Stahl

Meet Montse Pous: committed to building on a culture of excellence

Stahl is proud to have a team of talented individuals dedicated to driving organizational improvements and creating innovative solutions. Montse Pous, Project Manager at Stahl’s Center of Excellence in Performance Coatings, is one such person. In this blog post, we get to know Montse and learn about her career journey at Stahl so far.

A passion for working with people

After graduating in chemistry, Montse joined the Stahl team in Parets, Spain, in 1998 as an R&D technician. After several years of learning and experimenting with polymerization, she moved to the Performance Coatings department as a laboratory application technician. At this point, her role evolved from selling chemicals to providing technical support to customers and partners. This experience was a key catalyst in the transition to her current role as project manager.

“Over time, I’ve realized that what fulfills me is being able to combine my technical expertise with my passion for working with people,” says Montse. “So, when I was offered my current role as Project Manager at the Center of Excellence in Performance Coatings in Parets, I didn't think twice! In this position, I feel that I can make the most of all my talents and my experience.”

Solutions that adapt to a changing world

Having been with Stahl for more than two decades, Montse has seen the organization evolve in line with the changing demands of customers and markets. This has included a significant shift toward sustainability, with customers and regulators alike driving growing demand for more responsible solutions that have a reduced impact on the environment. As Stahl has adapted to these changing external conditions, Montse is also impressed by how the organization is changing from within.

“I’m proud of the steps we’re taking to embed equality, diversity, and inclusion at all levels of the organization,” she says. “For me, diversity is a broad concept that doesn’t just apply to race, gender, age, or culture. It also applies to different ways of thinking, personal backgrounds, ideals, beliefs, and skills. Diversity across all these elements makes an organization more powerful and adaptable – and I’m glad to say this is the case within our Performance Coatings team in Parets.”

Stahl’s most important resource

Montse believes Stahl still has room to improve on specific areas of diversity, such as gender balance. Recalling a time when she was the only woman at the Global Performance Coatings sales meetings, she stresses the importance of making sure all employees receive equal opportunities to progress. Nevertheless, she is encouraged by the steps Stahl is taking to help everyone grow and develop. “Stahl is increasingly empowering all its employees, and that’s great to see,” she says. “People are the most important resource in any organization, and they should be nurtured and supported accordingly.”

A future built on nurturing talent

After 23 years with the company, Montse remains as enthusiastic as ever about the future. She hopes to continue playing a role in helping to shape Stahl’s strategy going forward, building a responsible company that works to unlock the full potential of all colleagues around the world. “It’s important that we continue listening to our colleagues and enabling their career development,” concludes Montse. “The best way to retain talented people is to provide them with opportunities to work on interesting projects where they can add value – alongside implementing management and leadership styles that prioritize open communication and transparency.”

Thanks for sharing your story, Montse!