Sérgio Ribeiro, Técnico alumnus, CEO and co-founder of Planetiers, was one of the winners of the Best Public Leaders 2020, in the “Youth Leadership” category. Big names in sports, humour, and national politics, such as Margarida Balseiro Lopes, Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos, Rúben Dias and Pedro Teixeira da Mota were also nominated in the “Youth Leadership” category. But the Técnico alumnus ended up being the candidate with the most votes from the public and won the award. The award ceremony took place on November 27.
“I feel very proud to receive this award. It’s very rewarding. After several years of work on sustainability issues and their practical implementation, we are seeing positive signs that show us we are moving towards our goals”, says the alumnus.
“I wasn’t expecting to win. The nomination itself was very rewarding”, he recalls. “I believe that this victory was the result of being faithful to my values and beliefs. Whether in terms of sustainability issues or the way we relate to our partners, employees and all important stakeholders in Planetiers’ projects”, says the alumnus. “This award goes to everyone involved”, he adds.
This year, Sérgio Ribeiro took another important step in his fight for a more sustainable world: he was one of the co-founders of Planetiers World Gathering (PWG), which took place last October. The event brought together experts and decision-makers in the field of sustainable innovation, as well as curious and passionate people about sustainability. The event was attended by more than 10,000 participants per day from all over the world.
According to Sérgio Ribeiro, empathy is an essential leadership skill. “Behind every great achievement there is team work. I always try to put myself in the shoes of the people who work with me. Only then will we be able to build a balanced team”, he stresses.
Planetiers was created in 2016 and, since then, the Técnico alumni has been continually engaged and active on sustainability issues at national level. “We must set our sights high, overcome fear of failure and always learn from others”, he said. “Be stubborn about your goals. Be flexible in your methods”, he added.
The Best Public Leaders Awards aims to identify and reward public figures in the most varied areas of activity: artistic, digital, communication and marketing, sports, politics, women, youth, organisational and social.
