Name: Daniel Weinreich

Title: Digital Mine Commercial Director - Americas

Organisation: Wabtec

Daniel Weinreich is currently the Americas Commercial Director for the Digital Mine business at Wabtec Corporation.

Digital Mine provides advanced software, models, analytics, and solutions aiming to help miners improve efficiency and productivity while enabling safer mining practices.

Daniel Weinreich brings over 20 years of experience in the rail and mining businesses. He has held roles as Account Manager, Contract and Project Manager and Services Director in such businesses.

Daniel holds bachelor degrees in Business Administration and International Trade from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais and União de Negócios de Administração – UNA, respectively.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Daniel's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

In an ever changing world, leading people and businesses are not different.

Therefore, the ability to adapt and constantly reinvent yourself - whether this is in a new role or driven by market dynamics - has been the most challenging aspect of my career.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

After 10 years working for GE Transportation (merged with Wabtec back in 2019) as an individual contributor, I found myself prepared to take additional challenges, including one that always amazed me: to lead people.

By reviewing with my direct leaders at that time, a Leadership Plan was put in place for me to progressively take additional responsibilities culminating with the leadership of 7 direct reports in Brazil, US and Africa as Proposal and Contract Manager for Latin America and Africa Regions.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I wouldn't be fair if I was to say it is fully well structured, simply because nowadays - more than ever - one need to adapt to the fast changing environment on businesses.

I try to balance some standing critical sessions with my team along with the required flexibility to quickly respond to non-planned demands.

Also, as I currently reports into Wabtec Digital Mine headquartered in Australia, I develop my agenda to combine some quality time with my family "during the day" leaving time slots at my evenings to interact with my colleagues and leader in the other side of the globe.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

"If the plan doesn't work, change the plan, but never the goal". I recently had to give a step back on my career to be closer to my parents now that their health conditions required me to.

And that is okay as long as you have a clear perspective of what is the right thing for you and the company at that point in time.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business by by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss.

This great book brought a completely different perspective on how putting together a compelling strategy to delight customers while maximizing what your company/business can do best.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Work as if you were a chameleon, meaning be able to adapt your style depending on to whom you are talking or the environment you are at.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

I had several different leaders on my 23-year career at Wabtec and despite of their various business styles, one thing I learned early on my journey is that we need to put our customers at the core of our decisions.

In particular, one of my former leaders taught me that in our business (as it may be for several others) we are in a marathon, not in a 5K race - as a result, be cautious of the decisions you make in the long run, specially as they relate to customers.