WEG: From Global Player to Global Leader?

One of the most important firms in Latin America, WEG is a Brazilian multinational company specializing in electrical engineering, automation, and energy solutions. Founded in 1961, it is one of the largest global manufacturers of electric motors, drives, transformers, and automation equipment. It has operations in 140 countries, with approximately 45,000 employees and production plants in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, China, the US, and India. On 1 April 2024, Alberto Kuba became the company’s fourth CEO. The case focuses on the period after his appointment and WEG’s five-year plan in addition to tracking its success in building diversified operations across industrial automation, renewable energy, and electrical equipment manufacturing.
Its growth has been achieved by strategic expansion, innovation, excellence in execution, a lean approach, and a long-term orientation. Its continued emphasis on R&D investment has led to its development of efficient and sustainable technologies.

The WEG case is designed to help students explore how a company from an emerging market can evolve from a global player into a global leader by leveraging long-term vision, operational excellence, disciplined management, and a strong corporate culture. The case enables discussion on internationalization strategies, vertical integration, innovation-driven growth, and sustainability-led transformation. It encourages students to critically examine how WEG maintained its cultural essence while adapting to local contexts across geographies and business units. The case also serves as a platform to analyse the role of leadership transitions in sustaining global growth, and how organizational structure and governance mechanisms can support agility and synergy in a highly diversified and globalized firm. It also allows students to reflect on the challenges of building a global brand while maintaining a competitive advantage in the contexts of geopolitical uncertainty and energy transition.