Andrés Ramírez joined Newell Brands as Senior Vice President, General Manager – Latin America, in late 2024. He brings more than 30 years of international experience from leadership roles at companies including P&G, Unilever, Merck and Kellogg’s.

In his role, Andrés works with teams across Latin America to strengthen collaboration, simplify ways of working and support Newell’s portfolio of global and local brands. Hear from him directly in this Q&A.

What attracted you to Newell Brands?

What attracted me to Newell Brands was the opportunity to join a company with an exceptional portfolio of trusted brands and a clear ambition to strengthen its business for the future.

I’ve always enjoyed organizations that embrace transformation and create opportunities to simplify, strengthen capabilities and build lasting value. I saw that opportunity at Newell, particularly in Latin America, where we have talented teams operating across a diverse group of markets.

What excites me most is how we are becoming a more agile organization, strengthening the way we work together and continuing to build capabilities that help us better serve our customers and consumers.

Most importantly, I’m excited about our people. Meaningful transformation is driven by individuals who are willing to challenge the status quo, collaborate across functions and continuously improve. I’ve seen that mindset throughout Newell, and I believe it is one of our greatest strengths.

Can you tell us about your role and your experience since joining Newell?

My role is to bring our commercial, marketing, supply chain, finance and functional teams across Latin America together behind a shared strategy that creates value for our customers, consumers and company. An important part of that responsibility is aligning our people around common priorities so we can execute effectively as One Newell.

Latin America is a diverse and dynamic region. Each market has its own opportunities and challenges, but all require agility, strong execution and close collaboration. Our ability to combine Newell’s global capabilities with the knowledge and experience of our local teams is an important strength.

Since joining the company, my focus has been on listening, learning and building relationships. Every organization has its own culture and ways of working, and I believe meaningful change begins with understanding those fundamentals and earning people’s trust.

What has impressed me most is the quality of our people. Across the region, I’ve seen teams come together to solve complex challenges, support one another and remain focused on serving our customers and consumers.

What is one leadership lesson that has shaped how you lead today?

Experience has reinforced for me that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating clarity, building trust and helping people succeed.

Early in my career, I believed leaders were expected to solve every problem. Over time, I realized the most effective leaders create the conditions for others to solve problems, make decisions and develop.

That means setting a clear direction, removing obstacles, encouraging open dialogue and giving people the confidence to take ownership. When talented people understand the purpose behind what they are working to accomplish and know they are trusted, they can achieve more together than any individual could accomplish alone.

When I reflect on my career, the accomplishments I’m most proud of include the leaders I’ve had the privilege to develop, the teams we’ve built and the people I’ve seen take on new challenges with confidence. Business results are achieved through people, and that is the legacy I hope to leave wherever I work.

How did your previous experience prepare you for your current role?

The opportunity to build strong businesses by developing great people has motivated me throughout my career. Over the past 30 years, that purpose has taken me across Latin America and Europe, where I have led teams through periods of transformation and change.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to manage businesses, navigate complex markets and build teams capable of translating strategy into execution. Those experiences have taught me that a strategy only becomes meaningful when people understand it, believe in it and are equipped to bring it to life.

Whether an organization is improving its operations, strengthening its capabilities or navigating change, success comes from creating clarity, remaining focused on what matters most and executing with discipline.

What has remained constant is my passion for developing people. Strong businesses are built by strong teams, and one of a leader’s greatest responsibilities is creating an environment where people can contribute, learn and succeed together.

That philosophy is part of what brought me to Newell Brands. I wanted to join an organization where I could help strengthen the business while investing in the development of its people.

What stands out to you about Newell’s business in Latin America?

Newell has an outstanding portfolio of brands, strong customer relationships and talented teams across Latin America. The region includes a wide variety of consumers, cultures and retail environments, making local knowledge and close collaboration especially important.

Oster has earned the trust of generations of consumers and remains an important part of Newell’s presence in the region. Brands including Sharpie, Paper Mate, Coleman and Contigo also serve consumers across Latin America through products designed for their everyday lives.

Newell’s portfolio of local brands is another important part of its business in the region. Invicta and Virulana have built longstanding connections with consumers and demonstrate how local brands can complement Newell’s global portfolio while serving the specific needs of individual markets.

Across Latin America, I’ve seen teams collaborate across countries and functions, embrace new ways of working and demonstrate resilience, creativity and a strong commitment to our customers. When we bring together trusted brands, talented people and disciplined execution, we are well positioned to continue serving consumers throughout the region.