in Buckingham, U.K. Hugh's (CEO) education and international experiences have provided him with a great deal of knowledge and perspective.
Hugh (CEO) challenged our group to utilize our internships to shape our personal opinions about Monsanto. He also shared the reason he was attracted to a career in agriculture was because of its relevance in food production. Hugh (CEO) encouraged us to think about agriculture from a long-term perspective. He said, "Demand for food will more than double in 20 years -- how are we in agriculture going to meet that demand?" After answering several questions about Monsanto's business, Hugh (CEO) concluded with a few thoughts on prioritization and choosing a career path.
"Priorities shift over time," Hugh said, "The most important thing you can do it stay flexible or you will get crushed by your calendar."
As far as choosing a career -- Hugh said, "You shouldn't be doing something you dread waking up for."
Through my time here at Monsanto, I've had the opportunity to listen to Hugh (CEO) on a few different occasions. He is always humble, knowledgeable, humorous and charismatic. I've noticed that people are drawn to him, like they are drawn to an actor or celebrity. From what I've seen, Hugh (CEO) does a fabulous job of providing leadership and vision for Monsanto. It is incredible to see everyone at a company, from the CEO to the interns, have a passion for agriculture and a belief in what they do on a daily basis.
