Giuseppe Cattaneo

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PIRELLI ASIA PACIFIC

- Jeremy Chua

ONE would expect the head honcho of a leading tyre company to either be an engineer, or have an extensive background in the automotive industry.

Giuseppe Cattaneo is not an engineer, and he didn’t begin his career in the automotive industry either. The 49-year-old, who hails from Bergamo, Italy, previously worked in the pharmaceutical, chemical and cosmetic industries.

Even more surprising is the fact that this is his second stint at Pirelli. He first joined the tyre giant in 2004, before leaving in 2012 to lead Ferrari Far East.

Giuseppe’s time with the Prancing Horse didn’t last long, though. In 2014, he returned to Pirelli as the CEO of its Asia Pacific arm.

Giuseppe talks to Torque about the tyre industry and Pirelli’s strategy for staying ahead of rivals, and tells us why he left Ferrari, a firm considered by many to be the ultimate Italian brand to work for.

How did you go from pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to end up at Pirelli? 

I have a financial background and I have been a CFO (chief financial officer). A profit-and-loss statement, no matter what industry, is always the same.

But when I went into automotive, I stayed there. It has been around 13 years now.

What lessons can you take from your past experiences to your job now?