Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: A Conversation with Sergio Duplan, President of the Americas at Alcon
time to read 5 minutes
At Alcon, we celebrate and recognize Hispanic Heritage Month and honor the rich culture, history and contributions of the Hispanic community, associates, customers, and patients we serve. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we recently sat down with Sergio Duplan, President of the Americas to hear more about how his heritage has influenced his career journey and leadership style. He oversees the Surgical and Vision Care business units, playing a crucial role in advancing eye health across the Americas.
Without difference in thinking, without creativity, without different points of view, you can’t have innovation. Innovation is our bread and butter in this company, so diversity is key.
Sergio Duplan, Latin Employees at Alcon Driving Success (LEADS) Executive Sponsor and President of the Americas
Can you share your journey and what inspired you to pursue a career in eye care at Alcon?
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work across different functions, including Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Finance, Sales, Marketing and General Management. I have also experienced working in four different countries and across industries such as Consumer Goods, Consulting, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices. I came to Alcon in 2012 after several years in Big Pharma, and I immediately fell in love with the company. Alcon’s commitment to customers, to innovation and to its employees, all lining up to an inspirational purpose of helping millions of people across the world see brilliantly… This has an impact on me that is difficult to put into words.
You have worked with a number of different organizations and nonprofits throughout your career. More specifically, can you share more about your work with the Helen Keller Foundation? How has this impacted your journey
Giving back has always been a priority for me. I believe we are blessed to be where we are, with families and friends that love us, successful careers in a company where people are so important, and an opportunity to touch so many lives with our day-to-day work helping millions of people see brilliantly. Because of this, serving on the Board of Trustees at Helen Keller has been inspirational to me. It is a way to give back to a world in need of sight, nutrition, and health care.
How has your Hispanic heritage influenced your career path and leadership style?
One of the reasons my career has been so successful is that I have been able to learn from the many diverse experiences that I have had. These experiences have helped shape my mind in a way that allows me to be open to new ideas and allows me to apply different learnings to different situations. These learnings have encouraged me to have a deeper sense of understanding different perspectives. My leadership style has been shaped by applying the best of my Hispanic heritage combined with the best of all the other multi-cultural experiences I have had through interactions with countless people from different cultures, backgrounds and ways of thinking. My aha moment in terms of the importance of diversity happened when I realized that we are not all the same. We do not think the same way, but we all can learn from each other and in a way that drives the success of Alcon.
How do you celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month personally and as the sponsor of Latin Employees at Alcon Driving Success (LEADS) Employee Resource Group at Alcon?
As a Hispanic, Hispanic Heritage Month is especially important to me, as it is a great reminder of where I came from and how rich the Hispanic history and culture are. I am proud to be the sponsor of LEADS mainly because of the quality and passion of its leaders and members around the mission of this employee resource group. At its core, the LEADS employee resource group’s mission is to empower Alcon associates to develop their full potential and be active leaders who foster an inclusive culture inside and outside the organization. And of course, I also enjoy the celebrations with great music and great food!
Duplan's career began with Novartis in 2004, where he quickly rose through the ranks, starting as Vice President of Pharma Sales in Mexico and later becoming Head of Pharma Marketing and Sales for Latin America. His leadership and expertise led him to join Alcon in 2012, where he initially served as President for Latin America and Canada.
Throughout his career, Sergio Duplan has dedicated himself to improving healthcare access and outcomes, making significant contributions to the industry. His journey is a testament to the impact of Hispanic leaders in global healthcare.
