He’s one of our sales guys in Spilamberto who’s a passionate powerhouse of knowledge on all things beverage coming from the acquired SPM business to embrace new opportunities at Electrolux Professional.
When the small, family-owned business you work for is acquired by a global player, there’s a likely mix of trepidation and excitement in terms of what’s to come.
For Luca, now Sales Manager EMEA & International Importers, his openness to transition and change has enabled him to thrive and grow both personally and professionally.
Tell us briefly about your career to date?
I joined Electrolux Professional Group in 2018 when it acquired SPM, the beverage company where I had worked for since 2015. Back then, I oversaw sales for APAC, MEA and North America and I moved into the role of Product Manager.
That gave me a much wider perspective to understand various aspects and processes in the Professional business and I learned a lot from the team which I took with me when I moved back to sales and into my current position in 2021.
What has been the outcome of the acquisition for you professionally?
There are certainly differences but generally for the better as I am in a position now where I feel my career can grow and I can realize my ambitions.
Bigger companies tend to have more structure, smaller companies tend to be quicker in decision-making. Saying that, since the Business Area Beverage and Food Preparation was created in 2021, we are much more flexible and faster than before.
I have been able to expand my learning in the areas of pricing and strategy and, having had the chance to meet colleagues around the world and gain their perspectives, I really feel that the acquisition has helped me to grow both personally and professionally.
Having returned to Sales, what personal qualities make the job a good fit for you?
I like to meet people, talk, travel and discover new cultures. I planned to go into Business Consultancy and studied Economics at university but I knew I wasn’t a person to be stuck inside four walls of an office so I switched focus to Sales & Marketing.
Also, I have a lot of energy and enjoy all kinds of sports. Cycling, running and swimming are my escape valve and I need to make time, 3-4 hours every week, to do some kind of activity which is great for getting rid of stress and it works.
What motivates you in your work and helps you to stay passionate?
I enjoy facing new challenges; the market moves, it’s alive and you need to ride the wave, knowing what competitiors are doing and do it better. Nothing stays the same – every year there are new products and even new competitors so it’s about adapting quickly.
At Professional, working in new markets and understanding their needs as well as product development, alongside engineers and factory managers, has been really insightful and something that has been a completely new challenge for me.
Which of our Guiding Principles resonates the most with you?
As I am focused on sales and business growth, I guess my bread and butter is Customer Obsession and to Be Bold – and those two principles can’t live without the other.
Since day one, I have always been customer obsessed, so I appreciate the fact that it’s been highlighted that we need to be bold. If we want to achieve new targets and win new challenges, we have to be aware that there will be some measured risk we have to take and now, as a Group, we are much more open to that.