Selma Maia, the Brazilian executive leading a transformation in transport logistics at the giant CNH Industrial

Selma, you know that we call this set of qualities, applied in a business setting, Brasilidade Empresarial. Do you think it sets you apart in the international executive market?

Certainly. My boss is Belgian and he always tells me not to lose my essence, because I bring a different way of doing things. He says I have the quality of being more positive, more creative, of solving problems and of leading and motivating people.

But I have also learned here that it matters to temper our own qualities with adapting to the culture you are in. To me, the Brazilians who thrive abroad have definitely found that middle ground.

What was that path like?

I spent the first ten years of my career in multinationals at Volkswagen, then one year at Renault, and I have now been at CNH for fifteen years, the last five of them here in Italy in global roles.

And how did the choice of the motor industry come about?

I was outside Brazil on a course and heard that Volkswagen was opening in Curitiba. I sent my CV and was chosen. I worked on significant projects, such as the launch of the Fox, which involved introducing recycling and sustainability concepts that were not yet widely known in Brazil.

What led you to change industry?

My time at Volkswagen was decisive in my career, at an excellent moment when they were investing in new logistics concepts and bringing in new technology. There I met another Belgian executive who liked my work and, years later, brought me to CNH. It is worth noting, incidentally, that he was very taken with the Brazilian style of leadership.

What was the move from Brazil to Italy like?

I arrived here in 2019. I had two big challenges. The first was managing the disruption in the supply chain, starting with the pandemic, which magnified the difficulties that already existed far more sharply. The second was managing that cultural change while being abroad, and without necessarily being able to count on the Brazilian corporate environment, which is far more focused on people.

And how do you bring that in here?

My focus is 100% on people and their wellbeing. I try to lead in a more democratic style, where people are free to act and to share their ideas. I encourage interaction between team members and with all their colleagues. For me, freedom of expression and team spirit are essential to a good working environment and, as a consequence, they produce the best result for the company.

I also try to encourage my team to adopt a “let me look into it, I will go and find out" mindset, rather than accepting a "no" as the final answer. I believe that spirit of initiative and adaptation is fundamental to succeeding in a global, competitive environment.

Selma also notes with pride that in the last employee engagement survey her department scored 7 points above the company average.

And AI?

I take a very positive view of it. It will give people more time, taking them out of mechanical operational work to do something more creative and strategic. I do not think that in the next few years we will be able to do everything with AI. There will always be that human quality of seeking innovation, of debating alternatives with other people, of working as a team.

And how is that process going in your area?

We are already working with machine learning tools that are making operational tasks easier, but most people are still afraid of losing their jobs. In my area specifically the aim is not to cut headcount. It is to provide a tool that improves our work and our results.

Now, you ask me: are people ready for that change? This is where brasilidade empresarial comes into its own, I think. Because Brazilians are not afraid. Brazilians always face challenges head on, not least because we come from a country where the challenges are constant. Right now my role in my company is to make that rollout easier, and my biggest challenge is taking away the fear people here have of it.

And how do you take the fear away?

By giving information. You are afraid of what you do not know. Beyond that, I try to build in my team the ability to face challenges with optimism, to find innovative solutions and to stay open to change.

And what skills and abilities do those people need to have?

Creativity, curiosity, an analytical sense, knowing how to make use of data, being able to take decisions. People have to decide more, and faster, at different levels; there are things that no longer need to go to the boss. There will be more empowerment.

To close, after all of that, what still motivates you?

I have never settled, and I tell everyone: be curious. AI came along and I immediately started studying it. But above all, being in leadership roles, I have the chance to change many people's lives. And I have done a great deal of that over my career. Not only with the more experienced, but with young people too. Just as someone once believed in me when I was starting out. Working with people, seeing their potential and being able to give them opportunities: that is what motivates me. That is what makes me genuinely happy.

My motto in life: Build Trust and Care about People.