When passion leads the way: Francesca Presotto’s view

You’ve almost reached your ninth year in Bolton! How does it feel?

I feel old. Just kidding! 

Honestly, I feel extremely proud to have found a place where I am growing, and that is evolving with me as well. A place where I keep learning, where I sometimes make mistakes, which I find necessary to become the person I want to be in the future.

What part of the Bolton culture resonates with you the most personally?

The Bolton values I feel closest to are “Will to Achieve” and “Quest to Evolve”.

As a very sporty person, I’ve learned the importance of perseverance, to never give up until I reach my goals, and at the same time to always look for new ways to improve and grow.

Take us through your career journey. What are its main milestones?

There are so many, but four major moments are definitely:

1. The beginning: when I found an environment full of amazing people, where I found lots of support and a true willingness to teach me and help me.

2. The switch from marketing to trade: when I dared to change path, I even took a step back in terms of hierarchy, because I wanted to challenge myself! In this phase, I learned so many new, complementary skills that later turned out to be crucial for my marketing role.

3. A very important mindset shift: when I realized I didn’t have to be “a student who needs to prove herself” anymore, but instead I wanted to become a leader who would be able to guide a team towards shared goals. This shift happened thanks to managers who became real mentors to me: they pushed me, challenged me, understood me, and sometimes made me question myself — all of which helped me grow a lot.

4. The phase I’m in right now: meaning my new challenge at Bolton Beauty, where I’ve been since March, to work as a Trade Marketing Manager.

You’ve become a senior quite early in your career. What’s your approach to leading teams? Has it changed over time?

It has changed a lot! At the beginning, my approach to leadership was very much about proving that I deserved that role. Over time, though, I realized that leadership doesn’t mean being the one who knows or does everything. It’s about creating the right environment where the team feels supported, challenged, and motivated to reach a common goal together.

What has changed the most is that today I focus much more on listening, giving people autonomy, and adapting my style to different personalities. I no longer want to see myself as “the student who has to prove herself,” but as someone who can inspire, guide, and grow together with the team.

You’ve switched gears plenty of times: can you tell us what was the most satisfying moment or project of your career?

I could choose so many moments — even projects that maybe didn’t go so well! But if I had to point out one I’m really proud of, I’d say the moment I switched from Marketing to Trade.

It wasn’t easy: I had to start again from scratch and felt like I had lost my independence, since I even took a step back (hierarchically speaking). But it allowed me to challenge myself, learn a lot, and most importantly, see the business from a different perspective. Looking back, that choice gave me the foundation to grow into the role I have today, and that’s why I consider it one of the most rewarding decisions of my career.

Changing many roles and departments must have been challenging. What is your main advice for other Boltonians wishing to follow your path? 

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, even if it means starting from scratch or taking a step back. Every change is an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to see the business from a new perspective. Be open, stay curious, and trust that all the pieces will come together to make you stronger in the long run.

You’ve landed in the Beauty world as of February 2025. What’s it like? What are its main challenges?

It’s been like jumping into a brand-new world, a super-fast, dynamic, and complex one, with a new role and a new team. A lot of things are completely different from my status quo, and that makes it both challenging and exciting.

You’re not only a Domestic and Trade Marketing Manager, you’re also a sports addict. How does that define you as a Boltonian?

Sports are part of my DNA — they’ve taught me perseverance, energy, and team spirit. That’s exactly how I live Bolton’s values: I’m always pushing to achieve, and I never stop evolving.