Adrián Orbea (Henkel Ibérica) reflects on the keys to staying successful for more than 150 years
Adrián Orbea, president of Henkel Ibérica and Esade alumnus (BA & MBA ‘06), was the guest speaker at a new session of Esade Matins, organized by Esade Alumni. During the meeting, he reflected on the challenges companies face in an increasingly dynamic, uncertain, and complex environment.
Orbea emphasized that the life cycle of companies has shortened significantly in recent decades, averaging around 15 years. He attributed this to technological acceleration, the constant emergence of disruptive innovations, and heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
He stressed that one of the great challenges for organizations is managing the tension between preserving a solid identity and clearly focusing on the future. In his opinion, long-lived companies are those that combine both dimensions: a clear culture and values with openness to new opportunities, alliances, and forms of collaboration.
He also shared some of the pillars that have enabled Henkel to consolidate its position over a century and a half. He highlighted continuous innovation, a commitment to sustainability, and the importance of having a clear purpose that guides both short-term decisions and long-term strategic vision.
Benefits of being a family business
Orbea also stressed Henkel's family nature, one of the few companies in its sector to maintain this structure. Around 60% of the capital is owned by the founding family, now in its fifth generation. This structure, as he explained, favors a long-term strategic vision and a strong focus on people.
Founded in 1876, Henkel now trades in more than 100 countries, has over 47,000 employees, and offers solutions to more than 800 industries. Its products are used in sectors as diverse as automotive, electronics, aerospace, personal care, and home care.
Esade Matins, organized by Esade Alumni and sponsored by CriteriaCaixa, is a meeting point where business leaders share experiences, strategic challenges, and visions for the future. In this session, Adrián Orbea was joined by Patricia Valentí, director of Esade Alumni, and Oriol Iglesias, vice dean of Faculty and Research and a Marketing professor at Esade.
