The team at Amazon’s Dunfermline fulfilment centre is celebrating a major career milestone for one of its team, as European Sustainability Senior Project Manager Hugh MacKenzie marks 20 years with Amazon.
Based in Coaltown of Balgonie near Glenrothes, Hugh joined Amazon in October 2005 as an Outbound Area Manager at the company’s previous Glenrothes site. Coming from a successful 20-year career in the electronics industry, Hugh brought with him a wealth of experience in leadership, process improvement, and innovation.
“Amazon was still very much similar to a start-up in the UK when I joined,” Hugh recalls. “Everything was evolving quickly, and if you had an idea, you could make it happen. That freedom to innovate has kept me excited to come to work every day for the past two decades.”
Over the years, Hugh has held a variety of leadership roles, helping to launch and transform several fulfilment sites across the UK. His career journey has included roles in outbound, inbound, reverse logistics, process improvement, health and safety, and sustainability.
One of Hugh’s proudest achievements came during the transformation of Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dunfermline, where he played a key role in converting the building from non-sortable to sortable
“That project was incredibly rewarding,” he says. “We installed outbound and inbound lines, conveyors, pick tower, dock sorter and automation that helped Amazon in Dunfermline transform to a sortable operation as part of their journey. Seeing that come to life was up there in the highlights of my career.”
Hugh’s passion for problem-solving and continuous improvement led him into the world of sustainability, where he now drives initiatives across Amazon’s European operations. His journey began when he took on the challenge of improving recycling and waste segregation at his site. This was a project that soon evolved into a regional leadership role.
“When I first started looking at sustainability, the systems were in their infancy. We’ve made huge progress since then,” he says. “Now sustainability is part of our culture, process and how we think about our impact.”
Reflecting on his 20 years at Amazon, Hugh says it’s the constant learning and variety that have kept him motivated: “Amazon never stands still. Every role I’ve taken has taught me something new.
“I like to keep busy, and Amazon is the place for that – I’ve remained engaged, motivated, curious and driven for 20 years. It’s been an amazing journey and continues to be amazing.”
Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, added: “Hugh is an outstanding leader whose adaptability and curiosity have made a lasting impact on our operations and sustainability programmes.
“His 20-year career is a fantastic example of how far you can go when you embrace new challenges and keep raising the bar. We’re proud to celebrate this milestone with him.”
Amazon Dunfermline has been a key part of the company’s UK operations since it opened in 2011. The fulfilment centre has created thousands of jobs in the Fife area and continues to play a vital role in delivering for customers across Scotland and beyond.
The team in Dunfermline is also active in the local community, supporting charities and organisations including Fife Gingerbread, Fife Women’s Aid, and local schools. Employees regularly volunteer their time through Amazon’s community programmes, and the site has contributed thousands of pounds in donations to support education, health, and social care initiatives across the region.
Community donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities where it operates. Amazon co-founded The Big House Multibank in Fife with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support families in need. The Multibank network has now donated more than 12 million surplus goods to over 800,000 families across Scotland, Wales, Greater Manchester, London, Tees Valley and Birmingham. This year, the Multibank will send 1 million orders to families across the UK.
Amazon has supported more than one million students across the UK with free STEM education programmes through Amazon Future Engineer and helps community organisations transport meals and other essentials to families in need through its pro bono logistics programme, Amazon Local Good.
Amazon partners with Comic Relief and is the official home of the charity’s iconic Red Nose. Together with its employees, customers, and partners, Amazon has raised over £4.8 million to fund projects that support people across the UK, and around the world.
