Excellence in Action: How to Drive Results and Lead Change

On December 10, as part of the Industrial Engineering and Management Seminars, Lusófona University hosted a lecture dedicated to business excellence. The event was organized by professors Raphaela Vidal and Pedro A. Marques and presented by engineer Luís Fernandes, Vice-President of Quality, Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability at the multinational VOITH.

In the lecture, entitled “Excellence in Action: How to Drive Results and Lead Change”, Luís Fernandes highlighted the importance of adapting the principles of excellence to the organizational context. He also emphasized the importance of implementing integrated Quality, Environment and Safety management, as well as promoting a culture of continuous improvement. The speaker also stressed the essential role of transformational leadership in inspiring change and achieving sustainable results.

As a practical example, the success story of VOITH Hydro was presented. The intervention demonstrated how solid governance and the application of effective strategies in all organizational sectors made it possible to significantly reduce aftercare costs. This result was achieved through a preventive investment in quality assurance, an effort that has translated into substantial gains in efficiency and effectiveness in the manufacturing and installation processes and which has been fully offset by the savings generated.

The lecture was attended by dozens of Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM) students, as well as professors and researchers from the RCM2+ Research Center. Participants actively contributed pertinent questions, exploring in depth the best practices shared by the expert.

The event stood out for its inspiring and practical nature, reflecting Lusófona University's commitment to providing its academic community with access to cutting-edge knowledge and enriching experiences with internationally renowned professionals.