PPG Executive Alisha Bellezza Recognized Among Finalists for Women Automotive Network Leader of the Year Award
PPG has announced that Alisha Bellezza, senior vice president of Automotive and Packaging Coatings, has been recognized as a finalist for the prestigious Leader of the Year award by the Women Automotive Network, underscoring her growing influence and leadership impact across the global automotive sector.
The recognition places Bellezza among an elite group of automotive leaders acknowledged for driving innovation, advancing business transformation, and promoting greater inclusion throughout the industry. The annual awards ceremony, hosted by the Women Automotive Network during the Women Automotive Summit Detroit, celebrates executives and professionals who are making meaningful contributions to the future of mobility and the broader automotive ecosystem.
For PPG, a global leader in paints, coatings, and specialty materials, Bellezza’s recognition reflects both her individual leadership achievements and the company’s continued role in supporting transformation within the automotive industry. Since joining PPG in 2023, Bellezza has played a key role in steering the company’s automotive business through a period marked by rapid technological shifts, supply chain evolution, changing consumer preferences, and increasing demands for sustainability and innovation.
Recognition Amid Automotive Industry Transformation
The automotive industry is undergoing one of the most significant transitions in its history. Electrification, digitalization, sustainability requirements, connected vehicle technologies, and shifting manufacturing priorities are forcing companies across the automotive value chain to rethink their strategies. Against this backdrop, executives capable of guiding organizations through uncertainty while maintaining strong customer relationships and operational performance are increasingly valued.
The Women Automotive Network selected Bellezza as a finalist based on her leadership during this transformational period. Her ability to guide PPG’s automotive coatings business while prioritizing customer engagement, innovation, and workforce development helped distinguish her among a competitive field of nominees.
PPG’s automotive business occupies a strategic position within the global mobility sector. The company supplies coatings technologies that are critical to vehicle manufacturing, helping automakers improve aesthetics, durability, corrosion protection, and sustainability outcomes. As vehicle manufacturers continue evolving their production processes—particularly with the rise of electric vehicles and advanced materials—coatings companies are being challenged to innovate faster and align more closely with customer demands.
Bellezza’s leadership has helped ensure that PPG remains positioned to support automotive customers navigating these changes.
Celebrating Leadership and Industry Progress
The Women Automotive Network’s annual awards are designed to recognize professionals who are shaping the automotive sector through leadership excellence, innovation, and measurable impact. The awards program also emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion within an industry that has historically faced challenges in achieving balanced representation at senior leadership levels.
Held alongside the annual Women Automotive Summit Detroit, the event brings together executives, manufacturers, suppliers, mobility companies, and technology leaders from around the world to discuss emerging trends and opportunities shaping the future of transportation.
Bellezza described the recognition as both an honor and a reflection of the collective effort taking place across PPG’s global operations.
“Being named a finalist reflects the talent and commitment of our global teams and the culture PPG leaders have cultivated within our organization,” Bellezza said.
She emphasized the significance of participating in an event that gathered influential voices from across the automotive world, particularly women helping define the future direction of major automotive companies.
“It was inspiring to be among so many leaders at the summit, including women who are leading and shaping the future of major automotive companies,” Bellezza added.
Her comments also highlighted the pace of transformation currently underway across the automotive landscape and the role PPG continues to play in helping customers adapt.
“The automotive industry is evolving quickly, and I am proud to work alongside PPG colleagues who are helping our customers navigate change, drive innovation and deliver on our purpose – We protect and beautify the world – every day,” she said.
Leadership Background and Career Experience
Bellezza has built an extensive career spanning multiple disciplines, including sales, operations, finance, and executive leadership. Her broad professional experience has positioned her to lead complex organizations through change while balancing operational efficiency with strategic growth objectives.
Before joining PPG in 2023, Bellezza served as president of thermal and specialized solutions at Chemours, where she oversaw a major business division and contributed to strategic initiatives involving advanced technologies and industrial solutions.
Her experience at Chemours provided her with valuable expertise in managing global operations, navigating evolving market demands, and fostering innovation-driven business growth.
Earlier in her career, Bellezza held several leadership positions across sales, operations, and finance, developing a multidimensional understanding of industrial and manufacturing businesses. She also spent time at FMC Corp., where she gained additional experience working within global markets and complex business environments.
Her career foundation in finance and banking further strengthened her leadership profile, equipping her with financial management expertise that continues to support strategic decision-making in executive roles.
Since joining PPG, Bellezza has become a member of the company’s operating committee, reinforcing her strategic influence across the organization and positioning her as a key voice in helping shape the company’s long-term growth agenda.
PPG’s Role in Automotive Innovation
PPG has long maintained a prominent position in the automotive industry, supplying coatings technologies used across passenger vehicles, commercial transportation, and aftermarket applications.
The company works closely with automotive manufacturers to develop solutions that improve vehicle performance, durability, efficiency, and visual appeal. Automotive coatings play a critical role not only in vehicle aesthetics but also in protecting surfaces against corrosion, environmental wear, and long-term degradation.
As automakers increasingly prioritize sustainability, coatings suppliers are under growing pressure to develop products with lower environmental impact, improved energy efficiency, and reduced emissions throughout production processes.
PPG has invested heavily in innovation to address these evolving priorities, developing advanced coatings technologies that support lightweight materials, electric vehicle manufacturing, and environmentally responsible production practices.
Under leaders such as Bellezza, the company has continued strengthening partnerships with automotive customers while adapting to new industry realities.
The company’s automotive and packaging coatings segment represents an important growth engine, requiring strong leadership capable of balancing customer expectations with operational execution and technological advancement.
Advancing Inclusion Across the Automotive Sector
Beyond business performance, recognition programs such as the Women Automotive Network awards also spotlight efforts to improve representation and create more inclusive workplaces within automotive and mobility industries.
Women remain underrepresented in many senior leadership roles across automotive manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain organizations. Industry events such as the Women Automotive Summit seek to address this challenge by creating opportunities for networking, mentorship, leadership development, and visibility for accomplished professionals.
Recognitions such as Bellezza’s finalist placement serve as examples of progress being made toward greater diversity at executive levels.
Organizations increasingly recognize that inclusive leadership and diverse perspectives can strengthen decision-making, improve innovation outcomes, and better position companies to address rapidly changing market demands.
For PPG, fostering leadership talent and building an inclusive workplace culture remain central priorities as the company expands its global operations and deepens relationships across key industrial sectors.
A Global Company with Deep Industry Roots
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PPG has operated for more than 140 years and maintains a strong presence in industrial, transportation, consumer, and construction markets worldwide.
The company develops and delivers paints, coatings, and specialty products designed to solve customer challenges across a wide range of industries. Through close collaboration with customers, PPG aims to deliver technologies that improve product performance, durability, and sustainability.
Today, PPG markets and sells products in more than 50 countries, serving customers across construction, industrial manufacturing, transportation, and aftermarket sectors.
In 2025, the company reported net sales of approximately $15.9 billion, highlighting the scale of its global operations and continued market relevance.
PPG’s corporate purpose, “We protect and beautify the world,” reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to combining technological innovation with practical solutions that help customers navigate increasingly complex business environments.
As the automotive sector continues evolving, leaders such as Bellezza are expected to play an increasingly important role in helping organizations adapt to shifting market conditions, customer expectations, and emerging technologies.
Her recognition as a finalist for the Women Automotive Network’s Leader of the Year award not only acknowledges her leadership achievements but also reinforces PPG’s position as an influential partner within the rapidly transforming global automotive industry.
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