Scott King, 35
Director, Talent Acquisition & Learning
Rexel
Scott has been in the industry—and with Rexel USA—since 2018. “I found one of the best-kept secrets by stumbling upon Rexel,” Scott recalled. “After transitioning from my previous employer, I worked with a recruiter to land the Talent Acquisition role with Rexel. I had no knowledge of the electrical distribution industry but have always been technical in nature and eager to learn new things. Rexel felt like the type of environment where I could grow my career while discovering a new world of supply chain.”
After spending his first 10 months partnering in the field to fill a variety of roles across several business units, “I was fortunate to have a strong working relationship with the team in one of the regions I supported and was approached with the opportunity to serve as the Learning & Development leader in that region. I spent the next four years creating different learning initiatives, such as our early career leadership development program (Accelerated Commercial Experience, or ACE), a sales development program, role-specific training summits (we called them boot camps), and several other initiatives aimed at developing our people. In July 2023, I was promoted to lead the Talent Acquisition & Learning initiatives across the company, serving now more than 7,500 employees, scaling some of the very programs I created in my previous role, and working to find and develop the best and brightest in the industry.”
What continues to appeal to Scott about the industry? “It continues to evolve, with the focus shifting to new ways to deliver energy savings, reduce carbon footprints, embrace new technology, and expand the value we add to customers,” he said. “This isn’t your grandparents’ distribution world, and I can foresee even more development in the space of distribution in years to come with generative AI and other enhancements.”
Asked about a challenge the industry is currently facing, Scott pointed to finding and keeping talent. “In my role, I’m focused on talent—finding and developing people for the future of distribution. It’s our secret weapon, our competitive advantage, but also one of our biggest challenges,” he explained. “The nature of our industry lends to legacy-based practices and few successors who are mid-to-early career, so we are working diligently to ensure we have the right recruiting strategies around sourcing, speed, and quality, as well as the right development and growth opportunities to keep talent supported and challenged throughout their career.”
Looking ahead, Scott is hoping to continue leading Talent Acquisition & Learning for Rexel and possibly growing his responsibilities to include a larger population and team. “As we focus on growth organically and via acquisitions, we may need additional layers of support to continue delivering value to our stakeholders,” he said. “I’m hoping to be able to pour into and empower more people as we grow.”
What would Scott tell someone just entering the industry? “Soak it all in!” he said. “This industry is on the cusp of a technological revolution, and we are mapping what that looks like daily. It’s way more than ‘moving boxes,’ so look beyond the task you’re performing in that moment and think about how that task impacts the bigger picture. Also, have fun! We support some very cool projects that lend themselves to unique opportunities. Take advantage of the network and opportunities before you!”
Outside of work, Scott enjoys traveling and spending time with family. “I also enjoy trying new restaurants, seeing movies and shows, and completing the occasional DIY project at home,” he said, adding “I’m also nearly two years into a book club, where we’ve read 19 books in 19 months, so I guess I enjoy reading, too!”
Each year tED magazine recognizes 30 of the industry’s best and brightest under the age of 35. Please visit tedmag.com/30Under35 for nomination information and updates about the 2025 program. Questions can be sent to tED Editor Misty Byers at mbyers@naed.org.
Tagged with 2024 30 Under 35, 30 under 35, people