Beyond The Blend

• Amanda Hay

  In this episode of Beyond the Blend, we sit down with Amanda Hay, a journalist-turned-data leader whose career spans community newspapers, graphic design, energy reporting, and now global commodity intelligence at ICIS.Amanda’s story is a brilliant reminder that skills aren’t linear, they evolve. From her early days in local newsrooms to now guiding global base oil insight for one of the industry’s leading data organisations, she has built a career rooted in curiosity, communication, and clarity.This conversation dives deep into journalism, data, visual storytelling, AI, and the human side of the lubricants supply chain. It’s thoughtful, real, and full of insights for anyone navigating change or looking to bring meaning to technical work. Key Takeaways1. Journalism Never Leaves YouAmanda’s first love was journalism - community storytelling, accountability, connection. Those instincts now underpin her work in base oils, proving that clear communication and curiosity are universal career assets.2. Data + Story = ImpactWhen she says “data is integral to storytelling,” she means it. In a world of shrinking attention spans, Amanda believes the job is to turn complex commodity data into narratives people can act on, not just charts on a screen.3. The Art of VisualisationAs a former graphic designer, Amanda champions accessible, thoughtful visuals. Clean design, readable colours, and simplicity matter - especially for neurodivergent audiences and overloaded industry professionals.4. A Global Lens on Base OilsFrom Houston to Brazil, Singapore to Cape Town, Amanda’s role gives her a truly global perspective. She sees firsthand how base oils markets are shifting, integrating, and demanding faster, clearer insight.5. Journalism Skills Belong in Our IndustryAs commodity markets evolve, Amanda highlights a rising need for “data journalists”, people who can decode complexity, ask better questions, and translate insight for modern buyers.6. AI Isn’t the Enemy - It’s the AmplifierICIS is deep into AI adoption. For Amanda, AI isn’t replacing intelligence, it’s enhancing it. The human job now is to interpret, question, contextualise, and bring the data to life.7. Creativity Still MattersOutside work, Amanda channels her creativity into photography. She captures her travels, her life, and her curiosity through a lens, a reminder that creative energy fuels analytical clarity.8. Advice for Early-Career Professionals“Keep your options open.” Journalism gave Amanda skills that transferred beautifully into energy, base oils, data, and storytelling. She encourages new talent to stay adaptable and to carve paths that didn’t exist 10 years ago. Connect with Amanda• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahay/• ICIS: https://www.icis.com Why ListenIf you sit anywhere in the lubricants supply chain; technical, commercial, data, marketing, or leadership, this episode is a masterclass in how human stories and hard data collide.It’s also a fresh reminder that careers aren’t straight lines, and that our industry benefits massively from people with unusual, creative, or journalistic backgrounds.

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• Jim Carroll

  In this powerful episode, Beyond the Blend heads to St. Louis, Missouri, to meet Jim Carroll - Executive VP at Schaeffer Manufacturing and current President of the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA).Jim’s story spans decades of service - in both the U.S. Army, where he served for 30 years and rose to the rank of Colonel, and in the lubricant industry, where he’s spent over 25 years helping one of America’s oldest lubricant companies thrive through change.From rebuilding engines to leading global advocacy, Jim’s career is proof that discipline and curiosity can coexist beautifully and that leadership, at its best, means never standing still. Key Takeaways1. From Steel to Schaeffer:Jim began his career on the factory floor at National Steel, where curiosity for “how things work” turned into a lifelong technical fascination. A customer-turned-colleague, he joined Schaeffer in 1998 - and never looked back.2. The Fixer Mindset:As a child taking apart broken appliances, Jim learned a simple truth: If it’s stupid and it works, it wasn’t stupid. That mindset shaped his leadership style - pragmatic, creative, and unafraid of failure in pursuit of improvement.3. Service and Structure:Three decades in the U.S. Army instilled discipline, courage, and the conviction that “an 80 percent plan executed today beats a 100 percent plan that never starts.” Those lessons now guide how Jim builds teams, makes decisions, and handles complexity in business.4. Leading Through Advocacy:As ILMA President, Jim is passionate about advocacy and common-sense regulation. His mission: ensure that small, independent lubricant manufacturers have a seat at the table when shaping the policies that define their future.5. Sustainability Is Our Story:Jim argues that the lubricant industry is already one of the biggest sustainability success stories - reducing friction, saving energy, and extending equipment life — but not telling that story loudly enough.6. Always Learning:Whether through Stanford’s strategic-planning courses or back-of-the-bus “nerd chats” with industry peers, Jim’s commitment to continuous learning is unwavering. His advice to the next generation: Learn both the chemistry and the mechanics - innovation happens where they meet.7. The Next Chapter:Far from slowing down, Jim’s focus is now on strategy, value creation, and mentorship -ensuring the next generation of leaders inherits both knowledge and purpose. 🔗 Connect with Jim• Jim Carroll on LinkedIn• Schaeffer Manufacturing• ILMA Why ListenThis episode goes far beyond lubricants - it’s about character, curiosity, and commitment. Jim Carroll’s story shows how a sense of duty, whether on the battlefield or in business, can shape not only a career but an entire industry.For anyone navigating leadership, legacy, or the next chapter of their career, this one’s full of insight, humour, and heart.

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• Gwyn Simmonds

  From geology graduate to global sales leader, Gwyn Simmonds has spent more than 25 years at the intersection of data, reliability, and customer trust. In this episode, Steve explores how a curiosity-driven career led Gwyn from the lab bench to the boardroom and what’s changed along the way.Gwyn shares honest reflections on leadership, travel, and learning on the job, revealing how oil analysis has evolved from pipettes and paper reports to automation, AI, and insight-driven service. Key TakeawaysFrom Geology to Oil AnalysisStraight from the University of Staffordshire, a newspaper ad led Gwyn into his first lab role. What began as “a job that paid the bills” turned into a lifelong fascination with data, machines, and people.Curiosity Opens DoorsNot an engineer by background, Gwyn credits curiosity, and mentors like Mike Bourne, for showing him how data tells stories. That early curiosity built the foundation for his technical and commercial confidence.Lab Coats to LeadershipOver time, Gwyn moved from interpreting data to managing accounts, then to leading global sales and marketing for eight laboratories worldwide. His leadership philosophy? “Lead from the front but bring everyone with you.”Technology Transforms TalentFrom pipettes to robots and from spreadsheets to Power BI dashboards, Gwyn describes how AI and automation are changing not just how labs work, but who works in them. Data literacy now sits beside engineering know-how.Trust and FlexibilityWith teams across continents, Gwyn leads through trust rather than control balancing global travel with family life in North Wales. His open, people-first approach shows that culture matters as much as process.Learning Never StopsFrom workplace book clubs (The Challenger Sale, Lean Selling, Modern Sales Leadership) to industry networking, Gwyn emphasises that growth comes from sharing knowledge, not guarding it. 🔗 Connect with Gwyn• Gwyn Simmonds on LinkedIn• POLARIS Laboratories Why ListenIf you’ve ever wondered what a career in lubricants and condition monitoring really looks like, this episode offers a candid, human look at how curiosity, learning, and leadership evolve over time.Whether you’re just starting out, leading teams, or simply trying to balance work and life on the road, Gwyn’s journey shows that staying curious is still the best strategy there is.

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• Lisanne Hoolwerf

  From hospitality and accountancy to marketing in the lubricant sector, Lisanne Hoolwerf brings a refreshing outsider’s lens to an industry often defined by tradition and technical jargon. In this episode, she shares her journey into lubricants, her passion for translating complex ideas into customer-centric stories, and why curiosity and consistency are her secret weapons.Recorded live as part of the Beyond the Blend series, this conversation explores what happens when fresh perspectives meet a traditional industry and why marketers might just be the catalyst for change. Key TakeawaysFrom Hospitality to B2B StorytellingLisanne’s early career in hospitality shaped her service mindset, stepping into the customer’s shoes and understanding how they perceive value. These lessons now drive her marketing approach.Challenging Perceptions of the Lubricant IndustryFriends warned her against joining a “polluting industry,” but Lisanne discovered a world that keeps everything moving and a storytelling gap that needs to be filled.The Translator RoleLisanne frames marketing as “the translator between the product/service and the end user,” bringing clarity to complex, technical narratives.Curiosity Over CredentialsWith no technical background, Lisanne leaned into curiosity. Asking endless questions, listening closely, and shaping her own informed view of the industry.Marketing’s Perception ProblemToo often, marketing is relegated to “making brochures.” Lisanne advocates for marketing’s role early in strategy. Crafting value-based messages that align technical excellence with customer relevance.Making the Customer the HeroShe believes the industry must shift from product-first to customer-first storytelling. Positioning, speed of response, and narrative all need to reflect the buyer’s world, not just the companies.Educating for the FutureLisanne highlights the urgent need to tell better stories to attract new talent and challenge outdated perceptions, especially as the industry’s workforce ages. Why ListenIf you’ve ever felt like an outsider in a technical industry, or if you believe marketing should be more than pretty brochures, this episode will resonate. Lisanne’s blend of curiosity, customer focus, and storytelling offers a clear blueprint for modernising how the lubricant industry communicates both internally and externally. 🔗 Connect with Lisanne• LinkedIn

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• Gemma Stephenson

  In this episode, we welcome Gemma Stephenson, Business Development Manager at Cargill Bio industrial, whose journey spans from the lab bench in tribology to shaping sustainability conversations across the lubricants industry.Gemma’s story is one of curiosity, courage, and purpose. From her early days testing blends and MTM machines to presenting at international conferences, she’s built a career that proves passion, and persistence can rewrite preconceptions of what a “lubricants career” looks like. Key TakeawaysFrom Lab to LeadershipGemma began her career in Croda’s labs, testing lubricants and solving technical problems. What hooked her? The mix of science, real-world application, and a team of equally “bonkers” enthusiasts.Breaking PerceptionsShe faced the early stigmas of a male-dominated, “stuffy” industry head on, proving that the sector isn’t dull, but dynamic. Supported by mentors like John Eastwood, she grew from presenting data to influencing strategy.Sustainability with SubstanceToday, Gemma’s work sits at the crossroads of sustainability and business outcomes. From product carbon footprints (PCF) to lifecycle assessments, she champions making sustainability useful, practical, and customer-focused rather than abstract jargon.The Rise of Sustainability ManagersGemma sees first-hand how sustainability professionals are emerging as decision-makers in the lubricants supply chain. Bringing a “translation lens” to purchasing, technical, and commercial discussions.Collaboration is KeyHer strongest insight? Progress accelerates when the industry stops working in silos. “Talk to each other,” she says. Real change comes from OEMs, additive companies, regulators, and suppliers sharing perspectives and aligning action.STEM and the Next GenerationBeyond her day job, Gemma is passionate about outreach. Whether it’s speaking at schools with cereal-box wind turbines or helping launch the UKLA/UEIL STEM programme, she’s on a mission to inspire the next generation to see lubricants as exciting, impactful, and never boring. Connect with Gemma• Gemma Stephenson on LinkedIn• Cargill Bio industrial• UEIL Sustainability Committee Why Listen?If you’ve ever thought lubricants were “dull,” this episode will change your mind. Gemma brings energy, honesty, and practical insight to the sustainability conversation. Reminding us that purpose, collaboration, and curiosity are what drive real progress.Tune in to hear how a lab scientist became a visible advocate for change, why sustainability must be woven into every CVP, and what it really takes to inspire both today’s buyers and tomorrow’s talent.

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