At APi Group, Carlos Enrique Perez fosters a culture where everyone leads—and no one leads alone.
When Carlos Enrique Perez accepted a new director role in Europe, he wasn’t just changing jobs—he was shifting continents, cultures, and leadership paradigms. “I had to deal with different cultures, a challenged business at the time, and still ensure that my wife and two kids had a smooth transition to a new country,” Carlos Enrique Perez says. The experience became a defining one, shaping his approach to leadership and revealing a central truth: no success is achieved alone.
Now serving as vice president of strategic planning, analysis, and systems at APi Group, Perez has adopted a servant-leadership mindset. “My role is to develop my team, remove obstacles, and empower them to achieve their goals,” he says. “I try to live and reflect the values of APi, where we believe everybody is a leader.”
Perez credits much of his growth to mentors who didn’t just guide him—they gave him the space to make mistakes and learn. “Throughout my career the best mentors I had are those who empowered me, help me to be best version of me as a leader. They gave me the room but also created the right environment for me to build confidence in myself and become a better leader,” Perez says. His defining leadership moments have come from complicated situations, like international relocations and new roles where he initially lacked expertise. Those experiences reminded him that leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about creating environments where others can thrive.
One such environment was forged during a transformative assignment that demanded cultural sensitivity, strategic focus, and personal resilience. Through it, Perez learned one of his most valuable lessons: trust the team. “Very early on, I tried to rely too much on my skills. It led to burnout and disengagement. Now, I focus on enabling and empowering my team.”
For those looking to enter or grow in the field, Perez says formal education is valuable—but it’s no substitute for exposure to challenge and change. “The best development I had came from stretching myself in unfamiliar roles.”
Looking ahead, Perez sees leadership as a ripple effect. “I want to instill in everyone I work with—colleagues, kids, friends—that the true value of a leader is to help others grow and build their confidence to become the best version of themselves.”
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