The executive participated in the conversation broadcast from EGADE Business School in collaboration with Yale School of Management.

By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

Fernando González Olivieri, CEO of CEMEX, gave a talk at EGADE Business School—Tecnológico de Monterrey, broadcast live to the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM) community.

The conversation, moderated by Dean Horacio Arredondo and led by the distinguished alum of EGADE Business School, addressed the company's strategic capacities and commitment to sustainability.

This event, organized in collaboration with Yale School of Management as part of the Global Speaker Series, has previously enjoyed the presence of personages such as Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, and Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever.

During the conversation, González Olivieri highlighted three key capacities that have driven the global success of CEMEX.

First, he indicated the profound knowledge of the industry the company has developed, enabling it to identify market dynamics and steal a march on its competitors.

He also emphasized the importance of having global, diversified talent: "More than 70% of our executives come from international acquisitions," he explained, stressing that diversity in technical and managerial skills has been essential for the firm’s operations across several continents.

The third factor he mentioned was a low-cost structure, a critical strategy in a commodities business such as cement: "Having a low-cost structure is key to maintaining competitiveness," he emphasized.

A commitment to sustainability also featured strongly in the conversation. González Olivieri explained CEMEX’s plan to reduce its CO₂ emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through its "Climate Action" strategy, revealing that the company has already reduced its emissions by 13%, with a goal of 47% for 2030.

Regarding stakeholder engagement, the CEO emphasized the importance of constant communication: "Repeating the message until it’s been understood is crucial to achieving an effective alignment," he referred to employee, investor, and customer management.

Finally, Horacio Arredondo reaffirmed EGADE Business School's commitment to sustainability and business action: "At EGADE, we firmly believe in rethinking the future of business to impact sustainable development in Latin America. We are in the decade of action, and now is the right moment to implement solutions that will transform our society." Arredondo also highlighted that CEMEX has aligned its strategy with the global challenges of climate change.

With events like this, EGADE Business School reinforces its commitment to offering its community unique learning experiences, allowing its students and alumni to interact with global leaders who inspire transformation and action.