The World is Changing, But the Key to Success is still the same

Antonio Carrillo shares his thoughts on being a Board Director

By Luana Ferreira

In the last years, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) have been at the front and center of discussions in different industries. Antonio Carrillo, CEO at Arcosa and Independent Director at NRG Energy, has been following the topics closely and affirms they aren't only corporate trends.

According to Carrillo, there is a high demand for diversity on boards, and companies can benefit from that. The focus is on hiring highly qualified people who bring variety to the boards. "If you don't have diversity, you only get one side of the coin. You only get one view of the world, and the world is not black and white. The more diversity you have, the more shades of gray you will see, and the management team can make better decisions with a broader perspective," he says. 

ESG is another challenge for companies. It used to be that companies were only focused on meeting regulations. Today, companies need to strive to meet the expectations of many stakeholders, employees, shareholders, customers, communities, etc. So, it is extremely important that companies develop cultures that support social and environmental issues.

The post-pandemic world introduced new changes, as workers are demanding more flexibility. Although remote work became a reality for many people, Carrillo believes each industry is different. "You have to balance the realities of the companies. If you work in a company where everything is remote, I think you're fine. But if you work at a company like ours where most of the work is done daily in a plant, you must be present and respect the people who show up every day at the plants,” claims Carrillo.

Carrillo highlights that people can miss opportunities working remotely full-time, as the in-person work helps build trust and relationships. The Mexican-born executive started his career 25 years ago, and creating those connections at work allowed him to stand out. 

He worked 17 years at Trinity Industries in Dallas, Texas, and later became the CEO of one of the largest companies in Mexico. As Trinity needed to strengthen their presence in Mexico, they'd invited Carrillo to be part of its board of directors, and later, he also joined the board of Dr. Pepper. "What they needed at that time was someone with deep knowledge of the Mexican market, as they have a lot of operations there. And I think that also led me to that board."

Carillo is currently part of the board of directors at NRG Energy, and he highlights the roles of a CEO and a board member are very different. "You're not there to operate, as it's an oversight function. You have to give your opinion and be as forthcoming as possible, but always know your position is not as a management team," he adds. 

During his career, Carrillo never felt being a Latino was a disadvantage and claims there are many opportunities for those willing to work hard. "I  did not even think about it. People often ask, 'How do you feel in a room full of white people?' I feel anything. I'm just another person."

"I have a lot of respect for Trinity. They really pulled me out an operations job in Mexico, brought me here, and allowed me to run businesses in the US and eventually put me on the board," says Carrillo.

He is also thrilled with the future of Arcosa, as they recently have made 16 acquisitions. "We're transforming it dramatically from a fabricator to a mining company, so the years ahead of us will be of transformation and growth. I'm very excited about our team and prospects," he explains. 

Corporations are rapidly changing, but Carrillo believes that the formula for success remains the same. "You have to work harder than anyone else and be willing to sacrifice some things. People have to know that life is not perfect. There's a series of sacrifices you have to do in your life to be able to continue to succeed."

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Photo credit: Courtesy of Antonio Carrillo

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Editor’s pick: During his career, Carrillo never felt being a Latino was a disadvantage and claims there are many opportunities for those willing to work hard. "

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