14 | Acquisition International, September 2026 Purposeful Leadership for Sustainable Operational Excellence Founded in 1968, Labina is a Portuguese company specialising in the production of aluminium technical parts for the automotive market and other demanding industrial sectors. Over recent years, the company has experienced growth of approximately 40%. With Manuel Machado, Labina’s COO, being named Most Transformational Operations Leader 2026: Sustainable Industrial Operations (Portugal), we spoke with Manuel about purposeful leadership, people development, and sustainable operational excellence. Contact: Manuel Machado Company: Labina Web Address: https://labina.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/manuel-machado-portugal Although he is now COO of a Portuguese company specialising in aluminium die casting for the automotive sector, Manuel Machado’s journey began far from the boardroom. The youngest of seven children, Manuel entered the world of work at the age of 14, where he learned early the importance of responsibility, discipline, commitment, and perseverance. His professional journey took him through several industrial sectors, including textiles, food and automotive, covering automotive covers, plastic injection and aluminium die casting, as well as international professional environments. Over more than three decades, these experiences gave Manuel a broad understanding of the challenges faced by people and organisations working across highly demanding and constantly evolving industrial contexts. At the age of 32, Manuel decided to return to education, eventually graduating in Industrial Engineering and Management. He complemented his professional experience with specialised training in Lean Manufacturing and Lean tools at Porsche Academy in Stuttgart, Germany, as well as certification in coaching and people development. Across his career, Manuel has led, directly and indirectly, more than 2,000 people. These experiences taught him that sustainable performance depends not only on efficient processes, but on the ability to align people, organisational culture, leadership, and decisionmaking around a common purpose. For Manuel, leadership is not about having all the answers or doing everything oneself. One of his most important professional lessons came from recognising that leaders can unintentionally create dependency when they assume too much responsibility. Sustainable leadership means developing people who can think, decide, take responsibility, and continue improving. “A leader’s role is not to make people dependent on them, but to create the conditions for people to think, decide, take responsibility, and grow.” Manuel’s understanding of sustainability extends beyond environmental responsibility or financial performance. For him, sustainable operations begin with reducing waste in all its forms: materials, time, energy, talent, communication, conflict, and ineffective decisions. He believes that strategy, alignment, specific indicators, effective processes, and people must work together. When organizations provide clear direction and reliable information, people are better prepared to make decisions based on facts—rather than assumptions—identify problems, take action, and improve results. This philosophy is particularly relevant as artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics reshape the industrial landscape. Manuel recognises the potential of these technologies, but believes that technology alone cannot create sustainable transformation. Organisations must also develop people and leaders capable of adapting, learning, and working effectively alongside increasingly automated systems. “Technology should serve people and the strategic purpose of the organisation. The future of industry will not be defined only by how much technology we introduce, but by how well our people and organisations evolve with it.” Manuel’s approach has also been shaped by difficulties and mistakes. Rather than seeing problems as reasons to give up, he considers them opportunities to learn and strengthen both individuals and organisations. “Throughout my career, I have learned that we only truly improve when we accept responsibility for our own development. Problems can become the circumstances that teach us what we need to change.” This experience is now leading Manuel to develop a framework of his own around organisational transformation, bringing together strategy, people, processes, indicators, decision-making, technology, and sustainable results. Still under development, the approach is based on a simple belief: organisations become stronger when they create the conditions for people to learn, evolve, assume responsibility, and contribute to collective performance. For Manuel, the recognition from the Business Leader Awards 2026 is more than an individual achievement. It represents a philosophy built over decades of industrial experience and continuous personal development. He also considers the recognition inseparable from the people who have contributed to his journey, particularly his family, colleagues, teams, mentors, and all those who have influenced his professional and personal growth. “We do not grow alone. The people around us are also part of our success.” Ultimately, Manuel Machado’s journey demonstrates that our starting point does not determine our destination. From beginning his working life at 14 to becoming an Industrial Management Engineer, an international industrial leader, and COO, his career has been defined by learning, responsibility, people, and the willingness to change. His recognition as Most Transformational Operations Leader 2026: Sustainable Industrial Operations (Portugal) reflects the vision he has developed throughout that journey: sustainable results are achieved when people, processes, technology, and leadership move forward together, guided by purpose, better decisions, and a shared responsibility to continuously improve.
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