WPO President Luciana Pellegrino on Leadership, Transformation and New Opportunities

The packaging industry is undergoing transformation – technologically, globally and socially. Luciana Pellegrino, President of the World Packaging Organisation, has been accompanying and shaping this change for many years. In 2026, she will be part of the “Women in Packaging” networking event at interpack. In this interview with interpack Magazine, she already talks about the growing importance of women in the industry, current global trends and the role of interpack as a driver of innovation for the future.

The presence of women in the packaging industry has evolved significantly over the past two decades, spanning from the industrial floor to leadership roles in packaging R&D. The landscape today is markedly different from when I entered the industry in 1997.

On one hand, the industry has successfully attracted women to pursue careers in packaging, and women have embraced these opportunities to grow and lead. In parallel, broader societal shifts have reinforced new paradigms around women’s capabilities – highlighting their ability to manage complexity, lead with empathy, and deliver results. Today, it is increasingly common to see women in CEO positions across industries.

These evolving paradigms have been instrumental in building confidence and establishing strong role models, making female leadership more visible, accepted, and unquestioned.

That said, challenges remain – particularly for working mothers – due to the lack of sufficiently supportive ecosystems, including public policies and infrastructure beyond the family sphere.

Strive to consistently go beyond expectations. Packaging is a highly dynamic field – technically demanding, yet deeply connected to market trends and innovation.

Approach it as a long-term journey. Invest in continuous learning, actively build your professional network, and engage with industry associations. Attend trade shows, contribute to conferences, and position yourself as an active participant in the community.

Above all, embrace the journey with curiosity and enthusiasm.

In the late 1990s, the packaging industry was largely characterized by high-volume production serving a relatively concentrated consumer goods market, with limited SKUs and constrained material and format options. Market dynamics were predominantly dictated by brands occupying physical retail space.

Today, this paradigm has shifted dramatically. We now operate in a highly dynamic and unpredictable marketplace defined by digital shelves, an explosion of product variety, and brands engaging consumers through increasingly personalized narratives.

At the same time, the industry is navigating a structural transformation – from linear to circular Models – while adapting to evolving regulatory frameworks, integrating advanced technologies, and leveraging artificial intelligence.

This is a uniquely transformative period for packaging – both exciting and challenging – given the complexity of processes, capital intensity, stringent quality and safety requirements, and the industry’s reliance on operational excellence.

A clear example of how the adoption curve for new technologies is becoming increasingly rapid, takes place at Tokyo Pack 2022, when we hosted a WPO Board meeting alongside the show. On that occasion, with the guidance of my dear colleague Toshio Arita-san, I was introduced to emerging barrier coating solutions and the coating technologies to enhance material performance at that time showcasing one or another case in Japan. By interpack 2023, the industry had already translated these innovations into scalable machinery solutions, particularly for mono-material plastics and flexible paper structures. These technologies have since advanced rapidly, driven by recyclability requirements and now delivering performance even in highly demanding applications such as retort packaging.

This example shows us that whenever the novelty is escalating technological efficiency which results in cost efficiency, the market finds its way to plug and play.

In my view, the key drivers shaping packaging development today include:

• Production efficiency: enhancing competitiveness while optimizing material and energy use.

• Advanced production and printing technologies: enabling flexibility, reduced downtime, cost efficiency, and enhanced consumer experience. Furthermore, enabling effective performance in smaller production volumes, enhanced decoration solutions at lower costs, and improved usability and convenience through embed functionalities.
  
  
• Artificial intelligence: accelerating decision-making, reducing time to market, and transforming packaging design and performance optimization. Which embraces, increasing assertiveness, and transforming structural design through simulation, optimization, and data integration.

• Materials innovation: mproving functionality, resistance, efficiency, performance, appearance, reducing environmental impact, and increasing recyclability and the use of recycled content.

• Sustainability performance: becoming a central decision-making factor, from waste reduction to circularity. Meaning: enhancing protection, preservation, usability, logistics efficiency, recyclability, and reducing waste; sustainability is increasingly becoming a key decision driver.

• Regulation: playing an increasingly decisive role in shaping both sustainability and safety standards.

• Innovation: all those aspects that offer innovative solutions and an enhanced packaging experience to consumers. More than ever, it is crucial to enchant consumers, capturing their attention and emotions.

In short, it is interesting to note that, as drivers, they may appear to be the same as in previous years; however, what these drivers deliver nowadays makes them highly strategic.

WPO’s core strength lies in its ability to connect a high-level global network, fostering knowledge exchange and establishing strong industry references. As I often emphasize, WPO helps elevate the global voice of packaging while leveraging its member organizations – across 66 countries – to drive impact at a local level.

Through strategic collaborations with institutions such as UNIDO, Wageningen University & Research, FH Campus Vienna, the FSSC Foundation, and its member organizations, WPO has developed key industry guidelines. These include the Packaging Design for Recycling Guide – now available in 16 languages – as well as publications such as Navigating the Food Loss and Waste Paradox and the 5 Safe Food Design Principles, among others. All available for download here.

The next bold step for WPO is to provide a global platform for packaging experts to connect, called Pack’t Forum. It is a collaborative digital platform designed to bring together packaging professionals from around the world. It is an open space where experts, practitioners, students, and industry stakeholders from across the globe can get connected, ask questions, discuss challenges across all packaging-related fields. We invite all the readers to pack it together with us at the platform.

The WorldStar Awards provide a clear reflection of how industry drivers are being translated into scalable, technically robust, and economically viable solutions.

In recent years, notable advancements include highly efficient transport packaging that reduces material use while enhancing performance; the expansion of reusable packaging systems in the cosmetics and personal care sector; the global adoption of mono-material high-barrier structures; and the accelerated scaling of circular solutions.

The awards effectively document the evolution of the industry, showcasing progress across regions and product categories. At the same time, it call attention how it supports business strategies and competitiveness. Several times we have received testimonials from companies reporting that by winning the WS, they were able to open doors to new prospects. In particular, the WS offered them the seal of approval for innovation and distinction.

Finaly, aligned to WPO’s Mission of promoting ‘Better quality of life, through better packaging, for more people, two areas of particular importance for WPO are Packaging that Saves Food and Packaging Accessibility, both of which we see as critical to the industry’s future development.

interpack stands as the leading global tradeshow for the packaging industry, showcasing plug and play solutions, meaning, ready for immediate implementation. It brings together a comprehensive range of technologies and customized solutions, addressing the needs of both large-scale and smaller operations.

As such, it serves as a central hub for industry alignment, innovation exchange, and technological advancement across the entire packaging value chain.

From a personal standpoint, interpack offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with key industry leaders, decision-makers, and stakeholders – connections that would otherwise take years to establish.

The event fosters an open environment for collaboration, enabling not only new business opportunities but also the development of meaningful, long-term professional relationships across global markets. The dynamic seven days at interpack provide an opportunity to build meaningful connections with colleagues from around the world.

It is, without question, truly unique!