Veolia’s CEO reflects on how the ground-breaking women in her family unlocked her career ambitions, why she wishes she had trusted her instincts earlier and why reframing our mindset is key to tackling global sustainability challenges.
Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia, credits her pioneering family for shaping her confidence and career choices.
“I come from a genealogy of powerful women who break barriers and the boundaries which were supposed to be put on them,” she told CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick on the “Executive Decisions” podcast.
Her mother was the first woman in Airbus’ design center in the 1970s, and her grandmother traveled solo through Afghanistan in the 1950s. From an early age, they instilled a common principle: “Be autonomous. Earn your living so you can be free.”
Today, Brachlianoff is one of Europe’s most influential business leaders, leading Veolia’s more than 200,000 employees across 56 countries. She credits trusting her gut and making bold decisions as key attributes to her success.
Veolia’s leadership in energy, waste and water management has also positioned her as a key contributor in the global sustainability debate.
“You can complain about many things. This is not my way. What can I do about it? So, I seize the opportunity and try to make something — build solutions, build ideas, build teams,” Brachlianoff said.
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