Post by Olivier Voinot

Be a talent magnet. Leadership is about growing people. One of the most impactful leadership lessons I learned dates back to 2008 at Celanese. I had just joined Marcel van Amerongen’s team as an FP&A Manager. Barely a year in, he knew I had a personal ambition: moving to Asia for a few years, since many of our Chemicals customers were relocating production there. Marcel could have kept me in Dallas HQ to deliver results. Instead, he did two things that shaped my career forever: - He invested time to train me and ensured I succeeded in the role I was in. - He rolled up his sleeves, took on part of the workload himself, and created the opportunity for me to move forward. That decision completely changed how I viewed career mobility and how I’ve led teams ever since. Since then, I’ve made it a practice to pay it forward: - Managers don’t “manage” careers. They enable them. - Our role is to understand what our people aspire to do “when they grow up” and to look out for opportunities that make those ambitions real. - Sometimes that means letting talent move on, and that’s okay, because it creates trust, loyalty, and ultimately builds a stronger organization. How do we do this in practice? - Build succession plans that anticipate change. - Run talent reviews that surface aspirations, not just performance. - Set up mentoring programs that guide the way. - Use open communication and real testimonies in townhalls to make mobility visible and celebrated. Here’s the real reason you become a talent magnet: people know that if they work for you, it will be a stepping stone in their career. They trust that you’ll invest in their growth, even if it means one day they’ll outgrow your team. Great leaders aren’t afraid to be hands-on in tough moments so their teams can grow beyond them. That’s what makes others want to join you. A big thank you to Marcel van Amerongen and to all CHROs, HR Directors, and HR Business Partners I’ve worked with throughout my career, none of this happens without your support. Melanie Berman Kathryn Payne Annabelle Gauthier Gilles Decorte Ludovic Oster Gaëlle PROVENSAL-RAOUX Xavier MOULINS Leslie Dehant Romane T. Marc GOMES Nolwenn Ahodi Marie Lardet Sandra DELVAL Daniela Seabrook Théo GALISSARD Yannick A. Finally, I would like to recognize and thank all my Finance Leadership teams from the past 15 years, who truly embodied and championed the mobility mindset. Lara JUSSERAND Thierry Chevassut BEATRIZ PUENTE AYUS Simon Evans Jose Luis Arenas Fabienne Micol Corinne METAIS Richard ANTUNES Jérôme Goldstein Jean-Charles MOUTON Aurélie Lamouroux Calouche Perrine Reynaud Sophie MANCHON Coline Spy Julien Bernaud Boris Loutz Arnaud Brun Audrey Renollaud Géraldine Delafay-Genthialon Christelle Paclet Benjamin SION Jean-Marc Vicens Sophie Ridel Bertrand Lasne Anne-Sophie Schvartz Pierre BAUDREY  Dany WOJTOWICZ Elizabeth Tordjman