Alberto Yoshikazu Kuba, appointed CEO of WEG In April 2023, he was recognized by Bloomberg as one of the 500 most influential people in Latin America in 2024. With more than 21 years of experience in the company, Kuba has led important international expansion operations and played a key role in consolidating WEG as a global leader in the manufacture of electric motors and industrial equipment.
Since joining as an intern in 2002, he has risen through the ranks of the company, managing operations in China, Brazil and the United States.
Born in Brazil and a graduate in Electrical Engineering from the São Paulo State University (UNESP), Kuba complemented his academic training with an MBA in Business Management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) and specializations in corporate finance at Fundação Dom Cabral. In addition, he has participated in world-renowned executive programs, such as the Executive Program for Growing Companies at Stanford University and the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD, which has given him a solid foundation in leadership and business management.
Kuba began his career at WEG in 2002 as an intern and trainee, moving through various areas until settling into industrial motor sales. In 2010, he was expatriated to China, where he worked in marketing and sales, eventually taking on the role of General Manager of Operations. During his ten years in the Asian giant, Kuba played a crucial role in WEG’s expansion in that market, leading the company’s local presence in one of the world’s most dynamic economies. Under his leadership, WEG consolidated its position in China, increasing its market share and establishing a solid foundation for future growth.
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Following his successful stint in China, he returned to Brazil in 2020 to take over the management of industrial motors, one of WEG’s most important divisions. In 2023, before being appointed CEO, he also worked in the United States, where he continued to strengthen the company’s global presence.
One of the highlights of Kuba’s management has been his participation in the acquisition of the industrial electric motors and generators division of the American company Regal Rexnord Corporation, a transaction valued at 400 million dollars. This purchase, announced in September 2023, was the largest in WEG’s history and reinforced the company’s expansion strategy in key markets such as the United States, China and India. The acquisition included 10 factories in 7 countries and 2,800 employees, which will allow WEG to increase its production capacity and consolidate itself as a relevant player in the global industrial electric motors market.
Kuba’s vision for WEG is aligned with the idea of continuing to strengthen the company’s internationalization, a strategy that has been key to the company’s sustained growth over the past decades. Under his leadership, WEG not only seeks to expand its presence in emerging markets, but also to continue innovating in industrial products and solutions to stay at the forefront of technology.
Kuba’s predecessor, Harry Schmelzer Jr., also had a distinguished career at WEG. After 44 years with the company, Schmelzer led a period of unprecedented international expansion, consolidating WEG as one of Brazil’s largest exporters and a key player in the global electric motors and industrial equipment sector. Schmelzer is now a member of WEG’s Board of Directors for the 2024/2025 biennium, where he continues to contribute his vast experience.
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