‘Official’ Bio: Andrea Ragnetti
Andrea Ragnetti is a senior executive who has been the CEO of two global multibillion dollar organisations. He has expertise achieving rapid organizational and financial turnarounds, has been involved in more than 30 acquisitions and has worked in high-profile and strategic marketing roles where he has been pivotal in transforming organisations to be more innovative and creative. He started his career with Procter and Gamble and Reckitt Benckiser, led marketing at Telecom Italia and then moved to Royal Philips Electronics as Global CMO and eventually rose to CEO of Philips Consumer Lifestyle. Andrea Ragnetti speaks Italian, French, English, Portuguese and Spanish; has worked throughout Europe and is based in the Netherlands and Italy.
About this Blog
Welcome to my blog. This blog is all about sharing and connecting: people, ideas, experiences and knowledge.
I’m excited to be able to share perspectives from my working life. More than 25 years ago I left my hometown in Italy. Since then, I have lived in five different countries, learned four languages, worked for four very large companies, become an entrepreneur, travelled at least 10 times around the world for business, and, most important, I’ve worked with and met incredibly talented people. If there is something that I have learned that I feel might be of value to others, I want to share it.
When I write my blog, I really don’t want to “lecture”. Because I am actually learning! There is no better learning experience than sharing ideas, experiences and knowledge. If you want to interest others, and make them benefit from your ideas, you have to know very well what you are talking about, research and refine constantly. So writing helps me crystallize thoughts, make new connections and revisit the talented individuals I’ve worked with in the past, and see things under a different perspective.
Somebody once said: ‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, power and magic in it! I hope it is true, as I begin to write..
Beyond the ‘official’ bio – Who is Andrea Ragnetti?
The early years…
‘I grew up in Perugia, a small Italian medieval town, where I learned to appreciate history and art. I was a professional basketball player, an avid reader and longing to see the world, better myself and learn as much as possible. I took a University degree in Political Science and wrote my thesis in London, which was my first long stay abroad.’
First job…
‘I started my career at Procter and Gamble, an unrivalled school of marketing and basic management skills. After a few years in Rome, I asked to go on an international assignment and was sent to Lisbon. I loved the experience of working in a small subsidiary of a large multinational and I realized that I had much more of an entrepreneurial style than Procter would have never allowed me to use…so I left and joined Reckitt Benckiser in Paris.’
Life after P&G..
‘I spent a few years in Paris and then decided to go back to Italy to start-up a small business (every manager wants to try to be an entrepreneur…). It was a unique experience and I learned a lot. I moved back into corporate life when Telecom Italia asked me to become its CMO. I lived through a hostile takeover and I had a chance to run a big part of one of the largest companies in my country, but decided to leave after the company was sold to Pirelli. I took my family on a six-month world tour and eventually accepted an offer from Royal Philips Electronics in Amsterdam.’
Philips..
‘At Philips, I held a number of key positions – as Global CMO, CEO of two large divisions and a Member of the Board, which gave me the opportunity to learn a lot of lessons in management and leadership. After eight years in Amsterdam I decided to take a long deserved break and go into a year-long sabbatical.’
Greatest professional achievement…
‘That must be the merger of the two consumer businesses of Philips into one €13 billion sector, which was executed in record time and with outstanding financial results. I couldn’t have done it without my management team, a group of talented international managers who came to battle with me to make extraordinary things happen.’
People are surprised to learn…
‘I am a vegetarian and I am the only Italian who doesn’t like football…’
Best management advice…
‘Leadership is all about courage, initiative and the humility to learn from one’s mistakes.’
Best life advice…
‘Don’t wait for life to give you the right circumstances. Go out there and create the circumstances that will make you happier.’
Greatest influences…
I have been lucky throughout my career and I have met many great personalities. I have learned something from all my bosses, even when they were making some mistakes (they say that you cannot live long enough to make all the mistakes you need to make, so if somebody does it for you…). I enjoyed the great mentorship of Larry Bossidy, who taught me the value of curiosity and enthusiasm; and I am grateful to the many others who have had the patience to coach me, like Gerard Kleisterlee, Jim Kilts , my peers and the various members of my management teams.