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Journey
Looking back on your career, from your CEMS experience to leading strategic business units at HP, what has been the most defining lesson in your leadership journey?
From my time at CEMS, I learned the value of diverse perspectives, international collaboration, and the importance of staying curious. Those experiences taught me that great results are rarely achieved alone; they come from bringing together different ideas, backgrounds, and strengths around a common goal.
Throughout my career at HP, across different roles in category management, sales, and business leadership, I have seen that business strategies, technologies, and market conditions constantly change. What remains constant is the importance of building trust, empowering people, and creating an environment where everyone feels valued and able to contribute at their best.
If there is one lesson that has shaped my leadership journey, it is that sustainable success comes from combining strong business execution with genuine care for people.
Purpose
Throughout your career, what has been the purpose or principle that has guided the way you lead teams and make decisions?
The principle that has guided me during my career is simple: create value while creating opportunities for people to grow. I believe business success and people development should never be in conflict.
When making decisions, I try to balance performance, integrity, and long-term impact, always keeping customers, employees, and partners in mind. I have learned that the best results come from fostering trust, encouraging different perspectives, and empowering individuals to take ownership. As a leader, my goal is to create an environment where people feel respected, challenged, and supported enough to reach their full potential. When teams are engaged and inspired, they consistently deliver better outcomes for the business and for themselves.
Impact
Your work combines technology, strategy, and people. What impact do you hope your leadership will have on your teams, customers, the business, and future women leaders?
I hope my leadership creates a lasting impact by helping people achieve more than they thought possible. For my teams, I want to build confidence, encourage growth, and create an inclusive environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute. For customers, I aim to deliver solutions that create real value and support their success. For the business, I try to combine innovation, execution, and collaboration to drive sustainable growth.
For future women leaders, I hope to demonstrate that leadership does not require fitting into a predefined model. The most effective leaders are authentic: they develop their own style, stay true to their values, and never compromise who they are. Throughout my career, I have learned that authenticity builds trust, inspires others, and creates a stronger and more meaningful impact than trying to emulate someone else.
Looking Ahead
As technology continues to reshape the Future of Work, what leadership qualities do you believe will matter most for the next generation of global business leaders?
As technology accelerates change, I believe the most important leadership qualities will be adaptability, curiosity and empathy. Future leaders will need to embrace continuous learning and remain open to new ideas, technologies, and ways of working.
Artificial Intelligence will play an increasingly important role in transforming how we work. I see AI as a powerful enabler that can increase productivity, automate repetitive tasks, and free up time for higher-value activities.
As routine work becomes increasingly automated, human qualities will become even more important. The future of work will be powered by technology, but ultimately driven by human potential. Leaders who can successfully combine both dimensions will create the greatest impact.
CEMS Alumni Network
CEMS is built on lifelong international connections. How has being part of this global alumni community shaped the way you collaborate and lead across cultures?
CEMS exposed me to people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and ways of thinking, teaching me that diversity is not just a value, but a real competitive advantage.Perhaps most importantly, it taught me that while cultures may differ, shared values such as respect, integrity, collaboration, and a common purpose create strong connections.
In Five Insights – Leadership Takeaways
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One defining decision Saying yes to opportunities before feeling fully ready.
- One risk that changed everything Leaving my comfort zone to move into sales, a career path that was never part of my original plan.
- One failure that taught you something important trying to solve every challenge alone instead of leveraging the team's strengths.
- One belief that shapes leadership
Authenticity is a strength. The best leaders stay true to themselves and lead with integrity.
- One piece of advice to future global leaders Stay curious, embrace diversity, and never compromise your values while creating your own leadership style.
Rossella's Trajectory: 5 Key Moments
