Claudio Gabos: The personified internationalisation
Claudio Gabos spends his childhood in Trient in South Tyrol, where he studies mechanical engineering after graduating from high school. From 1999, he initially works as a consultant for various companies, then for a long time as Sales Manager for the trading company Artesina, where he first comes into contact with MAPAL. In 2015, he moves to MAPAL Italia as Sales Manager, becoming Managing Director for Sales and Marketing in 2017 and Managing Director in 2022.
Due to his good results in Italy, he is appointed as Chief Sales Officer (CSO) of the MAPAL Group in summer 2024 and becomes member of the MAPAL Executive Team, newly created by Dr Jochen Kress, as the first non-German speaker. He has already been jointly responsible for the strategic development of international projects for some time and therefore is a regular visitor to Aalen.
In addition to his many years of sales experience, his “view from the outside” is a great advantage. For example, he attaches great importance to give the headquarter an understanding for the specific requirements of different markets so they can support them in a structured, effective and efficient manner. For him, it is a privilege to work in a family business that over the years has built up an organisation that is characterised by a strong sense of belonging and a focus on technology and solid partnerships with customers. Gabos sees rapid changes in the market - especially in its core sector, the automotive industry. As a result, the company continues to develop its ability to respond to different situations. Price variables often play a key role in this. Gabos is convinced that MAPAL must respond to these new requirements without losing its connection to its own history and DNA.
At MAPAL, he recognises special features at the organisational level early on, “which are not quite at the level I had expected”. Little is regulated in a binding manner, much happens on a personal level. He also sees the family business as a “technology-driven company” that is very focussed on but also dependent on excellent but expensive special tools for major customers, primarily from the automotive sector. However, in rapidly changing and increasingly price-sensitive markets and industries, it is also important for Claudio Gabos to be able to deliver “a simply good product as quickly and inexpensively as possible” - preferably via innovative sales channels.
For sure, indirect sales channels must be increasingly utilised in this context, for example in sales. This is the driving force in some global markets, where close cooperation with the product development area plays a decisive role. “My goal is to contribute to make MAPAL a truly international group that can meet the challenges of the near future,” says Gabos.