Simone Pezzoli
Group Chief Digital Technology Officer
Haier Europe
Simone is an executive in digital technology and transformation, cybersecurity, audit, risk and compliance, with international experience in consulting at top-tier financial and industrial institutions at a global scale.
Simone is currently the Group Chief Technology Officer for Haier Europe. In addition to this role, Simone also serves as an MBA Adjunct Professor and as a member of several advisory boards. Simone has been recognised in the Global CISO 100 list for 2021.
Learn more about the Italy CIO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
Curiosity has been the lighthouse of my entire career. After completing a Master of Science in Economics, I decided to pursue a career in risk assurance at PwC. Here, I was able to expand my knowledge across different sectors and, more importantly, into technology and cybersecurity, which quickly became my passion and a significant trait of my career.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
Openness and transparency are at the centre of everything I do in my life. I apply this at work in order to build trust and mutual respect at every level of business interaction.
With disruption being a key theme of the past year, where do you see your role as a technology leader going in the next 1-2 years?
My role as Group Chief Technology Officer will be at the centre of Haier Europe’s digital transformation, enabling the ambitious plan of the company to become more than a goods manufacturer and successfully transform into a ‘smart home’ ecosystem.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the role as a CIO?
Apply passion, curiosity and a continuous improvement mindset in everything you do. These are especially relevant for any role in technology where change is constant.
Tell us 3 fun facts about yourself.
- I used to be a semi-professional football player.
- I love to travel, visit new places and explore different cultures.
- I love food, wine and spending time with the ones I love.
What is the value of participating in a professional community through Evanta?
Networking, learning from others and growing every single day.
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