Lacoste CEO Talks Leadership and Career on SiiLA NXT Podcast

What can tennis courts teach us about leadership? In a new episode of the SiiLA NXT Podcast, hosted by Giancarlo Nicastro, Pedro Zannoni explains how discipline, preparation and the ability to perform under pressure remain central to his routine as an executive.

Zannoni’s career has an interesting connection with Lacoste. At 17, he was sponsored by the brand as an athlete. Three decades later, he became the company’s CEO for Latin America. The path between those two moments, however, included an unexpected change of direction.

At 19, after facing difficulties on the professional circuit, he left competitive tennis and began teaching the sport. Although he gave up his dream of pursuing a career as a professional player, Zannoni says he does not look back with frustration.

“I don’t think I was ever frustrated, because I did everything I could. You become frustrated when you look back and think, ‘I didn’t try everything.’ In that context, I tried everything that was within my reach,” he says.