Building a Smarter, Sustainable & Connected Automotive Future

Alisha Bellezza, a global business leader with extensive experience across automotive, chemicals, and finance sectors, driving innovation, sustainability, and growth in electrification and coatings. Before joining PPG, she held senior leadership roles at Chemours and FMC Corporation, leading global strategy, operations, and business transformation initiatives.

In a captivating interaction with Global Woman Leader Magazine, Alisha shares her insights on the rapid transformation of the global automotive industry, emphasizing agility, innovation, and collaboration in driving growth and sustainability.

To learn more about her leadership approach and vision for the future of mobility, read the full article below.

How would you describe the current global landscape of the automotive industry, and where do you see the biggest shifts happening?

The automotive industry is undergoing unprecedented transformation, driven primarily by three factors: a varying pace of EV adoption around the world, geopolitical uncertainty and tensions, and increasing adoption of emerging digital technologies. The rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in some regions and the emergence of new entrants and OEMs is challenging traditional players leadership positions with new technology and speed to market.

Geopolitical shifts are pushing toward more regionalization and have tightened export markets. This, in turn, has created excess capacity and intense competition in certain markets, especially among players based in China. At the same time, the industry is accelerating into a digital era, where digital technologies are the engine of innovation and leadership.

Building on that, how have these shifts influenced the way you shape growth and innovation strategies for a global, cross-functional organization like yours?

These shifts compel us to maintain agility and respond quickly to short-term customer needs while, at the same time, investing in future capabilities to meet long-term market challenges. We prioritize a customer-centric approach, partnering to deliver differentiated, sustainably advantaged solutions across the diverse customers and markets we serve. Our innovation strategy is shaped by extensive cross-functional collaboration and market insights, gathered by voice-of-customer exercises and scenario planning. We are rapidly expanding our digital tools to enhance our supply chain visibility and decision-making agility, and focus on our customers’ productivity and sustainability goals. Paramount to this is investing in our teams to develop talent globally and cultivate regional leaders who understand local nuances and align with our unified strategy – all while fostering a culture that embraces change and continuous learning.

When driving innovation across diverse markets, what challenges have you faced in unifying global teams, and how have you turned those challenges into opportunities?

Unifying global teams requires navigating diverse values, communication styles, and business practices. A one-size-fits-all leadership style doesn’t work; flexibility and cultural sensitivity are essential. Transparency and frequent communication help embrace business realities, fostering trust and motivating adaptation. We invest in talent development to build leaders who bridge local and global perspectives.

These challenges become opportunities by fostering inclusive leadership and open dialogue, which drive engagement, creativity, and innovation.

By empowering local teams and encouraging collaboration, we create a cohesive culture capable of navigating rapid industry changes effectively.

Could you share a personal experience where building consensus across disciplines changed the trajectory of a major initiative or strategic decision?

Our business recently took a fresh look at how we are innovating for our customers. This was a cross-functional effort to understand market needs through over 20 customer sessions involving strategic marketing, science & technology, commercial, and business development teams. This collaborative approach uncovered gaps and generated several new concepts added to our innovation pipeline.

By integrating diverse perspectives early, we prioritized impactful projects and accelerated resource allocation. This consensus-building not only aligned teams, but also enhanced our ability to respond to market dynamics swiftly, ultimately strengthening our competitive position and driving growth in a rapidly evolving industry.

As a leader who is trusted to influence boards and executive teams, how do you balance bold risk-taking with the responsibility of sustainable long-term growth?

Balancing bold risk-taking with sustainable growth involves maintaining a dual focus on immediate customer needs and long-term strategic horizons of 5-10 years. We use data-driven decision-making, scenario analysis, and regular strategic reviews to manage risks thoughtfully. Transparency with boards and teams about both successes and challenges fosters trust and supports informed risk-taking. Encouraging innovation while monitoring key metrics like market share, technology adoption, and supply chain health ensures we pursue opportunities that drive durable value without compromising stability.

LAST WORD: Advice for Aspiring Global Leaders Who Want To Navigate Complexity

Aspiring global leaders should cultivate cultural sensitivity and adaptability, recognizing that leadership styles must be flexible to fit diverse markets. Active listening and empathy are crucial to build trust across regions and foster inclusive leadership and open collaboration to harness diverse perspectives. Prioritize transparent, frequent communication to embrace business realities and motivate teams to innovate and adapt. Identify and invest in talent development to build leaders who understand both local nuances and global strategy. Finally, balance short-term agility with a clear long-term vision, embedding sustainability and continuous learning into the organizational culture to create lasting impact amid the world’s increasing complexity.