Careers at Bentley Motors

We interviewed Sophie Mulvoy, Partnership Manager at Bentley Motors and former Degree Apprentice. She shares her journey from trainee to successful career in Sales & Marketing.

Name: Sophie Mulvoy
Job Title: Partnership Manager
Apprenticeship: Former Business Degree Apprenticeship – 2 years (2009 – 2011)

Please could you give us a little background into your role at Bentley?

My role involves managing a number of our Lifestyle Partnerships including Bentley Home and Bentley Residences Miami. Lifestyle Partnerships are key in driving awareness and desire of the Bentley brand to new audiences who’s interests may typically fall outside of the automotive industry. A typical week in my role includes overseeing all aspects of my partners operations; business strategy, marketing planning & delivery, product design, legal and compliance support. Relationship management is key throughout all of this, both when liaising with our Partners and with many internal stakeholders within the Bentley business.

Starting with a business administration apprenticeship, you built an incredible foundation for your career. How did your apprenticeship set you up for success, and what’s been your proudest achievement since then?

After completing my A Levels, I knew I wanted to work within business but I wasn’t sure how to decide what area to pursue – I saw the Business Apprenticeship as a perfect opportunity to experience different roles / departments to help make this decision.

My apprenticeship gave me the opportunity to work in HR, Engineering Project Management and Sales & Marketing, which is where I ultimately secured a permanent role, whilst at the same time studying part-time and completing a Business Management degree (funded by Bentley!). Within Sales & Marketing I’ve had a number of roles including 6 years within the Live Events team which involved delivering Bentley’s Power on Ice programme, Motorsport Customer Experience (Europe), Global Retailer Conferences and Retailer Training Events – these projects enabled me to travel globally, visiting Beijing, Sydney, California, Dubai and many places across Europe which was incredibly exciting. My experiences working in different departments along with my Business Management degree have given me a broad business understanding which is a solid foundation for my current role, which requires a broad view across all areas of our partner’s business including commercial, marketing, finance, legal and distribution. I find it so interesting working so closely with experts in other fields such as furniture and real estate and still learn so much from each of them!

One of the amazing things about an apprenticeship at Bentley is the chance to explore different paths within the business. How did that flexibility help you find your niche and unlock new opportunities?

I started my apprenticeship in the Recruitment team which gave me insight in to various departments across Bentley. My sponsoring manager was incredibly supportive and helped me identify potential placements based on my interests, both within Project Management and then Sales & Marketing. As soon as I started within Sales & Marketing I knew this is where I wanted to work – so I did placements within Live Events and Brand Communications before securing a permanent role.

Your role has taken you across Europe! Can you share some of the most memorable experiences from your travels and how they’ve added value to your journey with Bentley?

Within the Live Events team I travelled regularly, particularly around Europe, but my most memorable projects were within Beijing and Sydney. I’d never visited China or Australia before so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to visit them! It was a fantastic experience whilst giving me invaluable exposure to different cultures. My current role still includes some travel to visit current and potential new partners, particularly Miami and Milan where some of our partners are based.

For someone considering a Bentley apprenticeship but unsure about their future, what’s the one piece of advice you’d share to inspire them to take the leap?

I recommend apprenticeships to everyone looking to start out, especially those who aren’t quite sure where they want to specialise. I learnt so much from my peers and colleagues at Bentley throughout my apprenticeship (and since!) and this support network has really helped me throughout my roles and university studies. Studying at the same time as working full time was challenging but I did find it helpful being able to apply what I was learning at university to real-life situations at work.

I can’t recommend a Bentley apprenticeships enough!