“Honesty and humility were my survival kit growing up, and they remain my guiding principles as a leader.” – Emilio Romeo
Emilio Romeo’s journey from his roots in Southern Italy to becoming a transformative business leader is shaped by the core values of honesty, humility, and unwavering commitment. His unique perspective, cultivated through diverse experiences, has not only driven his success but has also been the foundation of his leadership approach. With over two decades of experience in the tech industry, including his role as the CEO of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand, Emilio’s leadership transcends traditional models. He champions a culture of integrity, empowerment, and resilience, ensuring his teams not only succeed but excel through trust and collaboration.
An Inspiring Story
Emilio reflects on his journey, beginning with the pivotal decision every high school graduate faces—choosing the next step. Initially considering law, he quickly set aside that idea as his passion for computer science, fueled by a love for mathematics, took precedence. Despite having been in the country for only five years at the time, his determination and hard work earned him a place among the school’s top three students, opening up a wealth of tertiary education opportunities.
He ultimately graduated with distinction, earning a Bachelor of Applied Science, a tribute to his perseverance and dedication during his university years. With a drive to find a future-oriented path, Emilio became fascinated by the interaction between technology and business. Armed with sales experience and technical expertise as a developer and designer, he entered the IT industry, taking on various management and sales roles. These positions allowed him to excel as a bridge between business and technology, embracing the roles of “interpreter and orchestrator.”
In 1997, Emilio joined Ericsson and embarked on a journey that combined IT and telecommunications in a groundbreaking hybrid role. Over the years, he advanced through multiple sales and leadership roles, working with major Australian customers such as VHA, Telstra, Hutchinson, and 3GIS. Notably, he successfully transformed two organizations within just 12 months. His trajectory culminated in January 2016, when he was appointed CEO of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand—a role he holds with great pride—and became a member of the Leadership Team spanning India, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.
Emphasizing the Core Values
Emilio emphasizes the importance of authentic and genuine connections with people, underscoring his belief that networks are more valuable than hierarchies. He draws inspiration from a quote by American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This sentiment encapsulates his approach to leadership and relationships.
As a leader, Emilio values delivering on his commitments to his team. When he makes a promise, his team knows it will be fulfilled. This mutual trust is foundational to his management style. He starts from a position of trust, rarely needing to question his team’s actions because he has confidence in their ability to deliver. Emilio strives to manage his staff the way he likes to be managed, creating a balance of autonomy and accountability.
This philosophy extends to his approach in managing the dynamic ANZ market. The two-way trust between staff and leadership ensures that his team is fully committed to addressing challenges, driving innovation, and navigating market dynamics to deliver the best outcomes for Ericsson and its customers.
A central part of Emilio’s role is inspiring his team to achieve more than they ever thought possible. He fosters a culture of trust, confidence, and accountability through practices such as active listening, celebrating the team’s successes, and taking personal accountability when outcomes fall short.
Emilio is dedicated to creating an emotionally safe environment where every individual feels empowered to bring their best self to work. This enables his team to perform with courage, confidence, and the belief in their potential for greatness.
Emilio reflects on the extraordinary digital revolution of the past decade, driven by the rise of the smartphone, which made information accessible anywhere, anytime. This innovation gave birth to the app economy, revolutionizing consumer services and business models. However, he asserts, this is just the beginning.
Looking ahead to the next 5 to 10 years, Emilio foresees an acceleration of global trends such as the electrification of transportation, the pursuit of Net Zero emissions, the development of resilient supply chains, and the adoption of industrial automation to enhance efficiency and productivity. These transformative trends will impact businesses, society, and government agendas alike, addressing key priorities like climate change, inclusivity, and economic competitiveness. Enterprises, in turn, will push beyond consumer-facing solutions to digitize their entire operations.
Emilio highlights three key building blocks driving these trends: high-performing mobile networks, AI, and the cloud. Among these, he emphasizes that high-performing networks are foundational, enabling the deployment of other technologies at scale. These networks will become universally available and accessible, forming a platform for businesses and developers to drive digital transformation across industries.
With these advancements, Emilio envisions the emergence of transformative technologies that will reshape the telco industry and society. For example, extended reality (XR) devices will usher in a new era of immersive communication and digital representation, enabling mixed-reality environments limited only by imagination.
To fully capitalize on the potential of a mobile-first world, Emilio underscores the need for industry-wide collaboration to revolutionize access to and consumption of network capabilities. He proudly states that Ericsson is at the forefront of this development, paving the way for its customers to succeed and lead in an increasingly open and interconnected world.
Maintaining Balance Between Professional Commitments and Personal Life
Emilio shares that customers often commend his commitment, noting that when he promises something, they never have to question whether it will be delivered. However, he believes that exceeding customer expectations goes beyond just delivering on commitments. It involves educating customers about the possibilities they can achieve, especially as the industry undergoes rapid changes and innovations. Many customers may not fully realize these opportunities, and it is Ericsson’s responsibility to guide them through this journey, providing the best solutions tailored to their needs.
He emphasizes the importance of agility in their success. Ericsson engages early with customers, adapts to their evolving needs—whether environmental, economic, or customer-driven—and utilizes the broader Ericsson portfolio to meet these demands. This flexibility is key to maintaining their success year after year.
Additionally, Emilio underscores the critical role of robust partnerships in giving Ericsson its competitive edge. He stresses that true partnerships are essential, acknowledging that no single company can do everything on its own. For Ericsson, partnership means full commitment—either they are fully invested or not involved at all.
Commercial Success in Global Markets
Emilio views work-life balance as a matter of prioritizing what deserves his attention and care. He often likens it to managing a bank account, where balance is maintained by constantly replenishing and refilling it, just as credits and debits keep an account healthy. The “credits” in his life include spending time with family, focusing on his health, and investing in self-growth. He believes in balancing his time between different groups: a third of his time with those who are better than him, a third with his team, and a third with his peers.
He also exhibits on work-life balance through a juggling analogy shared by a friend. In life, he says, we juggle many responsibilities, most of which are like rubber balls—if dropped, they bounce back. However, two “balls” are made of glass—your health and your family—and these are the ones you cannot afford to drop. This perspective helps him prioritize what matters most. Emilio emphasizes that when spending time with family and friends, it’s essential to be fully present and engaged, rather than distracted.
Honesty, Clarity and Accountability
Emilio highlights that the company culture at Ericsson is a key differentiator, setting the organization apart from competitors and driving its commercial success. He emphasizes that it is the skills of Ericsson’s people, along with the company culture, that give them a competitive edge. Integrity is central to their values; they are committed to winning business based on its merits and maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. For Emilio, integrity is not just a principle—it’s the foundation for long-term commercial success.
He believes that strong, healthy relationships built on trust are the key to overcoming challenges. These relationships, nurtured over time, create a powerful foundation that competitors cannot easily replicate. Trust, in his view, is essential for lasting success, and it’s this unwavering commitment to integrity that ensures Ericsson’s long-term viability and growth.
Emilio reflects on the values of honesty and humility, which he sees as crucial to his survival and success growing up in Southern Italy. These principles became his survival kit, allowing him to adapt and connect with others, almost like a chameleon. As a business leader, he continues to make decisions rooted in honesty and humility.
He expresses a low tolerance for arrogance, firmly believing that it should never influence leadership decisions. While being resolute in one’s decisions is important, Emilio stresses that this should not stem from arrogance. As a leader, it’s vital to remain open to others’ opinions, even if they contradict initial beliefs. Once a decision is made, Emilio emphasizes commitment over compliance—he believes that even if the outcome isn’t as expected, a decision made in good faith is never wrong.
Emilio believes that the best results come when he brings out the best in his team. He values strong, positive encouragement, empowering people to be accountable and providing them the space to excel. As a leader, he sees it as his responsibility to lead by example. Regardless of whether a decision turns out to be right or wrong, Emilio always takes accountability for his choices and their outcomes.
Pearls of Wisdom
Emilio’s leadership is rooted in the core values of honesty and humility, which he credits as essential to his survival and success growing up in Southern Italy. These values became his “survival kit,” enabling him to adapt and connect with others. As a business leader, he continues to make decisions grounded in these principles.
He has little tolerance for arrogance, believing it should never influence leadership decisions. While he acknowledges the importance of being resolute in one’s decisions, he emphasizes that these decisions should never be driven by arrogance. Instead, he believes in being open to others’ opinions, even when they differ from his initial beliefs. Emilio’s approach to leadership emphasizes commitment over compliance—once a decision is made, it cannot be deemed wrong, even if the outcome doesn’t match expectations. A decision made in good faith is always a step forward.
Emilio is also passionate about empowering his team to excel. He fosters an environment of positive encouragement, holding individuals accountable while giving them the freedom to succeed. As a leader, he believes in leading by example, taking full responsibility for his decisions and their outcomes, regardless of whether the results are favorable or not.
Long-term goals for Ericsson Australia and New Zealand
Emilio reflects on the core values of honesty and humility, which he believes were instrumental in his survival and success growing up in Southern Italy. These principles became his “survival kit,” helping him adapt and connect with others, much like a chameleon. As a business leader, he continues to apply these values in every decision he makes.
He has a strong aversion to arrogance, believing that it should never influence leadership decisions. While resoluteness is important in a leader, Emilio emphasizes that it should not be driven by arrogance. He believes that a true leader must remain open to others’ opinions, even if they challenge initial beliefs. Once a decision is made, Emilio places importance on commitment over compliance. He views a decision made in good faith as never being wrong, even if the results do not meet expectations.
Emilio also prioritizes bringing out the best in his team. He values positive encouragement, empowers people to be accountable for themselves, and ensures they have the space to excel. As a leader, he takes responsibility for setting an example. Whether a decision proves right or wrong, Emilio always takes full accountability for his choices and their outcomes.
