Early in her career, Barbara Vettorel grappled with self-doubt and uncertainty. “I struggled with the fear of failure for the longest time,” she shares. “There are a million reasons to become discouraged and give up in corporate environments, where getting a seat at the table is hard, particularly in the people function.”
Without a formal education in human resources (HR), Vettorel encountered significant challenges when breaking into the field. Yet, her persistence and willingness to face potential failure ultimately reshaped her outlook. “You have to build resilience to pick yourself up and try again,” she reflects. “Failure isn’t the end.”
This shift in perspective laid the foundation for her leadership journey and became the cornerstone of her empathetic and strategic leadership approach.
From operations and supply chain management to HR
Vettorel started her career as an operations analyst for Goldman Sachs before moving to work in the supply and network planning department at Triumph Group, a global leader in intimate apparel. An organizational restructuring at the company provided an unexpected but welcome pivot into HR when the travel project she was working on came under the HR department’s remit.
“My ambition to join HR came from my genuine interest in people, what makes them thrive in a corporate environment, and how employers can shape their growth. It’s also about effectively deploying employees’ capabilities and talent.”
By 2014, Vettorel had been promoted to HR Business Partner, a role that combined the strategic and operational aspects of people management.
She later built on her experiences at Tamedia AG, a Swiss media company, and a leadership role at business consultancy Risk Insiders. Driven by a desire for personal growth, Vettorel eventually set her sights on higher education at IMD, an aspiration sparked years earlier by an IMD alumnus she had worked with during her time at Triumph Group.
“I was captivated by the stories he shared about discovery expeditions, leadership, and the international community,” she reflects. “I was listening to him, and I thought: ‘If that could ever be a possibility for me, IMD would definitely be on my bucket list.’”
Even as a single mother with young children, she never lost sight of her ambition. “I knew the day would come that it would become a reality. It’s fair to say that balancing the demands of being a young mother while navigating career ambitions taught me an adaptability and unyielding perseverance that continues to define my leadership style today.”
Empathy and self-awareness in leadership
Inspired by her colleague’s experiences, in 2023, Vettorel embarked on her EMBA journey through IMD’s Global Management Foundations (GMF) program, motivated by a desire to deepen her leadership skills.
The timing was challenging – it coincided with her transition into a new role at 3A Composites Core Materials as Director of HR for EMEA, overseeing teams in Switzerland, Poland, and Portugal.
“It was an extraordinarily intense period,” Vettorel admits. At the time, GMF was conducted entirely online, presenting distinct challenges that required meticulous time management to balance coursework, the demands of a new role, and personal commitments.
The GMF experience not only sharpened her organizational skills but empowered her to step out of her comfort zone, fostering adaptability and meaningful collaboration. “I realized that I was way more capable and resilient than I had given myself credit for, which translated into becoming an increasingly calm and confident leader,” she explained. 
“Not everyone felt comfortable being on camera all the time,” she recalled. “Additionally, working in different group settings on various topics compels you to engage and connect on a deeper level. It also forces you to be vulnerable and share, even if you are uncomfortable or facing a topic where you feel like you have nothing to contribute or lack knowledge.”
The program also created unexpected connections that enriched her understanding of empathy as an HR leader. “I made friends in a very short period, and we built very close relationships, which is something I did not expect,” she says. “We explored friendship in a new way and learned how to support each other. It’s important to not just give help but to accept help when it’s offered.”
Notably, the GMF program played a pivotal role in enhancing her leadership skills, particularly strategic thinking. Vettorel attributes much of her growth to the program’s leadership boot camp, where focused coaching sessions not only provided a preview of the EMBA journey but also cultivated her leadership mindset. “The leadership deep dive was incredibly helpful, and that’s where I experienced and witnessed the most growth throughout GMF,” she shares.
Beyond the boot camp, she gained insights into leadership tools like the Dragon Master framework – a problem-solving method introduced by program director Arnaud Chevallier – that she frequently applies in her work to simplify complex challenges and improve decision-making.
“Its simplicity is what makes it so effective. You can use it for any issue – any question you need to tackle. It turns complex matters into bite-sized pieces, making it much easier to work through,” she explains.
“It’s about getting the full picture. Since my role at 3A Composites involves being part of the executive management team, this skill has been incredibly useful. I’ve gone from roughly understanding the discussion to being fully involved in the conversation.”
