Much like the captivating narratives showcased in The HR Digest’s Success Stories, this conversation with Eduardo Dávila, the visionary CEO at the helm of Aon EMEA, captures his unwavering commitment to unity and success. We delve into the pivotal milestones that define Dávila’s exceptional leadership journey, painting a vivid portrait of his strategic acumen and the collaborative spirit steering Aon EMEA toward unparalleled success.
Initiatives such as the Global Inclusion Leadership Council and the transformative Elevation Program underscore Dávila’s dedication to elevating Aon EMEA as a trailblazer in fostering both personal and professional growth. Throughout the dialogue, the essence of Dávila’s leadership emerges, characterized by a profound passion, unwavering belief, and resolute determination poised for transformative impact. As we navigate the intricate landscape of HR and talent management, seamlessly addressing the complexities of overseeing a region spanning 40 countries, the interview unfolds against the backdrop of Aon EMEA’s agile response to industry challenges. This narrative unfolds against the backdrop of Aon EMEA’s agile response to industry challenges, showcasing Eduardo Dávila as the adept helmsman steering the organization through uncharted waters with finesse and foresight.
The HR Digest, through this insightful interview, positions Eduardo Dávila not merely as a CEO but as a visionary architect actively shaping the future of a corporate powerhouse, marking a compelling chapter in the ongoing success story of Aon EMEA.
The HR Digest: Can you share some key accomplishments and milestones that have defined your tenure as CEO of Aon EMEA? How have these achievements contributed to the company’s overall success in the region?
We are on a journey as a region to build something that is far bigger than the sum of the parts. It’s yet to be fully realized, but we are already starting to see great examples of how it can look when we get it right. There are more and more examples of intra-country collaboration where we have leveraged our capabilities and created synergies at scale. When we achieve these wins, the results are exponential and help create a better outcome for Aon as one region. For me, the key ingredients for team success are to trust each other, help each other, and be agnostic in the way we deliver for clients and colleagues on a daily basis.
The HR Digest: Employee engagement is crucial for organizational success. What specific initiatives or strategies have you implemented at Aon EMEA to foster a more engaged and motivated workforce? Can you share any success stories or outcomes resulting from these efforts?
From my experience, listening is the most important tool for organizational success. We must process and consider the information shared by our colleagues and then respectfully build a plan that is inclusive and allows each employee to be the best version of themselves. In a professional services firm like ours, people are our main asset and we therefore need to create the best environment for them to work in.
In my view, employee engagement operates like the stock market exchange. It is dependent on a number of factors and decisions that we make every day, and so it fluctuates significantly. We therefore have to take the pulse of people each day using different methods.
Even before the pandemic, we pioneered the implementation of flexible work initiatives, and we learned a lot more during the pandemic. In addition to our classic engagement surveys that we used to run every year, we also do focus groups on topics that most matter to our colleagues to better understand employees’ preferences, as well as incorporate best practices from other organizations. Hybrid working has emerged as the new way of working following the pandemic and so we need to understand how this shift in working practices is affecting the way we work both internally and externally. As a professional services firm, we need to be there for our clients and ensure we are part of their ecosystem but getting it right for our colleagues is paramount.
The HR Digest: In a rapidly changing business landscape, what role do you believe HR and talent management play in ensuring Aon EMEA remains competitive and adaptable? How does your leadership align with this vision?
HR and talent are key to our success. Now, more than ever, the proximity to our talent, as well as the understanding of their needs and motivation is crucial to our talent strategy. However, we have to bear in mind that the current volatile market is impacting our clients and their needs. That’s why it’s so important that we remain both flexible and agile in the way we build our teams to serve their needs and to help them make better-informed decisions.
Running a region like EMEA with 40 countries, over 15 languages, and 15,000 colleagues almost forces you to operate this way every day. Each country’s momentum, macro situation, and economic landscape is so different that it demands a lot of flexibility. In my view, constant communication, listening, respect, and understanding everyone’s point of view are the key factors to help them win and be successful.
I am surrounded by a fantastic People Team, who help me build and execute our talent strategy. With talent and colleagues as one of my main focus areas, I want to ensure we are building an ecosystem where they can be the best version of themselves in order to be happy and deliver the best for our clients. For me, leadership is all about teamwork. It’s extremely rewarding to see the impact you the team can have as a whole and the exponential effect this can have on our results.
The HR Digest: Aon is known for its commitment to diversity and inclusion. Can you tell us about the diversity and inclusion initiatives in place at Aon EMEA and how they contribute to a more inclusive and innovative work environment?
Diversity and inclusion sit at the heart of our mission, and it’s what we are trying to accomplish that inspires me the most. Three years ago, we set up a Global Inclusion Leadership Council (GILC) and I’ve co-chaired it since its foundation. The aim of the GILC is to create guided principles and a very clear approach to embedding diversity and inclusion in our culture. It’s connected and also accountable to the board of directors: our progress is reported to a newly formed subcommittee of the board called the Inclusion and Diversity Subcommittee. Additionally, our Elevation Program this year is sponsoring 100 female leaders within the business to help them keep growing both personally and professionally. They are all sponsored by an Aon Executive Committee member.
However, our commitment to diversity and inclusion wouldn’t be possible without our people. Their belief and determination to bring these initiatives to life is something that constantly impresses and inspires me.
The HR Digest: Looking to the future, what are your top priorities and strategies for Aon EMEA in terms of talent development and organizational growth? How do you plan to lead the company through evolving industry challenges and opportunities?
In our industry, the only constant is change. Working in an industry focused on risk and people, it’s a must to have flexibility if we want to be on the front line of servicing our clients effectively. Understanding market trends as well as what the future may bring helps us to anticipate decisions around the talent we need to serve our clients better. I don’t know anyone else (with all due respect) in our industry with an organization like Aon Business Services, focused on growth, efficiency, and better outcomes. By combining these three together, we’ll accelerate our journey toward becoming the leading professional services firm we want to be.
My plan is to lead this next step of our journey with passion, belief, determination, and commitment to my colleagues. For me, leadership is about communication and I’ll do everything I can to ensure I’m where my team needs me to be, helping them to understand, prioritize, and execute on plan.