NXT Podcast welcomes Pedro Janot, former CEO of Azul and Zara in Brazil, for an in-depth conversation about life and leadership

After leading major companies and thousands of professionals, Pedro Janot discovered that the most challenging person he would ever have to lead was himself. In the latest episode of the NXT Podcast, hosted by Giancarlo Nicastro, the executive discusses leadership, corporate culture, and how he rebuilt his daily life after a serious horseback riding accident severely impaired his mobility.

“Leading myself,” Janot replies when asked what he considers most difficult: leading companies, leading people, or leading himself. Since the accident, tasks that were once simple have required planning, adaptation, and respect for his body’s limitations.

The first CEO of Azul and Zara in Brazil, Janot built his career at companies including Lojas Americanas and Grupo Pão de Açúcar. For the executive, leadership means understanding what people are going through and using the truth as a tool for development—firmly, but without disregarding the impact the message may have on those receiving it. According to Janot, a leader’s responsibility extends beyond professional results to employees’ personal lives, families, and relationship with society.