{"id":70117,"date":"2025-01-29T10:42:30","date_gmt":"2025-01-29T15:42:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radial.com\/?post_type=insight&p=70117"},"modified":"2025-01-31T10:00:41","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T15:00:41","slug":"fulfillment-through-innovation-the-journey-of-leonardo-avezzano","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/www.radial.com\/eur\/insights\/fulfillment-through-innovation-the-journey-of-leonardo-avezzano","title":{"rendered":"Fulfillment through innovation: the journey of Leonardo Avezzano"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Leonardo Avezzano<\/a> is a man who turns challenges into opportunities and dreams into action. As a filmmaker, explorer, photographer, and business innovator, he draws from his unique journey to inspire others to master change and embrace innovation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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This February, he\u2019ll be sharing his insights at the Radial \u201c360 Dome Experience!\u201d<\/a> event in Rotterdam. But before that, we caught up with him for an exclusive interview \u2013 just a glimpse of the incredible stories and lessons awaiting you at the event.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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With a career spanning startups, corporate giants, and nonprofits – as well as extraordinary feats like scaling a 7,000-meter mountain in a jacket filled with recycled human hair\u2014Leonardo\u2019s perspective blends professional expertise with the spirit of adventure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Don\u2019t miss the chance to hear more from Leonardo live at Radial \u201c360 Dome Experience!\u201d<\/a> on February 20, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Let\u2019s make the impossible possible<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Leonardo, you talk a lot about adventure in your work. How would you describe the role of adventure in your life?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Leonardo Avezzano: One of the magic ingredients of any adventure is play, and play is the opposite of work. Adventure is a mindset, and it\u2019s something I connect to climbing mountains or tackling big projects, like that one in business, projects that involve change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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When you climb a mountain, planning is essential, just like in any project. You need the dream and the vision to get started, but without flawless execution, you won\u2019t reach your goals. And if you\u2019re on a mountain, failing to execute could mean serious consequences, although, not to sound dramatic, you might even risk your life!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Your professional background seems diverse. Can you share a bit about your journey through business?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Leonardo: My career has been a mix of product management, marketing, and sales across big corporations, startups, and even nonprofits. One of my key roles was leading product management at Philips Hue. I managed product development and marketing from the headquarters, and later I moved to North America to lead marketing, sales, and partnerships. During that time, I secured partnerships with Apple, Amazon, and Google. It was an exciting phase of growth and innovation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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What do you consider your greatest achievement as a manager?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Leonardo: For me, the top achievement as a manager is when you\u2019re no longer needed. When you\u2019ve done your job well, your team can function without you. That\u2019s when you know you\u2019ve succeeded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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And that was a point in my life when I changed direction. I started walking, I mean literally walking, I crossed Jordan from Um Quais (north Syria border) to Aqaba (south – Red Sea). That was a pivotal moment for me. I thought, \u201cThis is my call. This is what I\u2019m meant to do.\u201d And then, of course, another adventure came along.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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One of those adventures was your work with The Ocean Cleanup. What inspired you to get involved?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Leonardo: It started with a conversation I had with Boyan Slat, the founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup<\/a> Foundation. He told me, \u201cTo clean the ocean, we need three things: technology, money, and a solution for the plastic we collect.\u201d They had the technology and were working on funding, but the third piece\u2014the plastic\u2014was a challenge. Everyone told them it was impossible to do anything with it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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When I heard that, I thought, \u201cLet\u2019s make the impossible possible.\u201d Eighteen months later, we launched the first-ever product made from ocean plastic collected in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It was a pair of beautiful sunglasses. Everyone said it couldn\u2019t be done, but we proved them wrong.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Your adventures didn\u2019t stop there. Tell us about your project with keratin waste.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Leonardo: Yes, I got involved with a startup that uses keratin waste, human hair, essentially, to create textiles. The textile industry is the second biggest polluter in the world after oil. If you include the weapons industry, I\u2019d say textiles are the third.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The concept was to challenge the status quo and create something sustainable. As part of this, I used a prototype jacket filled with human hair and climbed 7,000 meters high wearing it. The jacket lasted in temperatures as low as -50\u00b0 C.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What are your thoughts on innovation and sustainability in industries like fashion?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Leonardo: Some parts of the fashion industry are doing interesting work, but it\u2019s not easy to create change. For example, when we discussed the challenges of the textile industry with potential investors, one investor made an interesting observation. He said, \u201cAre these problems, or are they challenges? The industry doesn\u2019t see them as problems because they\u2019re not forced to change.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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It\u2019s an important perspective. But I also believe consumers have the power to drive change. We live in a world where we\u2019re treated as consumers. The only way to truly change the world is by deciding what to consume. What I buy or pay for must align with my values. It\u2019s not an easy lifestyle, but it\u2019s a way to lead change, and that can push brands to take action.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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That\u2019s a powerful message. What\u2019s next for you?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Leonardo: Adventures always continue. I\u2019m always looking for the next challenge that combines innovation, sustainability, and impact. For me, it\u2019s about making the impossible possible and inspiring others to think the same way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Lightstories: a journey through light and discovery<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Lightstories<\/a><\/em>, the latest exhibition by Leonardo Avezzano that you can see in Italy, is more than just an exhibition. It\u2019s an exploration of light and its power to tell stories. In this collection, Leonardo captures breathtaking landscapes using long exposures and unique light sources. It all started by accident when a forgotten headlamp created a glowing, lava-like effect in one of his photos. Inspired by this mistake, he developed a technique that blends natural and artificial light in a beautiful, intentional way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Each image reflects his deep connection with nature, shaped by long nights of planning and quiet moments behind the camera. From the Himalayas to the Sahara, from Iceland to Peru, Lightstories<\/em> invites you to see the world in a whole new way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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7-9 FEB 2025: PALAZZO BENTIVOGLIO, BOLOGNA, ITALY<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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21 MAR – 15 APR 2025: PALAZZO MALVINI MALVEZZI, MATERA, ITALY<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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