This month, we’re heading to Dubai to catch up with Keren Aguinaldo, who supports our Ingredients business across the Middle East & Africa as a Customer Care Executive

Although originally from the Philippines, Keren was born and raised in the UAE, a place she very much considers home. Growing up in such a diverse, multicultural environment shaped her outlook from an early age, exposing her to different traditions and perspectives. Arab culture, in particular, has become a meaningful part of her identity over the years; she can read and write Arabic and has built deep cultural connections that feel very natural to her. That connection became even more personal when she married her husband, who is Jordanian and, like Keren, also grew up in the UAE.

Keren joined Tirlán in July 2019, having previously worked as a Centre Manager with Regus, where she supported Glanbia through office and facilities management. Making the move to Tirlán felt like a natural next step, and since joining, she says she’s found a genuine sense of belonging. She speaks warmly about the supportive, collaborative environment and the opportunities it’s given her to continue learning and growing.

In her role today, Keren supports customers across the Middle East & Africa, managing orders from contract right through to delivery. Her day-to-day work centres on clear communication, accurate order management and close collaboration with internal teams to keep everything moving smoothly. Customer Care plays a key role as a central coordination point, working closely with commercial, logistics and planning teams to support timely delivery while contributing to monthly sales targets.

Collaboration is a huge part of what makes the role work well. Keren works closely with teams across Customer Service, Commercial, Planning, Logistics, Quality, Category and Documentation. While the UAE is three hours ahead of Ireland, strong communication, shared responsibility and trust ensure the team stays connected. For Keren, great teamwork comes down to shared values and a collective focus on delivering together.

As a result of her great teamwork qualities, Keren was recognised at the ELT Roadshow with an Adapt to Grow award alongside Connie Murphy, Dani Morris and Lisa Stewart for their work on the Product in Transit project. The team supported the delivery of over 100 displaced containers following disruption caused by the conflict in Iran, a complex and meaningful achievement that reflects true teamwork under pressure.

There’s also plenty happening behind the scenes. Keren and the wider team are supporting several key initiatives, including Project Phoenix, which has introduced a live dashboard providing real-time visibility of orders and significantly reducing manual reporting across the business. Together, this project is helping to improve efficiency and create more streamlined ways of working across order management.

For Keren, excellent customer care is about being proactive, transparent and reliable. Staying organised, prioritising effectively and maintaining strong relationships across the business all help her deliver consistent service and manage customer expectations with care.

Living and working in the UAE offers a lifestyle that may surprise colleagues in Ireland. While recent regional uncertainty was understandably unsettling at first, Keren says seeing how seriously the UAE prioritises public safety has been reassuring. Combined with the fast‑paced, highly accessible way of life and the region’s cultural diversity, it’s a place where she continues to feel safe, supported and grounded, helped by the backing of her husband, family, colleagues and the wider Tirlán team.

Outside of work, Keren enjoys spending time with her husband as they prepare to welcome their first baby with the support of her family and friends. They make the most of life in the UAE by trying new cuisines, heading to the cinema, going to concerts and enjoying relaxed staycations during the cooler months, while playing electric guitar remains Keren’s favourite way to unwind and properly switch off at the weekends.

Thanks to Keren for sharing her story and for everything she does to support our customers and teams across the MEA region.