November 01, 2022
NEMA continues its Executive Q&A Series with four questions for Kevin Poyck, President of Signify Americas. In his answers, Poyck connects success with passion and communication — two areas that helped him develop his leadership skills.
Q: How did you get to where you are today?
Focusing on my passions — for people, for products and solutions, and for achieving a purpose — has helped me develop into the business leader I am today. I’ve connected these three areas in each of the industries I’ve worked in, from power tools to appliances and now lighting and the electroindustry. And I continue to stay energized by working with our teams to uncover innovation opportunities to make people’s lives easier or businesses better.
Q: What will be the biggest change to the industry in the next three years?
The speed of change will only get faster and require that digital transformation moves into all areas of a business. As we continue to tackle supply chain challenges, the climate change imperative, and talent and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion capability building, we will see a shift from global to regional models to capture opportunities.
If I think about lighting specifically: at Signify, we believe light can convey meaning. It offers the power to transmit information, as our Trulifi technology illustrates. It also can create fully immersive experiences that affect one’s health and well-being or even how they watch their favorite movies at home (our NatureConnect solution and Philips Hue smart lighting system, respectively). This wave of transformation to light as an intelligent language will truly take shape.
Q: What advice would you give someone starting in the industry today?
It’s never been a more exciting time to be a part of the electroindustry! Just as I did, look for those opportunities where you can apply your passions. Use this time to be curious and find the areas where you can specialize while developing your digital skills.
My most important piece of advice: build relationships. Communication is paramount to this. Listen to learn and speak openly about your goals with your champions, so they can help you grow.
Q: What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Spending time with my wife, two children, and our extended family always comes first. I enjoy reading biographies and advising on boards, such as with NEMA, Clemson Engineering, and the Alliance to Save Energy — all to strengthen my leadership skills.
Giving back to my community is important to me, too; I am personally involved with the United Way and support breast cancer awareness. If you know me, I also love to golf and be on the water — these activities always bring a smile to my face.