“China is not just the biggest auto market. It is where the industry’s pace, consumer expectations, and innovation frontier are being reset.”

In this episode of Leaders in Motion, Kevin Hong sits down with Pierluigi Visotti, Managing Director and Founder of Ulysses, to unpack what China’s automotive acceleration means for Western OEMs, and what cross-border leadership really requires when the market moves faster than headquarters can process.

Pierluigi shares his journey from Italy to nearly a decade in China, the early misconceptions he had to unlearn, and the on-the-ground signals many global teams missed, even while being present in-market.

In this episode:

• Why China’s EV rise became a true turning point, and what it did (and did not) solve for profitability

• The real reason Western OEMs missed the shift: culture, attention, and disconnected HQ–China operating models

• What “new generation” consumers actually want: experience, digital continuity, and a car that behaves more like a device than a machine

• Why copying China will not work, and why the only sustainable response is innovation rooted in local consumer truth

• The leadership model that scales across borders: mixing teams, rotating talent, and building real decision flow between HQ and region

• Luxury auto’s durable edge, and the new pressure coming from “premium at an affordable price” players

If you lead across regions, build in China, or compete with China-driven innovation at home, this conversation will sharpen how you think about speed, strategy, and operating reality.

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If the topics discussed resonate with your own leadership challenges or the conversations happening in your organization - assessing international leaders, aligning global and local teams, building capabilities across regions. You can reach us at LYC Partners to set up a consultation.

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Produced by Bonjour Podcast (Melanie Hong), Leaders in Motion blends storytelling, strategy, and data-driven insight, giving today’s leaders a roadmap to anticipate tomorrow’s challenges and lead with intention.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

17. From Italy to China’s Auto Frontline: EV Acceleration, Consumer Experience Shifts, and Bridging HQ vs Local with Pierluigi Visotti

Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

17. From Italy to China’s Auto Frontline: EV Acceleration, Consumer Experience Shifts, and Bridging HQ vs Local with Pierluigi Visotti