2016 AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE LEADING WOMEN

Name: Brigitte Cantaloube
Title: Chief digital officer 
Company: PSA Group 
Location: Paris, France 
Age: 49 

Family: Sons, Vincent, 15, Julien, 16
Born: Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Nationality: French
Languages: French, English, Spanish
Education: Master's degree in business and management, EDHEC Business School, Lille, France

What attracted you to the auto industry?
The future prospects that the industry has to offer. Because of the digital revolution and the new technologies, the next 10 years will be amazing for the industry.

First automotive job:
I joined PSA Group in February of this year and I am now the company's chief digital officer. It's all very new and exciting for me.

What was your big break?
When Yahoo promoted me from managing director of France to head of our Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business operations. That put me in charge of more than 280 teams in eight different locations.

What major challenge have you faced in your career?
When I was the only female country manager at Yahoo, I worked to build a gender-diverse management team in France, adding talented females to my leadership team. When I stepped up to my EMEA role, I implemented the same strategy.

What keeps you awake at night?
The future of Europe and how new technologies will help serve as the foundation for a new chapter in history, both economically and culturally.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career?
I have been fortunate to have worked with many extraordinary people throughout my career. It's impossible to single out a person. But I am very grateful to all these people for their trust.

What should be done to encourage women to enter the auto industry? Everything! We need to attract as many talented people to our Industry as possible. We also have to mirror our customers, many of whom are women. We need to make them feel welcome.

What's your favorite weekend activity?
My work weeks are usually very long so I dedicate my weekends to spending time with family and friends.

If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
Bill Gates. I am amazed by the company he built, the foundation he runs and how he keeps himself personally involved in everything.

If I had it to do all over again, I would ...
Looking back there are, of course, many opportunities I would have loved to explore. However, the people who are important to me are part of this journey, so I wouldn't change a thing.

When and where was your last vacation?
I went to Florence, Italy, last August. It was truly magical!

Name one talent you wish you had.
I would love to be a great pianist.

Best advice you've ever received?
Trust is the basis of successful teams.

What advice would you give your child?
Be curious.

If you were a car, what car would you be?
It would be either be a DS3, a Citroen Mehari or the new Peugeot 3008, but please don't ask me to choose.