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Up Close and Personal with Valentin Tijeras
The Global VP for Product and R&D at Cosentino shares his values and journey in leading the charge to develop innovative manufacturing processes and sustainable surfaces that have revolutionised the industry
Having been part of the Cosentino family for over 16 years, Valentin Tijeras has been heading product development and R&D in the company to develop some of the most innovative, sustainable and beautiful surfaces that have revolutionised the industry. He is the brainchild behind the certified carbon neutral ultra-compact Dekton® and the new Silestone® with HybriQ Technology®.
Addressing major environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues can be overwhelming for companies of every size and industry, but Cosentino has shown it’s not impossible. Cosentino takes a holistic approach in developing its sustainability plan, starting with a firm commitment on United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
At heart, Valentin shared that it’s a leadership decision; starting with a commitment, layered with vision, leadership, strategy, alignment and persistence. For Valentin, the ultimate act of sustainable product development is to create purposeful values that will continue in perpetuity, requiring radical inventiveness, a willingness to defy the norm and to continue learning and improving, all while balancing business needs.
We speak to Valentin for a dose of inspiration. He talks about his passion, values and journey in building a successful model that uses the power of business to effect change for the betterment of our planet.
Question: You certainly are passionate and have a genuine love for your work, the company and the planet. How do you keep the momentum going even after so many years?
Valentin: It's easy when you do what you love and are surrounded by talented people as passionate as you are, from whom you learn every day and work on challenges as they keep coming.
Question: What was the biggest challenge in implementing the sustainability plan you initiated?
Valentin: You need to stay focused on long-term strategy. If you are looking at the scorecard all the time, there’s a big temptation to do what is more convenient in the short term and forget about what’s better for the company not now, but in 5 years’ time. At the same time, you have to be pragmatic because you have to struggle with daily challenges.
Question: What’s next in sustainability and construction? What do you think would be the tipping point that will spur large-scale change towards climate action in the industry?
Valentin: Modular construction will create a big impact in construction. Houses will be made in the future like cars, in efficient and controlled environments that will change the way houses are built. I also expect regulation changes that will force companies to factor in the environmental costs of their actions and balance the playground between responsible and non-responsible companies.
Question: Being the Global VP of Product and R&D at Cosentino, you have to be one (or even two) steps ahead of everybody in the company, and among competitors. How do you stay ahead?
Valentin: You have to be always eager for knowledge and open minded. Learn from customers, vendors, other segments, etc and defy all the time what you know.
