A Shared Mindset for Success

At LORIOT, growth goes hand in hand with technology development and the people who drive it forward. Our commitment to collaboration, teamwork, and professional fulfillment has been key to the company’s success.

In this edition of LORIOT Voices, we speak with Chiara Fezzardi, our Chief Financial Officer and HR Manager, whose role supports both the direction of the business and the teams behind it. Having been part of the company’s journey for almost a decade, Chiara has contributed to LORIOT’s evolution from a small team into a global IoT player. In this conversation, she shares why building the right structure and environment is essential to scaling successfully.

1. You are LORIOT’s Chief Finance Officer and also HR Manager. How would you describe your role in simple terms?

In simple terms, my role is to enable the company to make the right decisions and ensure we have the right people to execute them. On one side, I work closely with our strategy leads, helping translate data into meaningful indicators that support smart, sustainable choices. On the other hand, I focus on making sure our teams are structured, supported, and empowered to deliver on those plans. It’s really about aligning numbers, strategy, and people so the company can grow healthily and consistently.

2. How do you combine these two very different roles?

I see them as more complementary than different. Both ultimately come down to finding the best solutions for the company, financially and beyond, while also creating the right environment for employees to thrive. That means ensuring people have balance, feel happy at LORIOT, stay motivated, and understand the value of what they do.

3. You have been at LORIOT for almost 10 years. How has the corporate culture evolved with the transition from startup to established company?

When I joined almost ten years ago, LORIOT had a classic startup culture: close-knit, informal, and built on trust and mutual respect. We had a great deal of flexibility, even more than today, largely because a small team can adapt and coordinate quickly. This way of working was simply a natural part of how the company operated from the beginning, and it has remained that way as we have grown. As the team expanded, we’ve had to introduce more structure and clearer processes. Managing the nearly 50 people we are today is very different from managing seven, and without that structure, inefficiencies can appear.

"That said, I truly believe we’ve preserved our original spirit. The environment is still people-focused, collaborative, and approachable. For us as managers, it wouldn’t feel authentic to lead in any other way."

4. As someone leading HR, what do you believe makes a strong team at LORIOT?

A strong team starts with people who believe in what we do, enjoy the work itself, and approach challenges with a shared mindset.

"When trust and collaboration are present, teams naturally find solutions together."

5. What do you look for when hiring new team members? Beyond skills, what really matters to you?

The first interview is very important to me because it sets the tone. I want to leave that conversation feeling the candidate has been open, genuine, and comfortable showing who they really are.

"Technical skills can be evaluated and developed, but authenticity is something you sense immediately."

In the next stage, I focus more on attitude. We look for people who bring a positive mindset, strong interpersonal skills, and a proactive approach. Those qualities tend to make the biggest difference over time, especially in a collaborative environment like ours.

6. As LORIOT continues to grow, what are the biggest people-related challenges you are currently navigating?

As I mentioned before, a strong team starts with people who believe in what we do and solve challenges together; growth itself is probably the biggest challenge. As teams expand, it becomes harder to maintain the same level of connection, alignment, and shared culture that comes naturally in smaller groups. Preserving that sense of closeness while scaling requires intention and ongoing effort, but I am confident we will continue to strengthen it as we move forward.

7. If you could give one piece of advice to professionals who want to grow into leadership roles, what would it be?

For me, the most important thing is that teams feel close to their leaders while also having a clear understanding of what is expected from them.

"People perform best when they trust their leaders and know their direction."

Over time, we have learned how essential that clarity is, and we have become much better at ensuring every team member understands their role and how to succeed in it. And I think this is the true key to our success so far.

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Chiara's insights reflect how LORIOT balances fiscal responsibility with a human-centric approach to leadership. You can see more about our team culture in this LinkedIn post:
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