Kirsty Lieng

Kirsty Lieng graduated from Kent in 2020 and since then has been focused on cultivating and managing relationships within the food delivery industry. She began her career at Deliveroo as an SMB Account Manager and is currently working as a Delivery Service Partner Executive at Peckwater Brands.

She aims to make a meaningful impact in her field and aspires to use the knowledge and experiences she’s accumulated to inspire and educate others.

Tell us about your career path since graduation.

Since graduating, my career journey has been focused on cultivating and managing relationships within the food delivery industry. Initially, I began as an SMB Account Manager at Deliveroo where I was entrusted with fostering strong partnerships with restaurant partners, ensuring their seamless onboarding onto the platform and facilitating their success.

After a year, I transitioned to the National Accounts team as an Account Executive. In this role, I spearheaded partner onboarding initiatives, upheld robust rapport with established national restaurant partners, and collaborated closely with them to refine menu offerings and operational strategies to drive revenue growth.

Recently, I embarked on a new role at Peckwater Brands as a Delivery Service Partner Executive. Here, my role is pivotal in nurturing and fortifying strategic relationships with DSPs like Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Deliveroo across the global markets in which Peckwater operates.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

My typical workday commences with email checks and a review of messages or updates from DSPs or internal teams. Following this, I engage in various calls with different teams internally to discuss priorities, assess the progress of ongoing projects, and collaborate on resolving any challenges we encounter. Afterwards, I address weekly projects and tasks assigned to me.

I participate in external meetings with DSPs to evaluate the previous week's business performance and address any inquiries or concerns. Post-meetings, I touch base with internal teams to share feedback and updates gathered from discussions with DSPs.

As the day progresses, I wrap up any remaining tasks, plan follow-up activities, and respond to urgent messages and emails that has come in during the day.

Can you share a professional highlight from your career so far?

A professional highlight from my career so far was when I was recognised as a superuser of the tool that is used to onboard clients onto the platform at Deliveroo. I was known as the subject matter expert and was reached out to for support when needed and even created training contents for my colleagues and new joiners.

This has made me realised that I was no longer just absorbing knowledge and building experience but that I had become an experienced member of the team and a person that is able to share knowledge and help the team grow together.

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

Many modules during my second year involved presentations which meant that my experience and confidence in presenting and engaging a diverse audience has accumulated over the years and has helped me connect and use different presentational techniques to engage with my clients.

I also met so many international students and experienced many different cultures and ways of thinking during my time in Kent. This helped broaden my own perspective and my ability to respect difference of opinions in the industry.

What advice would you give to our current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

Developing strong interpersonal skills is essential for an account manager/executive. To succeed in this line of work you will need to focus on developing skills such as active listening, empathy, negotiation, and conflict resolution as these will be crucial in building and maintaining relationships with clients.

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Kent?

I have many fond memories of my time at Kent.

The highlight was meeting a group of wonderful girls from the Abacas society. We ended up bonding over food and held food nights every Wednesday where we would take turns to cook different dishes from our own cultures.

I also loved how easy it was to travel to Whitstable from the Canterbury campus. During my final year, my flatmate and I would chase the sunset on the days the weather was good. Good times!

Is there anything you would do differently if you could repeat your time at Kent?

Looking back, if I could repeat my time at Kent, there are a few things I might approach differently.

Firstly, I would take advantage of even more extracurricular opportunities, such as joining clubs or participating in volunteer activities, to further broaden my experiences and network.

Additionally, I would strive to establish stronger connections with professors and peers earlier on, recognising the value of mentorship and collaboration in academic and professional growth.

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

Yes. Most of them are studying or working in different parts of the world.

What are your future ambitions?

My future ambitions are to hopefully make a meaningful impact in my field. I aspire to leverage my knowledge and experience to speak at conferences, sharing insights and lessons learned to inspire and educate others.

Additionally, I am passionate about mentorship and aim to guide and support individuals on their professional journeys, helping them unlock their full potential and achieve their goals.

Ultimately, I hope to contribute positively to the advancement of my industry.