More In The Tank

Basking in Automobili Lamborghini’s most profitable year in its history, Paolo Poma, the company’s chief financial officer and managing director, sheds light on what fuels the Italian luxury carmaker.

- Alvin  Wong

TALL, SHARP-SUITED AND speaking in measured tones, Paolo Poma, the chief financial officer (CFO) and managing director of Automobili Lamborghini, chuckles softly when asked to rate his own driving proficiency. “I’m not the best out there,” he muses. “But I’m not the worst, either.”

Mirroring the way he assesses his skills on the tarmac with an air of neutrality, the 56-year-old fields my questions about Lamborghini’s financial performance with a serene, analytical disposition. No fuss, no overt hyperbole.

Not even when I congratulate him on playing a vital role in helping Lamborghini register its best sales figures in its 60-year history. In the first six months of 2022, the company’s turnover reached €1.332 billion, an increase of 30.6 per cent compared to the first six months of 2021. Poma simply confirms the result and adds that the milestone not only includes sales turnover, but also for “best in class” profitability.

Lamborghini celebrates its 60th anniversary this year and it appears that the company is on track for greater success. Poma, who has been with the company since 2017, is instrumental in fine-tuning its financials through sharp, strategic thinking. Encouraged by record-breaking sales, he reflects on Lamborghini’s rigorously calibrated ascent and how he hopes to imbue a work culture within the company where cold, hard numbers and emotion-inducing excitement can co-exist.