Bettina Harburguer, the Brazilian executive leading digital transformation in Italy's telecoms sector

After 15 years with the TIM Group, the last 7 of them in Rome, you are now FiberCop's Director of IT Planning, Contract and Portfolio Management at a crucial moment. What does it mean to take on that role at such a transformative time, and what strategies do you have in mind to help shape the company's future?

Being responsible for IT Planning and Architecture, with the creation and delivery of FiberCop's IT Masterplan as one of the main challenges, calls for both strategic vision and pragmatism. That plan is more than a roadmap of actions; it is a guide that brings resources together, analyses risks and sets clear targets within a wide-ranging transformation programme. My job is to make sure the company operates independently, scaling its presence in fibre optics and meeting ambitious strategic goals. Delivery has to be anchored in rigorous KPIs to validate each step of the transition. This is a historic moment for FiberCop and for digital infrastructure as a whole. With every decision, alongside partners and teams, we are shaping the path to a more efficient, more connected ecosystem. In a way, we are building the country's connectivity future together.

You worked at Xerox, Coca-Cola and Philip Morris before joining TIM, in completely different fields. How did you make the move into technology, and how did those earlier experiences shape the way you work today?

A lot of people assume I have an IT background, but I actually started a long way from it. My path began with a mechanical engineering degree, partly influenced by my father, an engineer, but also because I thought it would give me a solid grounding in mathematics. Being very practical and wanting to start working soon, though, I realised I needed something more dynamic. That is when I managed to transfer to business administration.

At Xerox my job was to test and validate commercial promotion systems, and that is where, without realising it, I was already stepping into the world of technology. At Coca-Cola and Philip Morris I worked in commercial planning, which gave me a pragmatic view of how technology can improve operational processes and create efficiency. The real turning point came at TIM: I was asked to lead Logistics Planning and, two years later, IT Governance. Although it was far from my original training, I took the challenge on with the confidence of my boss, who guided me to learn everything about IT in a practical, results-focused way. The combination of those experiences, always with an eye on fast, measurable results, let me bring the planning side together with real delivery aimed at the objectives of the business.

You lead in a highly competitive European setting. How do your cultural background and your experience shape your approach and your style of leadership?

On one hand, I think my upbringing taught me to be focused, responsible and pragmatic, something I carry from my education and particularly from the influence of Jewish culture. Judaism is a culture that teaches you to stay focused and to keep overcoming life's great obstacles, with a great deal of passion and determination. We are a small group that has historically learned to show itself, and others, that it is possible to go beyond one's limits. That said, I am also very much shaped by my brasilidade, which gives me a flexibility and a capacity to adapt that are vital in a competitive business environment like Europe's. Brazilian resilience, our passion for what we do and the knack of finding creative solutions to complex problems are qualities that help me lead with optimism and determination.

You mentioned that your husband played a fundamental part in supporting your career and that you have always made decisions together, as a team… «Yes, I like to say that my family has always been a fundamental pillar throughout my career. In our relationship we have always tried to decide things together, weighing up what would be best for both of us and for our family unit: me, him and my son. His support was decisive in letting me focus on my objectives while, at the same time, being a team when it came to family responsibilities. The balance came from constant communication and joint planning. That allowed me to devote myself to my work without setting aside the care of my family. As for leadership, I believe that dynamic of mutual support helped me become more resilient and more focused, both professionally and personally.

Based on your experience, what advice would you give young professionals looking to build a solid, successful career?

My advice is to have focus and determination about the goal you want to reach, whether in your career or your personal life. Opportunities do not always appear, but often we can create them. You need the courage to leave your comfort zone and the drive to face the unknown. More importantly, when the opportunity does come, you have to make it count. Work hard, stay focused, and the results will follow.

To close, you have said a few times that you have always taken a pragmatic, results-focused view throughout your career. How do you see yourself developing personally and professionally over the coming years, and what do you hope to achieve beyond the goals you have already met?

I am living through a rare moment: leading a transformation from the inside out, with a direct impact on the country's infrastructure. I want to keep growing, taking on ever bigger challenges and helping build an organisation that is even more solid, more innovative and more connected to the future.