Darren Brown

 

I first entered the industry in December 2011, so it’s been about 14 years now. Like many, I fell into freight forwarding almost by accident. Fresh out of university, I was looking for a job and landed a role as a Junior Customs Broker with Hobbs Global. At the time, I actually thought I’d be working with NZ Customs which made sense given my original interest in criminal profiling while studying. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but it was where my journey began.

 

Fast forward to today, and I’m the Managing Director of Hobbs Global Logistics Solutions Ltd. These days, I’m less hands-on with the freight itself and more focused on the bigger picture - steering the company, driving growth, and ensuring we continue to deliver for our clients.

 

What’s helped me get here? People, problem solving, and a strong work ethic - plus a little luck along the way. I’ve been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors, starting with Gary Thorne in Customs Brokerage, and later Simon Cox, our BDM who’s since retired. Keith Hobbs also gave me enormous trust as a 28-year-old, putting me in charge of our 3PL warehouse. That responsibility taught me to lean into challenges and to always view problems as opportunities. I often say to my team: if you don’t see the opportunity, change your perspective.

 

One of the biggest shifts I’ve seen in the industry is around experience. When I started, most of the knowledge sat with people in their 50s, with plenty of younger professionals learning underneath. Now, much of that knowledge is in its 60s, and we don’t have the same pipeline of new talent coming through. There are certainly some great young people, but not in the same numbers we need.

 

What I love most about this industry is the problem solving. Freight is like a giant game of Tetris, and there’s a place for every type of person. If you’re into fitness, devanning might suit you. If you’re analytical, Customs Brokerage could be your calling. Environmentalists may find their niche with MPI and border protection. I don’t know of another industry that offers so many paths, where you can move between roles as your career grows.

 

One of the most fascinating projects I’ve worked on was importing mammoth ivory tusks, with incredible, intricate images carved into them. We worked closely with DOC to confirm they were mammoth and not modern elephant ivory, which is such a concern with global poaching. It was rare, expensive, and definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not many people can say they’ve held a mammoth tusk!

 

My advice for anyone considering a career in this industry is simple: be curious, be open to learning, and give freight a go. Be a sponge and soak up as much as you can from the people around you. This industry is multi-faceted, full of amazing people and opportunities. We often joke that once you’re in freight, you never leave. The truth is, it’s not that we don’t know how to leave, it’s that we don’t want to.

 

Looking to the future, I think the key is sharing knowledge - and doing it both ways. Experienced professionals must pass on their insights, but young people bring new perspectives and technological skills that we can all learn from. When both sides lean into that exchange, the whole industry benefits.

 

From stumbling into freight straight out of uni to leading a logistics company today, I feel incredibly fortunate. This industry has given me challenges, opportunities, and lifelong lessons - and I wouldn’t have it any other way.