Lubin Ozoux

Lubin Ozoux is the chief executive officer of Sumitomo Rubber South Africa. The company is well known for making Dunlop tyres that are supplied to 47 countries in Africa. The biggest country being South Africa, which also has a manufacturing facility in uMnambithi (Ladysmith).

Originally from Reunion Island, a French island with a population of about 800 000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, Lubin moved to South Africa in the 90s. He commented, “My parents were a big fan of South Africa, when the change happened at the end of the apartheid area, they wanted us to be part of history.” He attended high school in Durban and then university in Pietermaritzburg.

Lubin’s first official job, while studying at university, was a barman at Scottsville Racecourse. During the completion of his postgraduate studies, he lectured in the financial aspects of marketing at Varsity College.

“That was a great experience, which was of real value to me. I actually got the love of learning from that job because as a lecturer you have to not only know the material, but you have to understand it, so you can pass on the meaning and answer questions,” he shares.

A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION
As CEO of Sumitomo Rubber Lubin has now found his purpose in leading a company that fits with his own ‘why’ which is about consciousness, doing what is right and making a positive contribution. Sumitomo Rubber is striving to create a future of joy and well- being for all, wherein the employees can support each other and contribute effectively to the company.

In creating the space to create that joy, Sumitomo Rubber strives to set up the structures, culture and environment to give people the means to perform and maintain jobs in South Africa.

Lubin explains further, “The company makes sure we don’t take the easiest routes, but we take the right route for the long-term success of the company, the employees, and all stakeholders. We focus on what we can control and strive to get that right.”

Although Sumitomo Rubber initially drove a top- down approach to culture, they are now seeing a bottom-up trend. This trend is apparent in the great initiatives been sustainably driven by employees at all levels who are demonstrate a willingness to contribute positively in their roles. Lubin says that this culture is key to the company’s future.

PURSUES OPPORTUNITIES
Lubin, as well as his brothers, have received much guidance from their father who always said, ‘It doesn’t matter what you do. If you’re the best at what you do, you’re going to be very successful’. Aligned to this, Lubin constantly pursues opportunities and finds the means to engage in learning to improve his skills and knowledge.

“I think that ethos really drives me personally, as well as how we drive our business. We encourage people to always be a bit better. If every day you get a bit better, and it doesn’t matter what industry or what position you’re in, you will be successful.”

In addition to his father, Lubin had a great mentor, Bruno Beck, who ‘led from the front’ and was hugely influential in his life. “It’s not about what he said, it’s about what he did in terms of living a culture and its values. I’ve never experienced that anywhere else. You just can’t help then to follow that lead and to get that energy. I strive to do as much as I can by leading from the front. I think action is larger than words,” says Lubin.

Over the last four- or five-years, South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal have not been short of challenges. Lubin explains that with every challenge comes an opportunity and that these drive the company, as there are many lessons to be learnt to make your business more robust and your team better. “That’s what we strive to do. Challenges are about mindset and the willingness to turn them, as quickly as possible, into opportunity, and to take the people on the journey with you.”

“I often talk to the team and say when you go back home, will you be proud of what you’ve done today? Have you done the maximum you can do? Have you behaved in line with our values or your values? If we’ve done that, every day, then we are on the right track,” explained Lubin.

BUILDING TRUST
In terms of work, part of Sumitomo Rubber’s culture is to build and enhance trust with their employees. To enable that process all employees are encouraged to share their life journeys with each other.

“Whenever I do that with any employees, you’re always amazed about the journey that people have taken, some of the hardships that people have gone through,” says Lubin. “Helping them to go a step or two further is very inspiring, and South Africa has really amazing people with much resilience.”

For the future, Sumitomo believes that there are vast opportunities in their industry. The company often talks about where they are in their life cycle in relation to the maturity of a teenager. Lubin commented that they work very hard at having that teenager mindset, which is about taking advantage of as many opportunities as possible.

“As a teenager, you also know you’re going to make some mistakes. But the key is how quickly can you learn to mature? In the next few years, it’s about how we use these opportunities to help us mature and help us get stronger.”

Lubin’s motto is that as a leader, ‘you need to be vulnerable’.

In conclusion he explained that they have three words that assist in driving Sumitomo Rubber on a daily basis which are, “intent, ambition and impact’.

In terms of intent, he says we need to learn from each other and to understand each other. Ambition is about not getting stuck in easy paths but to really be ambitious and to take risks. Impact is about everyday actions. Are these making an impact and are they as a company taking a step forward?