While growing up in Norway and studying in Denmark, Carlsberg was a brand and a company that Didrik always admired. So when he decided on a career in consumer marketing, securing a place on the Carlsberg Graduate programme was "like a dream come true".
Didrik had plenty of work experience during his studies but Carlsberg was his first full time job. He spent his initial year with the Carlsberg and then the Tuborg brand management teams. "As the marketing plans were already more or less in place I was mainly involved in campaign execution, but it was a good learning experience," he says.
A different planet
Going to Carlsberg Italy for his second year was "like moving to a different planet". Here Didrik was responsible for working with a third party supplier to create and implement local marketing programmes.
He says: "The company was a lot leaner, so I had a much broader remit including new product development, innovation and research. The whole working mentality and the way people interact was very different too. I had to think much more strategically, and it was exciting to be part of a business process rather than just a marketing process."
Despite the challenges, he decided to stay on in Italy when his programme finished. "I had other offers from within the company but for me this was the most interesting from a personal and career-development perspective," he says.
A great platform
Didrik describes the Graduate programme as a great platform. He says: "While you are doing a job like everyone else, you have the opportunity to progress more quickly. You become very visible, which can be challenging, but it certainly gives you an advantage when moving up the career ladder.
"It’s not a set programme that you can just complete and go home - and don’t expect to be cocooned. It’s a dynamic resource that you have to make the most of - take the responsibility you are offered and ask for more!"