A sweet start: from medieval history to Mars. Inc
Rebecca Snow (MA 1995) is Head of People & Organization at Mars, Incorporated. In a prescient move by her academic mother, she and her friends were dressed up as M&M’s® during Raisin Weekend. Here she describes her career journey from medieval history student to corporate leader at one of the biggest names in multinational manufacturing.
I was born in Edinburgh but spent much of my childhood in Devon. Both my parents were St Andrews graduates, and my grandparents lived in the Highlands, so when the time came to apply to university, I felt an instinctive draw back to Scotland. On visiting St Andrews, it was love at first sight.
I studied medieval history and loved the family feel of the School – small and intimate yet intellectually challenging. It gave me the freedom to study (without too many scheduled teaching hours), spend plenty of time in the library and cover the most wonderful content. I love history!
A silver medal, M&Ms and Definitely Maybe
Much of my free time was spent playing for the first XI women’s hockey teams – indoor and outdoor. I remember the camaraderie, our bumpy grass pitch that led to wins against several ‘better-than-us’ teams, and a very memorable tour to Benidorm in 1994. I think it may have been the first ever tour for the women’s team. We also took home a silver medal at the British Universities indoor tournament in Bath. We were fortunate to make it down there as our bus broke down on the M6. Oasis had just released Definitely Maybe and we listened to it on repeat while we waited for the AA to arrive.
The 1994 hockey tour
There were, of course, plenty of nights out – Ma Bell’s for a big one, the Dunvegan for a small one. Not forgetting Raisin Weekend where, in a bizarrely prescient moment considering my career to date, my friends and I were dressed up by our academic mother as M&M’s® (the chocolate treat owned by Mars)!
Raisin Weekend celebrations
A process of elimination
As I entered my final year at St Andrews, I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I started with a process of elimination (not accountancy, not teaching, not law…). The world of business looked interesting and broadly educational so that’s the direction I chose. I was fortunate to be offered a place on Mars, Inc.’s trainee programme.
Rebecca at her graduation in 1995
Skills for life
Looking back, it’s easy to joke about the irrelevance of a medieval history degree in the corporate world but I have taken much from my student days: understanding cultures around the world and their histories; an appreciation of how wildly differing perspectives can shape our world view; and, of course, the basics of independent study, sound enquiry, and meeting deadlines. I use all those skills and all that knowledge repeatedly. I’ve become a lifelong learner and am always looking for ways to develop myself, in turn passing that on to others.
As a graduate trainee with Mars, Inc. I rotated through three roles in three different business functions, including spending a year working in Poland. I then went into Human Resources, starting my management career as the person who presented Mars on Milkround, the graduate jobs platform.
A global career
Since then, my career has taken me from the UK to Belgium and the US, working across our Snacking and Petcare divisions, as well as in corporate roles. Each position I’ve held has added complexity or scale and has stretched me in different ways.
Leadership: shaping workplace culture today and in the future
Since July 2024, I have had the privilege of being Head of People & Organization at Mars, Inc. – otherwise known as CHRO. Mars has a purpose-driven, principles-led, people-first culture, which means it’s a great place to do people-related work!
I get to work with a fantastic group of leaders spanning all areas of the business from the well-known chocolate part to the lesser-known veterinary part to shape and drive the culture and leadership we need today and in the future.
It’s pretty rare these days to spend nearly 30 years with the same company, but the challenge and development I have had, as well as the people and culture I work in, have kept me here.
Top tips and lifelong learning
While I have a lot of experience to draw upon, I keep coming back to that drive for continuous development, recognising that I still have a lot to learn.
I have the opportunity to positively impact the careers and lives of thousands of Associates and to continually challenge myself in a place where I can be my authentic self. That’s what keeps me excited and engaged every day.
For new graduates interested in a similar path, people matter. Culture matters. You matter. Find a place where you can be yourself. Seek breadth in your early career – the broader your foundations, the higher you can build up (even if it feels slow at the start). Learn from everyone around you. There are both good and bad bosses out there – both can be great sources of learning (although I’d recommend trying to find more good ones than bad ones).
My final piece of advice would be that self-awareness is the first step to development. Learn about yourself in a conscious way. Most of all, make sure that whatever you do is fun.
Rebecca at Mars. Inc
A special place for St Andrews
St Andrews will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am truly grateful for the launchpad that it gave me – personally and professionally – as well as for the friendships I made and still have to this day.