In this first session of the World Women in Steel 2026 Fireside Chat Series, Flavia Nardon, People and Social Responsibility Global Director and CHRO at Gerdau, reflects on her unconventional career transition from the fashion and advertising sectors to heavy industry. Across more than two decades, she highlights how prioritizing curiosity, adaptability, and core leadership capabilities over purely technical backgrounds opened doors to diverse leadership roles across communications, operational plants, and global people development.
Flavia shares candid personal milestones, including navigating maternity leaves, international relocations, and raising three children while advancing her corporate career. She examines how genuine organizational support during pivotal life stages drives long-term employee loyalty and shapes empathetic management. Furthermore, she discusses the strategic difference between compliance-driven diversity targets and true workplace inclusion, emphasizing that sustainable transformation requires leaders to actively listen to employee needs, eliminate hidden agendas, and anchor daily decisions in mutual respect and trust.