Hi {{ subscriber.first_name }}, When Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann took the reins of Citibank California during the 2008 financial crisis, the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
But instead of retreating, she led one of the boldest corporate turnarounds in banking—and went on to serve a decade in top executive roles across Citigroup, including CEO and Chairman of the Board of Banamex USA. In our conversation on The World Class Leaders Show, Rebecca shared the kind of insight you can only earn from leading through extreme pressure. 1/ Transformation doesn’t start with structure. It starts with clarity. Most CEOs jump to org charts, reorgs, or new hires when facing change. Rebecca says that’s a mistake. Instead, she starts by asking: What’s the strategic vision? What are we solving for? And are we truly aligned around it? Without clarity—of purpose, priorities, and expectations—transformation becomes chaos dressed as activity. Her message: Slow down to align, so you can move fast when it matters. 2/ Crisis reveals leadership—but reinvention defines it. Rebecca became known as a crisis-tested leader. But what sustained her wasn’t adrenaline—it was adaptability. “In every role,” she told me, “I had to reinvent myself—and help my teams do the same.” Reinvention isn’t just about reacting to disruption. It’s about choosing change before it’s forced on you. That’s why today, she challenges CEOs to regularly reset:
3/ Well-being isn’t a soft topic—it’s a strategic lever. Rebecca is also co-author of FitCEO, a bestselling guide to sustainable leadership. She’s clear: performance starts with personal health. From mental clarity to emotional regulation, your ability to lead others begins with how well you lead yourself. We talked about her “4 R’s” framework: Reset, Renew, Rest, Reflect—as essential rituals, not luxuries. “During the toughest moments of my career,” she said, “it was these routines that helped me stay grounded and make smart decisions under pressure.” 4/ What got you here won’t scale with you. Whether you’re running a fast-growing startup or a legacy enterprise, Rebecca warns against clinging to what worked in the past. “Even the most successful leaders,” she said, “can become blockers if they don’t evolve.” That’s why she now advises boards, scale-ups, and founders on building reinvention into leadership culture—creating environments where change is expected, not feared. From decision-making structures to communication norms, everything must evolve if you want to lead through the next inflection point. Final Thought Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann’s career is a case study in leading through uncertainty. But what makes her wisdom stand out isn’t just the resilience—it’s the reinvention. She reminds us that transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when leaders choose clarity, evolve on purpose, and treat well-being as a serious part of performance. Because in a world of constant disruption, the best CEOs aren’t just strong. They’re adaptable by design. 👉 Watch the full episode here Andrea Petrone CEO Whisperer | Top 1% Executive Coach and Speaker in the UK | Founder of WCL. You need more? Here are other ways to get value from what I do: 1) Are you tired of leading alone and want to surround yourself with people who truly get it? WCL21 might be exactly what you need. WCL21 is our new hub for CEOs. Get inspired and build your powerful allies. Join the waiting list here 2) Want to establish authority and lead with confidence from Day One as a CEO? 3) Watch and listen to the "The World Class Leaders Show" podcast and leave a review: 4) Do you want me to speak at your next event, coach you or your team? Book a call with me here |