CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 10 2024 10 The Entrepreneurial CEO Achieving eCommerce Excellence riven by the global boom in ecommerce, Asendia Group operates with the global vision of empowering its customers across the globe with seamless access to global markets through innovative and sustainable cross-border ecommerce distribution solutions. In addition to this, Asendia Italy covers the entire logistic supply chain, including fulfilment and warehousing. The company is built upon the core values of putting the customer at the forefront of its operations and working towards a sustainable future. “Trust is at the heart of everything we do,” says Ulisse. “We deliver on our promises, promoting the trust and goodwill of our staff and customers. Sustainability is also one of our key priorities – we aim to reduce our own impact on the environment, along with supporting and advising our customers with their own sustainability objectives.” Ulisse Albertazzi is an entrepreneurial expert, renowned across the industry for his capabilities in leadership, logistics, and management. Sep24071 Asendia Group is one of the world’s leaders in international ecommerce and mail distribution, formed in 2012 as a joint venture between La Post and Swiss Post. The group was established to harness and develop the cross-border international B2C market for goods distribution. Asendia Italy is helmed by CEO Ulisse Albertazzi, who has been named in the prestigious Most Influential CEO Awards 2024. Below, we speak with Ulisse to find out more about his journey to success. D Ulisse began his career in 1993, as Founding Partner and Managing Director of Pony Express Greece Ltd. He was responsible for the startup of the company and its complete management, including operations, sales, and finance. In 2000, Ulisse became the Depot Director Milan and managed the company’s major branch in Italy. Following this, he was then appointed the role of Country Operations Manager Italy, a position that saw Ulisse responsible for coordinating the Italian branches of Pony Express. In September of 2002, Ulisse took on the role of Business Area Manager for TNT Global Express S.p.a., in which he managed the entire business of the Lombardy area branches. Over the course of 11 years, Ulisse rose the ranks to become the Business Unit Strategic Account Director for the company, a position he took on in 2012. Throughout the duration of his career with TNT Global Express S.p.a., Ulisse gained invaluable experience in leadership, team management, and performance management. “I am a manager who, after a successful entrepreneurial experience, has embarked on a career path within major multinationals operating in the B2B and B2C services sector, covering roles of responsibility, characterised over time by increasing complexity and strategic vision,” Ulisse tells us. “My career has allowed me to acquire consolidated skills in managing teams dedicated to operational, commercial, administrative, and relational activities with all stakeholders.” In 2014, Ulisse joined Asendia Italy as its Chief Executive Officer. In this role, he is responsible for the profit and loss management of the company, hence all the functions respond to him. In particular, Ulisse’s direct reports manage operations, finance, sales, marketing, human resources, and IT. His expansive experience across numerous roles in his career has perfectly enabled Ulisse to oversee a myriad of operations. For budding CEOs who are at the beginning of their journey, Ulisse advises, “Do different experiences; be curious and listen to others. Looking at the world and situations from different angles facilitates a lot of the decision-making process. Never forget that companies are composed of people – staff, customers, and suppliers.” To Ulisse, people are the first priority in the business, both employees and customers. Therefore, he strives to spend as much time as possible with his team and clientele. Listening to customers and market needs is the only way to grow in such a fast-paced climate. As for his leadership style, Ulisse abides by two mottos: “Never give up” and “Don’t panic”. His varying experiences gained over the course of his career has well-equipped him to drive his team through any challenge that may arise. Ulisse believes that he has learned a lot from his failures, which he considers essential for professional and private growth. Additionally, Ulisse stresses the importance of teamwork across the company, believing that we alone cannot achieve any important result. In fact, Ulisse cites the team as the heartbeat of Asendia Italy. He tells us that the culture is deeply customer-centric; every day, its employees are committed to providing excellent services that anticipate its client’s needs and exceeds their expectations. Asendia Italy is a forwardlooking company that firmly believes in the power of innovation. The company actively encourages employees to contribute ideas and continuously searches for new ways to improve its processes and services. Asendia Italy invests in developing the skills of its employees through customised training programmes, professional development opportunities,
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