Driven by Purpose
How Mauricio Canineo is Innovating Leadership and Culture in the Automotive Field
Driven by Purpose
How Mauricio Canineo is Innovating Leadership and Culture in the Automotive Field
Interview with Mauricio Canineo, CEO of Pirelli Argentina
As the early morning light fills his Buenos Aires flat, Mauricio Canineo, CEO of Pirelli Argentina, retraces the 40-year-long professional journey that has taken him to unexpected destinations and a life’s worth of leadership lessons.
- Moving your Career Abroad: A Family Affair
- Steering a Culture of Feedback and Trust
- Paving the Way to Inclusion
- Leading with Vulnerability and Enjoying the Ride
“When I was younger, I knew that I wanted to become an engineer – but never be confined within four walls. I wanted to be among people, travel, and keep learning through new experiences.”
Indeed, he has always chosen the road less travelled.
After joining the automotive industry as a field engineer in the quality assurance department, driving hundreds of km a day under the scorching Brazilian sun to test tire quality and performance, he transitioned into technical assistance, marketing, and sales, significantly expanding his skill set and know-how.
After 20 years, he was offered his first expat assignment in Mexico.
Moving your Career Abroad: A Family Affair
In our recent “Automotive Global HR Trends” survey, opinion leaders revealed that language barriers, cultural differences, and providing adequate support and resources for settlement in a new country are the main challenges they face when promoting international mobility in the automotive sector.
Speaking from his own experience, Mr. Canineo also highlights the importance of a strong support system for flourishing in one’s career abroad.
“My wife’s support made my life much easier, but she also made a great sacrifice by leaving her architect studio to follow me across Latin America. Our kids faced their share of difficulties as well, from integrating into new cultures and forming new friendships to learning Spanish as a second language”.
Adapting to a new country involves the whole family, and it can take several years to adjust to such a significant change of life.
“The first year is all about adapting to the new country. The second year is for starting projects, and it’s only by the third year that the family feels more stable, and everyone has built their social networks”.
The upside of overcoming these obstacles as a team? His daughter and son are now living in Brazil and the USA, following the family’s tradition of calling new places ‘home’ and taking advantage of the resilience and adaptability they gained from those formative years.
Key Numbers from our
Automotive 2024 Report
80,8%
of automotive workers are either satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs
56%
of companies have specific skills shortages
48%
of companies said they require new skill sets
58%
of companies are running training, upskilling and education programs
Steering a Culture of Feedback and Trust
“The purpose that motivates and fuels me is to break down barriers and make people’s lives much easier. Rigidity alienates people, a leader must create a natural and spontaneous culture – and this cannot be achieved hiding behind your office door”.
When we interviewed over 6.000 automotive candidates, it became apparent that their needs and desires are becoming increasingly centred around the alignment of a company with their personal values, a positive corporate culture, and an enjoyable work environment.
But how can HR teams ensure they provide a successful employee experience and continuously improve their effort?
While many leaders rely on internal surveys to gauge employees’ feedback and satisfaction, Mr. Canineo prefers to take matters in his own hands – while holding a cup of coffee.
From Mexico to Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela, he has shared many “cafè con ideas” with employees at all levels. These meetings feature small groups from different areas and departments, where anyone can share their feedback and ideas about topics ranging from process improvement to DEI and wellbeing. There’s only one rule: no line managers allowed, to let individuals express their thoughts freely in a safe space.
“I always invite everyone to come and talk to me directly about what doesn’t work. I want people to feel free to express themselves and communicate the wealth of information they have from working on the ground every day, because I can’t see everything and be everywhere”.
He then adds that while positive feedback is easier to give, transparency is crucial, especially during times like corporate restructuring. Feedback should be solicited rather than imposed to avoid being perceived as mere criticism, and it should provide examples and coaching, allowing two-way communication to flow.
Paving the Way to Inclusion
When we asked female candidates what factors would discourage them from pursuing a career in the automotive sector, poor visibility of female leaders, wage gap and inequal opportunities for career advancement emerged as the top issues of an industry that has long been associated with poor female representation and diversity.
To counteract this trend, in recent years 80% of companies have actively been promoting gender equality, establishing mentoring programs, and creating benchmarks that promote progress towards DEI objectives.
If you want to change the world around you, first you must change your own mindset. This applies to every aspect of our lives – including our company and families. We cannot act differently and uphold different values at work and in our private lives. When discussing diversity and inclusion, it is essential to prioritize the unique values and characteristics of each person, ensuring respect for everyone. Corporate politics don’t go a long way: meritocracy is increasingly present and it’s here to stay
Leading with Vulnerability and Enjoying the Ride
During our chat, Mr. Canineo also reveals that he has faced career disappointments, such as being passed over for a promotion years ago. He says he felt a lot of frustration, but he soon realized that changing his professional image wouldn’t have been enough.
“Don’t put limits on yourself. Follow the company guidelines but always chart your own path.
This motivation pushed me to work intensely to realize my projects. If you haven’t built anything that’s truly yours, how do you tell your own story?”
He quotes Brené Brown’s book, “The Power of Vulnerability”, saying it taught him many things – for example, that being a leader does not mean one must pretend they have all the answers.
“You must ask questions, be curious and humble. This is the culture a company must foster.
This has been the legacy I’ve built, and I want it to stay here even when I leave, and for people to keep nurturing this honest and open culture”.
Through his dedication to creating a culture of growth and feedback, Mauricio Canineo has left an indelible mark on the teams he’s been leading for over 40 years. His leadership journey serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the human touch for companies and their workforce to keep evolving, innovating, and thriving.
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