Juliane Hefel, PPG | Women Breaking the Mold 2023

Juliane Hefel's story is worth telling.

It's a story about what you can achieve when you let your passion lead the way, learn to trust yourself and your talents, and find the courage to articulate your biggest aspirations.

It's a story she tells as often as she can.

Because as a woman building a career in a male-dominated STEM field, she understands just how important it is for stories like hers to be heard. Her story, she said, could inspire others to take leaps of faith, to trust themselves and follow their hearts.

"People believe in stories, people want to hear stories because it helps them to understand the world and it helps them to understand the context that we are operating (in)," Hefel said "So I think the power of stories is critically important, especially from a leadership perspective."

And that art of storytelling—of communicating—is one of the things that makes Hefel such an effective leader. Because she understands the power of words, the nuance of words. Language is, after all, at the heart of who she is professionally.

Hefel holds a master's degree in language interpretation, speaks five languages fluently and started her career as an interpreter in a patent law office.

But as much as she knows and loves language, she understands the power they have when coupled with action. That, she said, is the essence of effective leadership.

"I consider myself a storyteller and chief repeating officer, and what it comes down to—for me—are three things: Choose your words wisely—that means with purpose, transparency and clarity. Then listen to what others say, and then do what you say."

Every one of Hefel's professional successes was earned—earned because she never gave up, never lost sight of what she wanted to do and accomplish. Even when disappointments threatened to throw her off course.

Every step of the way—through the successes and setbacks—Hefel returned to the one thing she knew she could count on: herself.

"To overcome any challenge, whether it is professional or personal, you first have to have trust in yourself," Hefel said. "That was a trait that I developed early on in my career that enabled me to embrace some—definitely what I would call 'nonlinear'—career moves."

Trusting yourself, she said, isn't always easy. But it is critical. It requires introspection and honest assessments of your strengths and weaknesses. And it requires listening to your heart and finding the courage to chase those career opportunities that allow you thrive, to find contentment.

For Hefel, that journey was unexpected.

It started in that patent law office and later transitioned into a 16-year career with Henkel, during which time she held a number of leadership positions, including corporate vice president, a role that allowed her to lead the company's automotive OEM business in the Americas.

Today, that journey has brought her to PPG, where she serves as general manager for the Specialty Coatings and Materials strategic business unit, overseeing 700 employees across six manufacturing sites worldwide.

"What really makes me proud is that I have always been able to follow my passion," Hefel said of her unusual career path. "And I hope that my journey inspires others to embrace change and bold decision-making as I strongly believe there is always something more exciting waiting for you around the next corner."

More than believing in that opportunity around the corner, Hefel advocates for it.

She champions leadership development and opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities. She calls the pursuit of building a more diverse industry "a passion," noting that when broader ranges of thoughts, backgrounds and world views come together, companies are stronger.

"I am also a believer that diversity drives better business results," Hefel said. "In particular, in today's complex world, we need more diverse voices than ever to succeed."

And to champion that vision, she knows there are a few things she has to do.

First, she has to see those around her and seek their ideas and opinions, especially if they aren't quick to offer them. Then, she has to make sure they have the opportunities they need to thrive.

To do that, she knows she's going to something else. She's going to have to inspire confidence. And for that, she knows just where to look.

All she has to do is tell her own story.

Years with company: 1
Years in the rubber industry: 1

I am driven and challenged by a love for change, and I see a great need to maintain a future-forward mindset. The world we operate in today is more complex than ever before. We regularly encounter new challenges that become less and less predictable, making it crucial to find and make space to think in scenarios, pivot in the moment and collaborate alongside our customers and suppliers in new ways to find solutions to the world's challenges. This is particularly relevant in terms of innovation and sustainability.

Coming to my role from another industry enables me to share a different perspective. I am an opinionated person, and openly share my thoughts and ideas to create a healthy debate. Genuine transparency can motivate a large work force and enable progress. Doing so in a respectful way, acknowledging the achievements of the past while learning from mistakes and addressing challenges head-on, sets the basis for every team member to see what we need to do differently to drive future success.

I trust by default.

Decisions should not and cannot only be made at the top. If an entire team understands what the North Star is, everyone is empowered to make bold choices. With trust comes accountability. Giving team members the freedom to operate while holding them accountable to deliver their targets is living empowerment.

Secondly, we are living in a more and more complex, uncertain and fast-paced world. Bringing diversity of thought together through teamwork and collaboration is a prerequisite to successfully navigate today's environment. I consider teamwork a key attribute of my leadership style as it creates opportunities, buy-in and ownership.

And thirdly, I am a big believer that radical transparency is crucial in leadership.

Creating transparency in the workplace enables winning strategies and transformational change. It also enables teams to understand and anticipate the needs of our partners and customers to be future-ready solution creators. From manufacturing to management, every employee should have visibility and an understanding of the state of a business.

PPG's tire and rubber silica offerings are part of our Specialty Coatings and Materials business. From optical coatings to water filtration membranes, we create solutions that enhance surfaces and materials critical in our daily lives. PPG's broader paints and coatings offerings are just as robust, creating an atmosphere where outreach to other leaders enables a convergence of industry. I leverage the power of networking with other PPG leaders to be a voice for my team and uncover opportunities to provide value to our customers, such as in the automotive industry.

I am a manufacturing person to my core and love working in the B2B world. Understanding the value chain and what it takes to bring a tire to the market is fascinating. From tires and automotive applications to the many segments of industrial rubber, there is an interesting parallel between the rubber industry and diversity of the end industries that PPG's Specialty Coatings and Materials business serves.

The rubber industry is optimizing manufacturing processes for energy efficiencies and holds the technical expertise that's making tires safer and more efficient. I am passionate about sustainability and the significant, and accelerated, role the rubber industry has in the transition to sustainable mobility. As a silica producer, we're partnering with customers to understand their sustainability goals and making technology investments to advance a more sustainable future.

Today's world gives us unlimited unknowns, requiring agility. This industry brings abundant, rewarding opportunities to challenge business models and bring true value to the table.

Female leaders often need to prove themselves more than once. As an example, my career progression in a past role took more time to reach management level than a male counterpart. I addressed this with self-lobbying and becoming comfortable promoting my own achievements. Now, I advise others to hold firm in your expectations for career progression next steps, timing and salary.

Credibility comes from delivering against your commitments. I see myself as a strategic risk taker. I apply this as I hold myself and others accountable for making progress and reaching goals to build trust. I also can't emphasize enough the value of teamwork and collaboration in this context. Being willing to contribute to projects outside of your direct area of responsibility creates a unique platform to share your ideas and make a name for yourself in any company.

I am genuinely interested in others, ask a lot questions and enjoy listening. By default, I'm hesitant to share information about myself. Yet, when I lived and worked in Asia, I quickly learned that this hesitation created a distance within the diverse team I was building and leading.

It was only in opening up during a team training exercise that a colleague said he finally saw a real person behind the wall. High performing teams start with trust. Trust drives a shared consciousness and is critical for success and decision making in our high-paced world. In this experience, the foundations of trust flourished, and I have shifted the way I connect with my teams moving forward.