PPG’s sales manager for Romania, Catalin Petre, knows how important it is to keep bringing outstanding value to our customers, especially under trying circumstances. Juggling his career, family life and his love for sport, through his extraordinary flexibility, may seem challenging. But not for Catalin!
A Career of Growth and Friendships
Catalin joined us when PPG acquired Deutek back in 2017, having already been with the Romanian company for eight years. As our B2B sales manager, Catalin considers his role to be to assist his team in their personal and professional development.
My career path is to develop myself as a leader in the sales department.
Now in his twelfth year, he enjoys challenging his team, watching them grow and finding solutions to problems. He welcomes tricky daily tasks because it means his job never gets monotonous.
I’ve had many temptations along my career path, but I’m glad that I chose to remain here, where I could develop myself and build many friendships.
Fully Dedicated to Our Customers
As a PPG liaison to customers, Catalin enjoys growing existing customer relationships in the Romanian market and building new ones. He is even assisting in the development of new products, such as OSKAR® 3Teck or Oskar Pro Expert Opac. His flexibility is impressive, to say the least.
In fact, Catalin helped to develop the Architectural Coatings business unit in Bucharest in 2019. Together with the marketing and research departments, he introduced some key new products that not only satisfied the clients’ requests, but actually doubled the growth of PPG’s sales income.
One of my principal milestones was the first time a client expressed his gratitude for all the help and dedication I had showed.
Catalin says the key factors to his latest achievements are perseverance, optimism, being serious, being a good listener, to innovate, and to offer optimum solutions to any requirements or problems!
It doesn’t matter who stands in front of you, it is important who is next to you. With Catalin in your team, no challenge is too big!
Dan Cacicovschi, PPG sales director, Romania
Catalin with his colleagues during COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® project in Bucharest, Romania in 2019
Holding the Fort
During the worst part of the pandemic, Catalin was one of the few team members still able to work. He had to maintain relations with all clients and manage everything from taking orders to coordinating deliveries. He attributes his success in doing all this to his focus on future relations with clients.
I try to never give up, to keep good relations with clients, and be optimistic.
Catalin says the most important lesson he’s learned in his professional life it to “be honest and believe in myself”.
My advice to my younger self would be to trust my instincts more and not be so analytical with everything.
Why Catalin Feels So Lucky
When he’s not working, Catalin enjoys doing some kind of sport, especially mountain hiking and cycling.
Somehow, during his very busy 2019, he also found time to participate in a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® project in Romania, where he was one of many volunteers adding some color to a local primary school and kindergarten.
But how does he do it all?
Well, firstly, he considers himself lucky to have a very understanding wife, but also says:
Even if I’m extremely tired, my son always succeeds in bringing a smile to my face and making everything alright.