Giulia Dido has an innate sense of time, which she measures like a metronome. Were it not for her calm tones and manner, one could easily associate her with the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, who, armed with a watch, would shout, “I’m late, I’m late!”. It is precisely by drawing on her qualities of precision and rigor that Giulia, an industrial engineering manager, has managed, in just a few years, to successfully work her way up to the role of Land & Naval Manufacturing Program Manager at Leonardo’s facility in La Spezia. In other words, she is responsible for ensuring that the production schedule for land and naval systems is adhered to in terms of time, cost, and quality, striving to bring all the necessary conditions together to make this happen, while working closely with the mechanical, electronics, and assembly lines, materials management, quality and incoming, and industrial engineering teams. "Precision is certainly essential, but it's also important to cultivate good relationships with colleagues," she admits, smiling, when it's pointed out how “delicate” her role is in relation to other teams.
Giulia has been with the company since 2018 and quickly earned recognition. Just a month after graduating with a Master's degree from the University of Pisa, she was hired by Leonardo. And since then, she has rapidly advanced. "Industrial engineering is a good combination of technical and managerial skills, which is why it offers many opportunities. I was able to write my Master's thesis while working at a ball bearing company in Massa. From there, thanks to my university network, I made contact with Leonardo." After the first four years focused on production planning and the supply chain, at the end of 2022, Giulia took on the role of Operation Program Manager for the 76/62 naval defence system. Last June, she grew further, taking on her current responsibilities. She now leads a team of six engineers. "Some are older than me, it's true. But this fits into a context where senior people work alongside many young professionals, offering them great opportunities."
La Spezia, moreover, is destined to play an increasingly important role in production, as it was chosen as the operational headquarters for the recent joint venture between Leonardo and Rheinmetall for the production and development of new military combat vehicles in Europe. Commuting daily between nearby Carrara, where she lives, and the Gulf of Poets, where she works, Giulia marks the time of her professional journey.