Q&A with Rafael Santana
RAFAEL SANTANA IS THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE TECHNOLOGIES. WABTEC IS A LEADING GLOBAL PROVIDER OF EQUIPMENT, SYSTEMS, DIGITAL SOLUTIONS, AND VALUE-ADDED SERVICES FOR THE FREIGHT AND TRANSIT RAIL SECTORS.
Tell us a bit about your background, childhood and family.
Growing up in Brazil, my parents taught my sister and I the value of hard work and sacrifice. These values were evident in my community and in its resilience. At a young age I was exposed to sports, which opened up an opportunity for me to move to the United States for a year during high school and compete as a swimmer. At the time, I could hardly speak or read English. That experience taught me grit, how to be resourceful, how to adapt to an unfamiliar environment, and that no challenge is too big to overcome.
What are some of your most transformative leadership experiences?
There have been several experiences throughout my career that have shaped me as a person and leader. The one that stands out the most is when I was tapped to serve as president and CEO of GE Oil & Gas’ Turbo machinery Solutions business, based in Italy. There were many converging forces happening at once, including significant integration activities to bring distinct business units, cultures and product portfolios under one umbrella. Concurrently, the Oil & Gas market was undergoing a significant downturn. The business needed to shed costs, consolidate operations and drive productivity. Tension and ambiguity ran high.
To overcome these hurdles, we focused on building a high-performing team grounded on communication, speed of decision making, accountability, and trust. Together, we led a turnaround of the business, created a culture grounded in purpose and passion, and drove significant margin improvement and growth in a contracting marketplace. That experience and the lessons learned stick with me to this day.
What is the most important Latino issue to you and why?
Education. Access to education is a pathway to success. We need to focus on getting the graduation—both at the high school and at the highest level of education— rates to rise. We are in a historic and fast-paced season of change. The exponential growth of technology brings along a myriad of opportunities and open doors—and we must be ready for it. We must have a generation ready to thrive and excel in this new environment.
As a prominent business leader, how are you thinking about elevating diversity in business as you set priorities in the coming years?
At Wabtec, we are intentional about embracing diversity and inclusion as an integral part of our business. We believe diversity and inclusion should be embedded and executed in every aspect of the business and are taking deliberate steps to integrate it into our daily business operations, our programs, processes, and policies–in recruiting and hiring, in employee learning paths and career development, as well as in succession planning. With a sincere commitment to this approach, we aim to put the company on a stronger path to success.
2020 has been a challenging year around the globe given the COVID-19 pandemic. How has this year changed the way lead- ers engage with their teams?
For so many, the pandemic has been a time of stress, anxiety and uncertainty for our people. In times like these, leaders – at every level – play a vital role in building clarity and confidence ... and helping people manage through uncertainty.
For any leader managing through a crisis, your top priority should be delivering clear, consistent and empathetic communication to employees – and doing it often. Employees want (and need) to understand the actions the company is taking to protect their health and how their work lives will be impacted. They need to understand the vitality of the business and what does the pandemic mean for the company’s financial outlook short- or long-term? Most important, they need to feel connected – to their leaders, customers, and to the company’s business strategy during a time of unprecedented disruption.