The Entrepreneurial CEO Achieving eCommerce Excellence

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.

Driven 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. 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 forward-looking 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, and regular information meetings to share company goals, achievements, and new strategies. In this approach, all employees feel a part of each project and are motivated to produce their best work.

“Innovation is the engine that drives us towards new goals and allows us to remain competitive in an ever-changing market,” says Ulisse. “We strongly believe in teamwork and collaboration. We promote a stimulating work environment, where ideas are shared, and challenges are faced together.”

In such a fast-paced world, Ulisse encounters numerous challenges and often must make decisions in a short time frame. He reflects that it is important to have a strong and reliable team that can support their CEO in difficult times and situations. He has successfully cultivated such a team in Asendia Italy, driven by the belief that transforming challenges into opportunities is the best result one can achieve.

With challenges come many new opportunities, and Ulisse notes that he has been presented with numerous during his time with Asendia Italy. The company allows Ulisse the freedom to explore any kind of logistics business, which has given him the opportunity to close new deals with important multinational companies.

“In these last ten years,” he says, “I have led the company to achieve important results in terms of business development, customer retention, process optimisation, and the improvement of the internal climate and corporate image through an important change management process.”

The logistics and supply chain management sector, like many others, is subject to continuous evolution and new challenges. One of the main challenges currently facing Asendia Italy is the rapidly increasing demand for international shipping services, particularly within the ecommerce sector. To meet this need, the company has developed e-PAQ 360 by Asendia Italy, an integrated solution that covers the entire logistics process, from the storage of goods, preparation and processing of orders to the  final delivery. Because of this solution, and the introduction of automation in its warehouses, the company can handle increasing volumes of shipments whilst maintaining fast delivery times and competitive costs.

Another challenge is environmental sustainability. Ulisse tells us that the company is aware of its impact on the environment and is actively working to reduce its CO2 emissions. As of 2022, Asendia Group is 100% carbon neutral and offsetting all emissions caused by its international transport worldwide, including that of its partners. Additionally, the company offsets emissions from parcel returns, its buildings, machinery, and business travels, investing in projects that promote renewable energy to do so.

Asendia Italy successfully demonstrates its commitment to promoting environmental sustainability through taking concrete actions within the workplace. Such actions include adopting low energy consumption equipment, implementing strict policies to reduce the use of plastic, and encouraging customers to use sustainable packaging. These adjustments are effective steps on the journey to carbon neutrality and are a testament to the company’s dedication to the planet.

As for the future, Ulisse tells us that Asendia  has recently set a new five year strategy, based on the five pillars of global network development, customer base expansion, innovation and product evolution, technological advancement, and strengthening the range of solutions offered. The company is seeking continual improvement on its journey to success, and with an industry mogul such as Ulisse spearheading the operation, it will not achieve anything less.

In regard to his own career, Ulisse tells us of his plans to build upon his own success. “I will be listening to the market’s evolution, learning from others and developing the business as much as possible,” he says. “In addition to thinking outside of the box. This is the only way I know to improve my professional journey.”

Already regarded as an esteemed individual within the industry, we have no doubt that Ulisse will certainly hone his craft even further. Ulisse displays an unwavering commitment to the prosperity of both his team and the company, a commitment that has deservedly earned him the title of the Most Influential CEO 2024 in eCommerce and Mail Delivery Solutions. We at CEO Monthly would like to congratulate Ulisse on his achievement, and eagerly anticipate future developments from this pioneering leader.

For business enquiries, contact Ulisse Albertazzi from Asendia Italy S.r.I on their website – https://www.asendia.it/