The Operational Excellence (OPEX) Reference Group – EU/UK Chapter, powered by PRIME BPM, hosted its February 2026 Live Meetup, bringing together transformation professionals to explore how cross-industry learning accelerates operational excellence and sustainable performance.
The virtual meetup featured Carlos de Castro, Head of Quality at Specialized Bicycle Components, who shared leadership lessons drawn from more than 25 years of experience across the chemical, automotive, consumer electronics, and sporting goods industries. This meetup emphasised that while industries differ, the core principles of quality, operational excellence, and transformation remain universal.
Carlos highlighted the importance of adaptability when implementing change, comparing organisational transformation to adapting one’s “dress code” to different environments. He explained that leaders must understand the unique culture, operating environment, and people within each organisation to successfully embed operational excellence practices.
He also reinforced that transformation success is driven by people, culture, and disciplined execution, not tools alone. Leaders, he noted, must empower their teams, remain grounded in strong values, and design operating systems that enable sustainable performance.
Key Discussion Highlights Included:
- The critical role of adaptability when leading transformation across different industries and cultures
- Why operational excellence must be supported by the right culture, leadership, and operating system
- The importance of empowering teams and building strong leadership foundations
- Practical lessons on sustaining change by focusing on behavior, motivation, and execution discipline
- How universal operational excellence principles apply across manufacturing, technology, and consumer-focused organisations
Carlos emphasized that operational excellence is ultimately a continuous learning journey, requiring leaders to reflect, adapt, and remain open to new ideas and perspectives. He encouraged participants to embrace cross-industry collaboration as a powerful way to accelerate learning and drive meaningful transformation.
The interactive session sparked thoughtful discussion among operational excellence professionals across Europe and the UK, reinforcing the value of shared learning and community-driven improvement.
About the Operational Excellence Reference Group
Powered by PRIME BPM, the OPEX Reference Group is a cross-industry community that connects transformation professionals to collaborate, shared insights, and accelerate operational success. Designed for professionals involved in process improvement, digital transformation, system implementation, compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement, the group offers a platform to stay ahead of trends, gain practical knowledge, and engage with industry leaders through exclusive meetups and sessions.