We are delighted to introduce the first of our 2021 Rainmakers to you – Eva-Gabriela Nagel. Displaying an outstanding sense of ownership, accountability, dedication and persistence through a difficult year, true to 'The PPG Way', she managed to stay focused on helping us grow safely as a company. When it comes to being a legal eagle, Eva is a true highflyer!
Learning Something New Every Day
Eva joined us in 2018 from a US fashion and lifestyle company, where she was responsible for corporate and commercial matters. Prior to that she had worked as a senior attorney at a German-based international manufacturer of components for the automotive, chemical and textile industries. And before that she was an associate at one of the leading German law firms.
Eva is now our senior legal counsel based in EMEA headquarters in Rolle, Switzerland. Her role is to support the Automotive OEM strategic business unit (SBU) and the Auto Parts business in EMEA as well as the German-speaking region at cross-SBU-level.
I greatly enjoy supporting the business in all kinds of commercial, corporate and transactional matters and having the opportunity to work with impressive leaders and learn something new almost every day.
Riding the Rainmaker Elevator
Today, we celebrate Eva being named a PPG 2021 Rainmaker.
The Rainmakers are a diverse group of talented, ambitious and engaged colleagues representing our values, and it makes me
#PPGProud to be recognized as one of them.
She still remembers how impressed she was when she first came to PPG for her interview and saw the Rainmaker posters in the elevator.
It is incredible to see myself on these posters now. It is extremely rewarding to see how my legal advice and guidance contribute to our growth or limits our risk exposure.
Diversity: A PPG Success Story
When Eva first moved to PPG, she was pregnant with her son, and she greatly appreciated that, even during the hiring process, we demonstrated our true commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I).
My ambition to advance my career while building a family was never questioned.
She says that one of the best parts of her job is the opportunity to work with talented colleagues across multiple functions and regions, and that it is a working environment that requires openness and curiosity.
I truly believe that the diversity of our people is one of our success factors. Every day, every one of us has the chance to look at things from a new angle and dare to do things differently.
“Focus On the Big Rocks”
You don’t get a resume like Eva’s without a few stories to tell and advice to pass along. Eva says that if you are interested in a new project, role or position, you should ask for it.
There is obviously a risk that someone says “no”, but the chances of getting what you want or where you want to be are much higher.
However, when you’re facing a to-do list you don’t think you’ll ever manage, Eva’s advice is to “focus on the big rocks”, meaning prioritize the matters that have the biggest impact for the company.
She has also found that the most challenging situations are usually linked to the “human factor” and that the best way to manage these situations is to speak with the people involved.
Email and chat are great tools, but nothing beats personal contact.
However, the events of last year presented a challenge of a very different nature.
Making New Members Welcome
When welcoming new members to the family, especially through mergers and acquisitions, Eva works behind the scenes to help everything go smoothly. Although each of these kinds of project is diverse and a little intense, she explains that thanks to the experience and help of the various expert team members, they always manage to keep a cool head, be flexible and work together effectively. Plus, because she gets to meet many new colleagues who are used to working in a different corporate culture, Eva can learn from them and at the same time be an ambassador of ‘The PPG Way’.
A very interesting part of supporting the integration of newly acquired businesses is that I get to meet many new colleagues from many different backgrounds.
Make Sure You’re #PPGConnected
For Eva, legal work is not only about advising on the law, but also about identifying risks, managing them and always doing the right thing. With everyone working from home, the legal team in EMEA were quick to implement frequent video catch-up calls to make sure they stayed connected.
We have had a very successful and inspiring virtual global law department meeting, which was a great mix of presentations by business leaders, legal topics and social events.
To strengthen her connections with colleagues further, Eva recently joined the Swiss Chapter of the Women’s Leadership Network. She sees it as another great opportunity to expand her PPG network and to get in contact with co-workers, even those she does not work with directly.