Episode #20
Spotlight Sessions: The Making of a President
In this episode of Spotlight Sessions, Morgan Latif's Head of Chemicals, Matt Harman, is joined by Ana Perroni, President, Coatings & Construction Solutions and EMEA at Synthomer, who leads a global business spanning coatings and construction solutions alongside regional responsibility across EMEA. Ana brings over 20 years of global sales and marketing experience, with a strong track record of successfully commercialising solutions for end markets. She began her career at Ciba Specialty Chemicals in Brazil, was elected President of RadTech South America for two consecutive terms, and currently serves as a Trustee of the Board at SCI, the Society of Chemical Industry. It is a career that offers a rare view of what the step into the most senior seat genuinely demands. Together, they delve into: The making of a president, and what really changes when a leader moves from running a function to running a business The qualities that matter most for aspiring leaders stepping up to executive level, from commercial judgement to self awareness Why resilience sits at the top of Ana's list, and the reality of a role that expects you to be ready around the clock The true cost of getting a leadership hire wrong, from lost momentum and stalled projects to the credibility a team spends months rebuilding Why the CV only takes you so far, and why Ana values meeting people face to face and trusting her instinct once the evidence has been done properly What separates leaders who genuinely elevate team performance from those who simply hold the right experience on paper Why we put such emphasis on assessing behaviours as well as track record, and on delivering right first time, on time
