Career and Experience

Experiences in FIAT Group

In the first 10-years tenure, from 1986 to 1996, Giovanni Barra was exposed to growing assignments throughout diversified businesses of Fiat Group.

He was first hired in the Fiat Headquarters supporting the refocusing of business portfolio, outsourcing/spin off. Then Giovanni has a short experience in the Biomedical Business (today DiaSorin) to support the business reorganization. The he was into Lubricants, OEM and After Sales business, as Marketing Planner and Strategist, dealing with feasibility of commercial partnerships, brand/product positioning, testing marketing initiatives and sales techniques. Finally Giovanni joined the Financial Services Division as Leader-Director of a project aiming at taking apart the Division and building back the commercial front-end and back-office processes into the operations of the automotive Divisions.

The following steps were in:
Iveco – Italy 1996 – 1998
Industrial/Commercial Vehicles. Revenues euro 8 billion. Fiat Group.
As Director, People and Communication
Objective achieved: setting and starting up from scratch the organization of a european Business Division within Iveco Group, operating company-owned Dealers and Sales Financing businesses, ending up with 2700 people in 34 companies over 9 European countries. Leader of a Commercial Project with French dealers, aimed at restructuring commercial processes and reduce distribution costs in Iveco and in the company retail subsidiaries.

Then in Fiat Group Hdqs – Italy 1998 – 1999
As a Joint Leader of Fiat Group Activity Base Costing/ Benchmarking Project
Project scope: 20 countries world wide, euro 6 bln, 66.000 people.
Financial Results: delivered over euro 600 mln of cost reduction.
Organization achievements: large project management leadership and structured benchmarking.

Career in CNH Industrial (formerly CNH)

In 1999 Giovanni Barra joined New Holland Inc., later merged with Case Corp. to become CNH Global ($12 Bln turnover), a global leader in Agricultural and Construction equipment machinery. First in Britain, then in the US, Brazil, and again in the US, he was assigned management responsibilities, from Vice President to become CEO of CNH Construction Equipment Latin America and finally Executive Vice President of CNH Group, and member of the Executive Committee of CNH, chaired by Sergio Marchionne.

In the United Kingdom serving New Holland

New Holland – London, United Kingdom
1999-2000
Agricultural and Construction Equipment. Revenues US$ 6 billion. Fiat Group.
Vice President, Organization and Process Development.
Special assignment: started up organization of joint venture in China with STEC (SAIC Group) to manufacturing agricultural tractors.

The USA serving CNH

CNH (Case New Holland) – Lake Forest, IL, USA 2000-2003
Agricultural and Construction Equipment – Revenues US$ 12 billion. Fiat Group.
Vice President, Organization and Process Development
CNH stemmed from the merger between Case Corp. and New Holland Inc. Leader of 11 integration teams, in charge of redefining and restructuring supply chain, multi brand commercial footprint, parts distribution.
Achievements: US$ 600 mln savings over the Plan 2000-2003, as a result from the merger. First-hand experience in large acquisition processes.

Brasil serving CNH

CNH Latin America Ltda – Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2003 –2005
Construction Equipment – Revenues US$ 310 million (about $550 million with current Br$ exchange rate).
Chief Executive Officer
Scope over 30 countries, 3 brands, 1000 employees. Plant and Parts Distribution Center in Brazil; Commercial Locations in Brazil, Argentina and Miami (USA).
Objectives achieved: cash flow generation, two-digits EBIT% from a negative, building robust and replicable business processes. New commercial network footprint and developed business by entering new segments of applications.
Financial achievements (US$): 2003 FY-EBIT loss of -3.4%. 2004 FY-EBIT 9.5% and 2 points market share gain. 2005 FY-EBIT 13.4% (best ever before), 52 mln cash generation. Developed from scratch 3-year-Strategic/Operational Plan which delivered 28% EBIT in 2008.
Organization achievements: overhauled commercial network across 30 countries by 54% worth of sales; developed relationships with Brazilian Government and leaders of BNDES. Replaced brand with , building reliability of the new brand over commercial dealers and main customers.

The USA again serving CNH – CNH Corporate Burr Ridge, IL, USA

2006 –2009
Agricultural and Construction Equipment.
Revenues: US$ 18 billion. Public Company (NYSE), based in the USA. Fiat being main shareholder.
Executive Vice President, Quality;
EVP, Commercial Network Development (additional since 2009)
Leadership of Quality for both Agricultural and Construction equipment businesses: 34 plants and 48 new product development platform-teams in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, India and China; 4000+ supplier-quality worldwide
Member of CNH’s Executive Team/Committee, chaired by Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat-Chrysler.
Objectives achieved: delivered savings by US$ 158 mln on warranty spending over 2006-2008, for product improvements.
Financial achievements: delivered savings by US$ 158 mln on warranty spending over 2006-2008, for product improvements.
Organization achievements: built from very culturally diverse individuals a global effective multicultural team, delivering execution of lean manufacturing methods in the plants; implementation of a new Global Product Development process within the product development teams, awarded best-in-industry by a prominent US New Product Development Engineering Association; promoted and validated new virtual prototyping and testing processes.
Since 2009: additional leadership for developing and rationalizing the global commercial distribution network of both Agricultural and Construction equipment businesses (> 11,000 dealers world wide). Overhauled Agri Commercial Network in UK, France, South East US and Construction Network in California.

Back to Italy serving Biesse Group

In 2009 Giovanni Barra moves back to Italy and joins Biesse Group as Chief Executive Officer., an Italian multinational public company, into CNC machinery mechatronics.
Biesse Group – Pesaro, Italy
2009 –2010
Industrial CNC Machinery and Mechatronics components – Revenues euro 330 million. 2500 employees. Public Company.
Chief Executive Officer
3 Business Divisions, 12 plants in Italy and India; 30 fully-owned subsidiaries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, selling and servicing equipment globally. Make-to-order business with lean manufacturing and kaizen methods.
Objectives achieved: Turn the negative EBITDA/cash flow trend around by 12/31/2009; build process, product and distribution conditions to meet best in industry profitability within the new-from-scratch 3 year business plan; change-management coaching, leading people to implement a full process and team working organization. Restored trust with major customer IKEA resulted in two 6-millioneuro-each new orders; gained credibility with a UK major furniture manufacturer, resulted in a new 1.8 mln euro order.
Objectives achieved: 4th Q 2009: EBITDA 3 mln positive from a negative -12 mln in the first three quarters 2009. Cash flow positive 20 mln, from a negative -26 mln over the previous three quarters.
2010 FY: Revenues +22.2% vs 2009; EBITDA +286% vs 2009; EBIT +100.3% vs 2009, above budget. Cash flow +13.8 mln vs -6 mln in 2009 and -27.6 mln in 2008.
Financial achievements (euro): 4th Q 2009: EBITDA 3 mln positive from a negative -12 mln in the first three quarters 2009. Cash flow positive 20 mln, from a negative -26 mln over the previous three quarters.
2010 FY: Revenues +22.2% vs 2009; EBITDA +286% vs 2009; EBIT +100.3% vs 2009, above budget. Cash flow +13.8 mln vs -6 mln in 2009 and -27.6 mln in 2008.
Organization achievements: started up new plant in India; renewed and overhauled the whole product range for the largest Division and started launching new products through a brand-new product development process. Led the integration of new acquisitions and the development of relationships with major institutional investors. Finally Giovanni Barra established the foundations with a partner in China to start manufacturing and selling Biesse machines and led commercial changes in the USA, Middle East, South Asia and China.

Giovanni Barra resigned as CEO of Biesse because of different views with a member of the family owning the majority of equity, over the company’s strategic plan. Next to the last of a long chain of CEO resignations it ended up 18 months later with the return of the founder and a family reshuffle within the Board of Directors.

From 2011 to July 2013, after he left Biesse Group, Giovanni Barra joined the Board of Directors, as Executive Chairman of Two Care, Medical Implants and Tooling – Executive Chairman
DiXit, Digital Imaging Exchange Technology – Director of the Board.
Operating as a hands-on leader on commercial distribution plans and implementation of distribution networks.

Nidec – ASI

In August 2013 Giovanni Barra joined Nidec-ASI SpA, formerly Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali and headquartered in Italy, as Chief Operating Officer; then serving as President and Chief Executive Officer since June, 1st, 2014.

Through Giovanni’s leadership Nidec ASI turns around to profit and starts to grow during a significant business down trend: the second Half 2013 and 2014 are turnaround years for the Company, both Commercial and Profit wise: Orders are up 16%, Sales +17%, EBIT profit is up 59%, order Backlog is up 44% with a significant cash flow improvement. Over the First Quarter 2015 alone the order intake grows 46% and ends up +91% by December 2015, hitting any historical record since the Company establishment in 1856. The year 2015 holds also the acquisition of Motortecnica, its successful integration and its further commercial growth. Moreover Giovanni leads Nidec ASI over an important agreement with a Russian large Corporation, winning the largest Order ever in company history. Still in 2015, thanks to a € 70+ Million Order with German Utility Steag, Nidec ASI, traditionally known as one of the italian multinationals prominent in motors, generators, power electronics and steel industry automation businesses, establishes itself also as a global leader in Battery Energy Storage Systems, aiming at stabilizing public power networks fed by diversified renewable sources.

Over the last 3 years Nidec Industrial Solutions and Nidec ASI grew sales by +77% and improved EBIT by 244%, despite the worst-in-history down cycle in Oil & Gas and Steel making markets, the traditional core business for Nidec ASI.

Hyva Capital Equipment

In April 2018 Giovanni joins Hyva Group as President and Chief Officer of Hyva Capital Equipment, to leading the integration of a new business conglomerate. The formation of the new conglomerate was aborted for a disagreement among shareholders. The whole company was put out for sale. Giovanni Barra left in October 2018.

Sila Group

In November 2018 Giovanni Barra joins Sila Group as Chief Executive Officer. The Group is a multinational automotive company into the making of manual, automatic and electronic shifters, with Engineering centers and Plants in China, India, Poland, Italy, Brasil and Argentina. Giovanni Barra left in December 2020.