The Kind of Corporate Leader I Chose to Be

“When I moved from the role of General Manager to VP and Managing Director, I realized I’d become a reference point for others. Because of this, I worked hard to find a leadership model that would be inspiring to colleagues of all generations. It wasn’t easy, but I aimed to create my own approach that would guide and motivate them”, says Silvia Bagliani, VP and Managing Director of Mondelēz Italia S.r.l.

Born in Milan, married, and mother of two, she joined the group Mondelēz International in 1997 after previous experiences at consumer goods companies like Reckitt Benckiser and Henkel, both in Italy and France. Throughout her career, she has held roles of increasing responsibility in marketing, trade marketing, and sales on both national and international levels. Today, Silvia Bagliani actively participates in mentoring programs within and outside her company, including Bocconi University’s CEO Connect.

However, she does not hide the fact that the first six months as VP and Managing Director were challenging: “I was searching for a leadership model different from the male-dominated one I was accustomed to, even though I worked in an open and progressive North American company where I never experienced gender bias”, she explains. “I learned to bring out aspects of my personality that I hadn’t shown before and created a more communicative, less formal corporate ecosystem capable of responding to people’s needs. I think, for example, of the post-pandemic period, when, reflecting on how to improve corporate well-being, we listened to colleagues’ needs and introduced our Workplace of the Future in the Milan offices. It’s a holistic approach to flexibility in terms of workspaces, work schedules, and rest, such as remote working and a shorter working week, which has had a significant impact on our team’s well-being and productivity”.

The VP and Managing Director of Mondelēz Italia S.r.l. acknowledges that sacrifices are necessary to find a personal path, but she emphasizes that being guided by a clear purpose and having the opportunity to express individual passions allows to face and overcome them successfully. This is a message she particularly directs to younger women, who may feel that they can only pursue personal interests outside the professional environment. Silvia recalls making “gut decisions” as she constantly worked to balance career and family. “There are still few women in top positions in companies, and it is essential that the responsibility of family balance does not fall solely on them, allowing women to excel in any field they choose. My fortune? A supportive husband who has always stood by me, with whom we managed to navigate the hardest moments while both progressing in our careers and as a family”.

From the very beginning, she was determined to express her communicative nature, so she chose a language-focused high school that reflected her enterprising and curious spirit, recalls the Milanese manager. Already during high school, when it was still uncommon, she spent a year studying in the United States, an experience that provided her invaluable international training and broadened her cultural horizons.

At University, Silvia enrolled in Economics “not out of an initial passion”, but with an eye on future opportunities. This decision, along with the available courses, was crucial for her entry into the job market. Early on, she realized that her true passion was in marketing and brand management. “Marketing and consumer analysis, in particular, would be my world”. says Silvia Bagliani, who graduated in Business Economics with a specialization in marketing from Bocconi University.

Her story is characterized by ambitious choices that have allowed her to reach courageous goals aligned with her personality. The VP and Managing Director of Mondelēz Italia S.r.l. advises, “It is important not to be afraid to follow passions and express individuality; and it is essential to avoid self-limitation and not feel unprepared when facing the overall demands that balancing family and work may bring”.